Why did Camo discontinue the Marksman X2 with 1/8" spacing ? Most KDAT pressure treated manufacturers such as Yellowwood and Cullpepper, specify 1/8" spacing as do some synthetics.
I built a deck about a year ago using this system with vitex which is a hard wood. I wouldn't recommend using it with a hardwood personally and am about to build a deck out the front of my house and will probably go back to screws unless I choose a different wood and/or different fastening system. The reasons are that hardwood seems to be to strong for these heads and when some of the boards crown, which they will try to do eventually given temperature and rain fluctuations, the heads have just pulled through and caused massive splintered areas. These are on the side so not a splinter hazard but the screw is no longer fastening the board in place. They might work fine in softwood such as pine etc but I just wouldn't recommend for hardwood. Also another problem I found was sometimes (maybe every 10-15 screws) the screw wouldn't drive all the way in but to top it off it wouldn't screw out either so I had to wrestle the hand held piece quite violently side to side and up and down to rip it off the screw head. Then I could drive the screw all the way in so it definitely was not hitting an embedded nail etc. I could never work out why it randomly did this but it was a pretty annoying at the time. It shouldn't have been the screw head catching the insides of the guide as it sets it up for the correct angle etc. I actually did like the system to be honest but never again with hardwood. Feel free to email me on cracknfx@yahoo.co.nz if you want to see photos of the finished deck and of the pulled wood through screws.
Hey Phil, thanks for the comment, and we're sorry you didn't have a great experience with our MARKSMAN System on hardwood. We'll send your note along and Greg will be in touch to get some more details!
Which Camo should be used with Cedar 5/4 x 6 decking boards? You mentioned composite (use the Pro), PT wood (use the x1), but said nothing about cedar boards. I'm assuming that since cedar doesn't shrink as much as PT wood, using the Pro (i.e. 3/16 gap) unit is recommended or should I use the 1/16 gap, or is it simply a matter of preference? Thanks.
Excellent question. Typical pressure treated decking (moisture content above 19%) needs little to no spacing between boards at the time of installation since the boards are so wet. As the boards dry, they will shrink, creating a space naturally.
@@CAMOFasteners Thanks for the quick response, this is the first time I see moisture content specified with accuracy, thank you for that. Now if there was a way to measure that, that would also be great.
@@CAMOFasteners @CAMO Fasteners Thanks for the reply. Yeah I went ahead and got the x1 camo and a pail of the longer 2" screws from home depot because I'm using 2x6's. I like the look of no gaps, but it's still really wet wood so I guess this will have to do. The wood is SO wet though that I'm worried about the issues some people have had with this system when the wood starts to shrink. Too late now though, about to start on it tomorrow, so we'll see what happens, and I'll give an update when completed 😁👍 P. S I really like the extension with the 3" screws too, but my home depot didn't have any in stock and like a week to deliver one so, sad face.
Why did Camo discontinue the Marksman X2 with 1/8" spacing ? Most KDAT pressure treated manufacturers such as Yellowwood and Cullpepper, specify 1/8" spacing as do some synthetics.
Excellent summary of the tools offered. --- Thanks for the helpful upload. ---
I built a deck about a year ago using this system with vitex which is a hard wood. I wouldn't recommend using it with a hardwood personally and am about to build a deck out the front of my house and will probably go back to screws unless I choose a different wood and/or different fastening system. The reasons are that hardwood seems to be to strong for these heads and when some of the boards crown, which they will try to do eventually given temperature and rain fluctuations, the heads have just pulled through and caused massive splintered areas. These are on the side so not a splinter hazard but the screw is no longer fastening the board in place.
They might work fine in softwood such as pine etc but I just wouldn't recommend for hardwood.
Also another problem I found was sometimes (maybe every 10-15 screws) the screw wouldn't drive all the way in but to top it off it wouldn't screw out either so I had to wrestle the hand held piece quite violently side to side and up and down to rip it off the screw head. Then I could drive the screw all the way in so it definitely was not hitting an embedded nail etc. I could never work out why it randomly did this but it was a pretty annoying at the time. It shouldn't have been the screw head catching the insides of the guide as it sets it up for the correct angle etc.
I actually did like the system to be honest but never again with hardwood.
Feel free to email me on cracknfx@yahoo.co.nz if you want to see photos of the finished deck and of the pulled wood through screws.
Hey Phil, thanks for the comment, and we're sorry you didn't have a great experience with our MARKSMAN System on hardwood. We'll send your note along and Greg will be in touch to get some more details!
Which Camo should be used with Cedar 5/4 x 6 decking boards? You mentioned composite (use the Pro), PT wood (use the x1), but said nothing about cedar boards. I'm assuming that since cedar doesn't shrink as much as PT wood, using the Pro (i.e. 3/16 gap) unit is recommended or should I use the 1/16 gap, or is it simply a matter of preference? Thanks.
@jaxwylde2139 we would recommend using the Marksman Pro for a 3/16 in gap for cedar with our 316 stainless steel Edge screws for this project.
@@CAMOFasteners Thank you very much!
You mentioned 3/16th gap for synthetic, and 1/16th gap for treated lumber, what lumber or condition would you leave no gap with the edge? Thanks
Excellent question. Typical pressure treated decking (moisture content above 19%) needs little to no
spacing between boards at the time of installation since the boards are so wet.
As the boards dry, they will shrink, creating a space
naturally.
@@CAMOFasteners Thanks for the quick response, this is the first time I see moisture content specified with accuracy, thank you for that. Now if there was a way to measure that, that would also be great.
For the no gap, does the wood have to be completely dry?
Yes, however we recommend leaving a 1/16 in. gap between dry pressure treated lumber to allow for drainage.
@@CAMOFasteners @CAMO Fasteners Thanks for the reply. Yeah I went ahead and got the x1 camo and a pail of the longer 2" screws from home depot because I'm using 2x6's. I like the look of no gaps, but it's still really wet wood so I guess this will have to do. The wood is SO wet though that I'm worried about the issues some people have had with this system when the wood starts to shrink.
Too late now though, about to start on it tomorrow, so we'll see what happens, and I'll give an update when completed 😁👍
P. S I really like the extension with the 3" screws too, but my home depot didn't have any in stock and like a week to deliver one so,
sad face.
I guess this could be used for fence building as well.
Absolutely! Just use the right tool for the spacing you need between boards and you'll be good.
How do you do the starter board, that back screw up against the structure is going to be a bitch.🤣
Hey Mac, we recommend face screwing your first board since a MARKSMAN Tool won't be able to fit on the first board next to the structure.