Does a pneumatic hardwood hammer make installation easier?
NO. With the pneumatic hardwood hammer, as is the case with the manual hardwood hammer, it’s the impact of the weight on the hammer’s piston that matters and it’s essentially the same for both types. It’s important that the force used be reasonable and constant from one impact to the next. The impact of the weight on the hammer allows the nail or staple to be inserted but also permits the strip to fit in snugly with those in the preceding row. It is easier for new users to understand the force to use on impact by using a manual hardwood hammer. Pneumatic hammers must be used with great care. If the air pressure is too high, the physical structure of the strips can be irreparably damaged; they may even crack or split several months after installation. On the other hand, air pressure that is too low can also cause cracking and splitting. Nails that are improperly inserted can place undue stress on the strips’ mortises. A manual nailer is far better than a pneumatic one for novice install
