Can we talk about that moment a screw gun battery dies mid ceiling

I was halfway through hanging board on a vaulted ceiling in a house out in Parker last Tuesday when my screw gun just quit, no warning at all. Had to climb down, swap batteries, and then find my marks again because the board sagged a bit while I was fumbling around. Anyone else have a trick for keeping the board in place when you gotta reload?

2 comments

2 Comments

nina_sullivan611mo ago

That "no warning at all" part hit me right in the gut. I've had the same thing happen on a tall ladder with a piece of trim that started sliding down while I was just standing there holding it. One thing that saved me for ceiling work is a deadman prop, basically just a long 2x4 with a notch cut in one end that you wedge against the floor and the board to hold it up. It's cheap and it buys you time to swap batteries without losing your spot. Also I switched to those higher amp hour batteries for ceiling work, they last way longer and don't quit as sudden.

grantl941mo ago

Disagree with @nina_sullivan61 entirely - better batteries just delay the inevitable fall.