# how do you refill paslode gas cartridges?



## 12penny

And just when you think you've heard it all.


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## Just Bill

I don't think it is practical or doable.


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## oh'mike

As long as you are here---How do you refill ball point pen cartridges?


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## Ron6519

Just Bill said:


> I don't think it is practical or doable.


I don't think it's too bright myself to even attempt it.


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## loneframer

I'd like to know what you are going to refill them with.:huh:

It's my understanding that along with the combustibles, there is a lubricant to keep the gun operating properly.

I don't think I'd be trying to fill it with a propane cylinder or butane either.:no:

New fuel cells only cost a little over 5 bucks each. If that's not in your price range, I recommend Harbor Freight for a cheap gun and a compressor.

You could sell the Impulse gun, buy a HF set-up with several different guns and still have a few bucks left over.

All you lose is the convenience and reliability of a great gun, but you free yourself from the penny per 5-10 shots for fuel.


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## chriseccles

*Paslode refills*

Basically, like most other tradesmen, I soon discovered the Paslode rip-off, to wit that Paslode are retailing butane/propane mix at around 400 times its actual market value in their 'fuel cell' containers. Here, in Ireland, a twin pack of cells for the IM350 gun costs around €45 (about $52) for 60g of gas mix. Contrast this with the 350g of the same mix in a cylinder for a plumbers' burner gun, which retails for €3.99 (under $5).

Confronted with this blatant con-trick by Paslode, my son and I decided to investigate a safe, reliable and cost-effective methodology for refilling the cells.

Here are our results:

First, you CANNOT simply pipe up the gas mix from one cylinder to the other; the pressure differential is not high enough to transfer much mix, or indeed any at all.

Boyle's Law determines the behaviour of gases confined within vessels and, to be able to fill one cylinder from another, there requires to be a substantial pressure difference so that, when equilibrium is reached in the system, some mix has moved from the full to the empty container. If you just connect the empty to the full at room temperature, very little happens !

The secret is to expel the residual gas from the 'empty' cylinder by holding its valve in the open position (we devised a simple clamp which holds four cells in the open, vented, position) at an elevated temperature. A small tank of boiled water achieves this in about 30 seconds. Removing each cell from the clamp then closes its valve and creates a partial vacuum in the cell as it cools to room temperature.

Further cooling, with the valve still closed, (30 minutes in a regular home freezer) then enhances this vacuum. (just as a test, if you open one of the valves at this point, you will hear the inrush of air as the vacuum is destroyed.)

We bored the regulator channel out of the head of an old plumbers' burner gun to get a flow of liquefied gas at 'neat' pressure, and connected this via 8mm copper tube to a simple outlet sealed with an O-ring to form the joint to the 4mm diameter Paslode valve on the top of the cells. Clamping a cold, evacuated cell on to the outlet then allows the vacuum to suck in some liquid mix and recharge the cell.

You don't get the full 30g transfered (average is around 16g, depending on how full the source cylinder is) but it's a useable charge. We reckon to fill around 10 cells from a €3.99 cylinder. That's €0.39 (50¢) a cell as opposed to €22.50 ($26) in the store.

The apparatus built cost around €30 and a few hours of workshop time to turn the outlet socket on the lathe. Do the math !


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## loneframer

chriseccles said:


