It has received many positive reviews and ratings from people who have purchased and used it for a while.
Many say it’s a little heavier but very convenient, fast, and easy to maneuver in tight spaces. However, like any other framing nailer, the Milwaukee is not perfect.
In this post, we will list and explain commonly reported problems with it. Read on to know what you’ll be up against if you plan to buy it.
Common Problems With Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer
According to the manufacturer, the Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer can drive up to 3 nails in a second! It’s a fantastic tool that any woodworker would love to have.
But it can be incredibly inconvenient if it develops an issue that compromises its performance, particularly in the middle of an important project.
You can avoid this inconvenience if you know the problems you’re likely to encounter beforehand. It’s also great to know how to resolve them.
Feeder Issue
It’s one of the problems you’re likely to face on your Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer. The problem occurs due to the misalignment of the pins.
You must align the pins properly to have a good experience with this instrument.
Failure to do that, the pins will stick, meaning that the nailer won’t fire. So, here’s what you should do if you notice that your nailer has a problem firing up well.
Solution
Inspect the feed and ensure that the pins are correctly aligned.
Close the feeder, and your Milwaukee M18 Nailer will work flawlessly.
Note
You must be careful when attempting any repairs on your nail gun. Make sure that the feeding mechanism is not loaded or charged.
A nailer failing to fire or jammed may work suddenly during the examination, causing injury if you don’t take precautions.
Ensure you remove the battery from your Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer before attempting any repairs.
Nailer Fails To Drive Nails Correctly
Not many people have reported this problem, but you should prepare if it happens to you. The nailer refuses to drive the nails correctly.
There can be many different reasons for this problem.
One reason is that you may use the wrong nails or fasteners for this nailer, which may lead to other mechanical problems.
A nail could also have wedged or stuck in the feeder or driver tip, hence preventing the nailer from functioning well.
Solution
Ensure you use the appropriate nails that the manufacturer specified for the nailer.
If a fastener is stuck, use a cleat or small pin to remove it.
Barrel Jams
Barrel jams can tie up your work fast and prevent you from accomplishing your day’s task. Like any other nailer, the Milwaukee M18 framing nailer may jam once in a while.
One cause that leads to this nail gun jamming is the feeding mechanism.
The firing mechanism can receive too many nails, leading to gun malfunctions.
This malfunction can also happen due to misalignment of the firing pin (as mentioned above).
The barrel jamming can also be due to gunk build-up, dust, and rust getting stuck in the barrel. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix nailer jams.
Solution
Disassemble the nailer and remove the excess or stuck nails.
Carefully inspect the barrel to find out what is causing the jams.
Clean the barrel up thoroughly to ensure a smooth pathway.
Lubricate the barrel to allow the pins to go through smoothly.
Note
Your nailer will operate well when it’s well lubricated. A few drops of good machine oil can enhance your experience with Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer.
Electrical Issues
Various electric issues are common in electric nail guns, and the Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer is no different.
One problem you can experience is malfunctioning solenoids. The solenoid coil can fail or burn out due to several factors.
One instance is when an incorrect voltage is applied to the coil. Electrical spikes can also destroy the coil.
Unfortunately, you can’t repair a burnt-out coil, and you have to replace it. In other cases, electrical connections may break and cause the malfunction of your nail gun.
The Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer is cordless and, therefore, operates on a rechargeable battery. So, the battery can drain the charge too quickly after several uses.
Old batteries won’t hold a good amount of charge and will provide insufficient power. That may also cause sluggish performance.
Solution
Disassemble the nailer and solder any broken connections back.
Always ensure the battery is charged fully.
Replace an old battery.
Check the spark plug to ensure everything is fine.
Frequently Braking Components – Pin
After using the Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer for a while, some parts will wear out and eventually break. One part that commonly breaks is the pin.
A worn or broken pin can prevent the fasteners from feeding or cause a feeding issue where the nailer fires irregularly.
A broken pin can also cause jams, meaning that the nailer won’t fire altogether.
Fortunately, it’s easy to change a broken pin issue yourself and make the tool function optimally. You only need to inspect the pin and replace it if need be.
Spring, Hub, And Magazine
Another part that commonly breaks is the spring. A broken spring will also affect the operation of the framing nailer.
That is something that will happen when you least expect it. The broken spring will cause a misfiring problem, which can be very inconvenient.
The hub (attached to the spring and the feeder) can also wear out and break. The spring will not keep pressure on the nail gun feeder when it malfunctions.
That means that you’ll experience misfires or incorrect firing of the nails.
The feeding problem can also be a result of a damaged magazine. A faulty magazine will likely pinch onto the nails and keep them stuck in a position.
Magazines can become easily damaged if you don’t handle your Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer properly.
Solution
Disassemble the nail gun.
Inspect the magazine, pin, spring, hub, and pushers for any signs of damage.
Replace any damaged or worn-out part.
Reassemble the tool, and it will work flawlessly.
We noticed that some people are complaining about the weight of the Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer.
It weighs 10.05 pounds when the magazine is empty and without the 5.0Ah battery.
When everything is loaded, the equipment is about 11.3 pounds, which is slightly heavier than a pneumatic framing nailer.
Unfortunately, there’s no solution to this problem. We can only hope that the manufacturer can do something about it and that future models may come out lighter.
Final Thought
Those are the five common problems with a Milwaukee M18 Framing Nailer.
If your nailer is malfunctioning and you don’t know what to do, we hope that you have found this post helpful.
Please note that the above problems are popular with most framing nailers on the market. Many people have used this nailer for months and have had zero issues.
The good thing about this machine is that it has a simple design, and it’s easy to diagnose and troubleshoot most problems.
Remember to always take precautionary measures before attempting any repairs.
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