Nail Spotters

LEVEL5 nail spotters are used to quickly fill and finish fastener indentations during the drywall finishing process.

With a nail spotter, you can fill and finish an entire row of fastener indentations (screw or nail) in a single pass. The process is much easier and faster than if you were doing it using traditional hand finishing tools, and typically much less sanding is required afterwards. With a nail spotter you also have additional reach, which means you can fill fastener indentations on high walls and ceilings without the use of stilts.

The wheels on a nail spotter head allow it to run smoothly on the surface of the drywall, as well as glide over joints without tearing the tape.

Nail spotting is typically performed in two or three thin coats. Although there is no definitive rules regarding which box size to use for each coat, we suggest the following to minimize sanding:

• 2” Width - One or two underlying fill coats
• 3” Width - Final skim coat to feather out the edges

DESIGN FEATURES

• Cover nail and screw spots with precision
• Robust design makes operation and cleaning easy
• Improves quality of finish
• Durable stainless steel construction
• Lightweight and mobile build
• Wiper seal made of premium urethane
• High carbon blades last longer and provide precise coating
• 7-Year Warranty

Standard Nail Spotter Handles

LEVEL5 drywall nail spotter handles are built for reliable, daily use on the job site and are backed by a 7-Year Limited Warranty.

DESIGN FEATURES

• Premium lightweight aluminum construction
• Quick and easy thumb-trigger for changing lengths
• Anodized for long-term durability and easy cleaning
• Adapts to provide a comfortable position for any job
• 7-Year Warranty.

2ND GENERATION ENHANCEMENTS

• All structural components are higher-gauge, aircraft-grade aluminum for increased durability, even under heavy commercial use.
• New precision-machined billet aluminum body and side plates with bevelled edges.
• Side plates are now black hard-coat anodized, significantly reducing the friction against the sweep gasket and lowering required push force.
• New proprietary urethane sweep gasket provides less resistance, smoother operation and a better seal.
• Simplified handle mount fits the same adapter used for the LEVEL5 corner roller (also compatible with adapters from most other major brands).
• 2” Nail Spotter now features a third central blade mounting screw for improved blade curve adjustment.
• Hinged pressure plate opens wide for easy cleaning.

TIPS & TRICKS

• Nail spotting should be the first step in the drywall finishing process. This way you can do full passes without interruption due to freshly filled joints.
• Run your nail spotter passes in the same direction as your drywall butt joints.
• Prior to using your nail spotter, run a joint knife along the surface of the drywall to make sure none of the fasteners are protruding. Protruding fasteners will not finish properly and also have the potential to damage the carbide steel blade on the nail spotter.
• Before using the nail spotter, lubricate the sweep gasket to ensure the pressure lid is moving freely before filling the head with joint compound. We recommend using 3-in-1 machine oil (do not use WD-40, as it is caustic and will damage rubber and urethane gaskets over time).
• For easier use (and less potential mess), only fill up the nail spotter to approximately 80% of its capacity so that it sits just below the compound dispensing slot.
• The correct compound thickness for nail spotting is all about balance. You want to make sure that the compound is thin enough that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get it to flow evenly out of the dispensing slot, but not so thin that you are seeing ridges or drips on the outside edges of each pass.