> Basically, like most other tradesmen, I soon discovered the Paslode rip-off, to wit that Paslode are retailing butane/propane mix at around 400 times its actual market value in their 'fuel cell' containers. Here, in Ireland, a twin pack of cells for the IM350 gun costs around €45 (about $52) for 60g of gas mix. Contrast this with the 350g of the same mix in a cylinder for a plumbers' burner gun, which retails for €3.99 (under $5).
> 
> Confronted with this blatant con-trick by Paslode, my son and I decided to investigate a safe, reliable and cost-effective methodology for refilling the cells.
> 
> Here are our results:
> 
> First, you CANNOT simply pipe up the gas mix from one cylinder to the other; the pressure differential is not high enough to transfer much mix, or indeed any at all.
> 
> Boyle's Law determines the behaviour of gases confined within vessels and, to be able to fill one cylinder from another, there requires to be a substantial pressure difference so that, when equilibrium is reached in the system, some mix has moved from the full to the empty container. If you just connect the empty to the full at room temperature, very little happens !
> 
> The secret is to expel the residual gas from the 'empty' cylinder by holding its valve in the open position (we devised a simple clamp which holds four cells in the open, vented, position) at an elevated temperature. A small tank of boiled water achieves this in about 30 seconds. Removing each cell from the clamp then closes its valve and creates a partial vacuum in the cell as it cools to room temperature.
> 
> Further cooling, with the valve still closed, (30 minutes in a regular home freezer) then enhances this vacuum. (just as a test, if you open one of the valves at this point, you will hear the inrush of air as the vacuum is destroyed.)
> 
> We bored the regulator channel out of the head of an old plumbers' burner gun to get a flow of liquefied gas at 'neat' pressure, and connected this via 8mm copper tube to a simple outlet sealed with an O-ring to form the joint to the 4mm diameter Paslode valve on the top of the cells. Clamping a cold, evacuated cell on to the outlet then allows the vacuum to suck in some liquid mix and recharge the cell.
> 
> You don't get the full 30g transfered (average is around 16g, depending on how full the source cylinder is) but it's a useable charge. We reckon to fill around 10 cells from a €3.99 cylinder. That's €0.39 (50¢) a cell as opposed to €22.50 ($26) in the store.
> 
> The apparatus built cost around €30 and a few hours of workshop time to turn the outlet socket on the lathe. Do the math !


That sounds about like the equivalent of building a Meth lab.

To each his own, but for me, adding 30 seconds to a Home Depot trip and spending roughly 25 bucks for 4 fuel cells (trim guns) that will last me a good long time is money well spent. As for the framing gun, if I buy a pack of 2, they usually go bad before I use them up. They are used for pick-up work, not bulk framing.

If I'm in a situation where I'm shooting through more than a few hundred nails a day, I break out the compressor and hoses. That's even less expensive than using Hocus-Pocus to refill spent fuel cells.


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## mrgins

I have the senco hoseless, fuel less, finish gun.


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## firehawkmph

Why don't you just get a Dewalt cordless trim gun? I've had one since they come out and they do a better job than the impulse guns, (which I also have and don't use anymore), they don't stink, and all they require are a recharge now and then. 
Mike Hawkins


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## woodworkbykirk

if the paslode cells were refillable they would have done it by now.. the impulse guns have been on the marker for what 25 years now Riz?

where its paslodes design for the gun they are selling the cells so people are using the correct cell and hte correct gas mixture for it.. their protecting your investment.. same as with hilti tools or air nailers.. if you use the correct fastners or shot as listed by the manufacturer you will wont have problems with the tool.. ive seen guys use cheap no name strips of nails in paslode power master framing guns only for the nails to jamb up and break the guns...

as for brand. i would take the paslode over dewalt any day.. though the dewalt idea is decent. they certainly didnt invent it senco was the first to have a battery only gun but it never caught on... plus ive used over 20 dewalt nail guns. and only one didnt jamb up within the first 15 minutes of using it.. of those 3 or 4 were the cordless models.. they make a mess out of trim making large nail holes which arent clean like the paslode makes

as long as a paslode gun is maintained and cleaned every 3rd or 4th fuel cell it will work fine. eh riz!


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## <*(((><

I've had great luck with my dewalt 15g cordless nailer. As far as I'm concerned unless it starts to become unreliable, you won't find me paying for fuel cells for my finish guns. 

As far a refilling the fuel cells I know some have done it before as I was researching it for my paslode fuel cell framer. They were lubricating it periodically. From what I remember they were able to use an air soft adapter to fill the tanks and while not getting them as full as a new cell they were able to get a good amount of shots per fill and for a lot less cost.

