Air nailer vs. hand framing, did the switch in 2018 and still torn

Used to hand nail every stud and joist for years, took twice as long but I felt every connection. Switched to a Senco air nailer on a big deck job near Tacoma and damn, speed is night and day, but I worry about overdriving or missing a pocket on wet lumber. Anyone else go back and forth, or is there a middle ground like a palm nailer for critical joints? I keep a 16 oz framing hammer in the truck just in case.

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the_jamie28d ago

Changed my mind on this after using a nailer on a shed last month. I was always a hand hammer purist but the speed honestly wins for most framing. Still keep a palm nailer for the tricky spots where I need that extra feel, it's a good middle ground.

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