Pneumatic Nail Guns are the Root of All Evil

So I spent the last few hours adding fasteners to the fascia board to properly secure it. Then I ran down to the 'Po to see if the had a piece of crown molding that would match the one I mushed up. Amazingly, (or not), they had the exact stuff in stock in great quantity.

I cut that to length and nailed it up to finish off the back of the house.

As I've not done much carpentry in my life, this is all a learning experience. I think I've finally figured out how the original builder made such a mess of the soffits.

Have you ever tried to drive a nail into a springy board with a hammer? You'll sooner put your thumb through it. Unless the board is backed properly and rigid, the nail won't move as the board flexing takes up all the energy of the hammer blow.

Air nailers will drive a nail through anything regardless of whether or not it is framed correctly. Hence, you can be totally sloppy with your construction and framing habits and still stick the house together.

For the exact same reason that you learn derivatives in math longhand before learning the secret, carpenters should be required to learn to frame a house with a hammer before being able to purchase a nailgun.