I will try and find the links to the threads I was reading where it was detailed out when I get to my other computer.


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## ben's plumbing

here is how we do it...get into chevy truck put on seatbelt..."it the law" drive to local store..hardware or lowes .h d you know..purchase package of 2- gas cartridges return to shop or job ..cyclinders full ready to install...case closed:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## loneframer

woodworkbykirk said:


> if the paslode cells were refillable they would have done it by now.. the impulse guns have been on the marker for what 25 years now Riz?
> 
> 
> as long as a paslode gun is maintained and cleaned every 3rd or 4th fuel cell it will work fine. eh riz!


I've run thousands and thousands of nails through my 16 gauge angled Impulse gun with very few nail jams and every one of them was from hitting a nail plate of a drywall screw.

I've recently put my 18 gauge to work very hard and it has been just as reliable.

Cleaning is important to keep these guns in optimum working order, but I have seen many guys abuse them terribly and they keep on going.

Impulse technology has been around for over 25 years. 1986 was the original release of the framing gun, if memory serves.

As far as cost, a typical home can be completely trimmed out with less than 2 fuel cells, or roughly 12 dollars. 
Cost is relative to savings. I'd say I save at least 10-15 minutes a day by not fighting with tangled hoses. This alone offsets the fuel expense and I never hear a compressor running or a hose fitting hissing.


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## Gary in WA

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## Kenovations

*A youtube DIY video on building a refill station*

I have one I built and its a straight forward fill as simple as when they refill your propane tank at the coop farm stores. I am checking into legalities as for selling them on ebay and etsy and also just posting a youtube video for those with mechanical skills. I am a machinist, ex Navy propulsion engineer and a inventor.
To all those doubting Thomas's out there......how do you idiots think they fill them originally? Martians don't bring them from mars and Caption Kirk doesn't have Scotty beam them down from the Enterprise . There people like you and me in a factory, making them and filling them. Like changing a flat tire, its a simple as falling off your bar stool......if....IF...you have the simple tools, a jack and a lug wrench.
Yes, paslode doesn't want you to refill them yourself for less than $1 each and if and ONLY if your gun messes up from any thing, you tell them, ya, I used a home fill cylinder, then they say ya, warranties voided. 
Many things are out there from manufactures that are made for "only" their product, I have had power washers with odd ball size o-rings un available but from them....I simple made a new piece to accept standard o-rings. My didge Dakota's Air-con bearing went out and they said it wasn't serviceable, had to buy the $198 clutch assembly.....nope, ordered a $28 dollar bearing from japan which they don't even stock here...and fixed it my self.
So........to all you who say it can't be done, what your really saying is that YOU just can't do it and think that everyone else are not as smart or skilled as you and can't do it either.


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## Kenovations

*your problems solved*



timbertimber said:


> I know you are not supposed to but does any one know how it would be possible to refill a paslode gass cartridge?


Yes I posted a responce and will soon do a youtube on building a filler


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## mako1

I don't thinking anyone here is saying it can't be done.I can surely make up one of your rigs and do it.
The questions are :
Can it be done for a reasonable cost considering the effort ?
Can it be done safely?
Can it be used keeping the warranty of the tool?
Just a few questions which the correct answer is no to all of the above.
Many more things to consider but don't have time for them all just to save a couple bucks and not hurt yourself.It's not rocket science but I don't consider it worth the effort.


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## woodworkbykirk

why is this 5 year old thread suddenly alive again


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## ptarmigan61

oh'mike said:


> As long as you are here---How do you refill ball point pen cartridges?


Step 1 - Purchase bulk dry cleaning credits.
Step 2 - Source a really small funnel.
Step 3 - Purchase vintage fountain pen ink.
Step 4 - Reconsider whole dammed idea.
Step 5 - Prepare strong cocktail.
Step 6 - Drink cocktail while questioning judgement.
Step 7 - Proceed to appropriate sales outlet and purchase proper functioning product.


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