Air Nailers

Well, I can tell you that my first nailer was a Bostich brad nailer. It works great for the things I build and it uses up to 2” long nails. I like brads because they make very small holes and are very easy to cover up. also they are very easy to cut or pull out if you get a nail that doesn’t go all the way in. (happens when you pull the trigger before the air compressor is charged)

-- A man who moves mountains starts one stone at a time.

Thanks Aubster. I suspect that many are going to suggest an 18 gauge brad nailer as the first to buy.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

An Air compressor and nail gun was one of those things that I wondered how I lived with out it once I had one.

15 gauge Senco….

http://www.amazon.com/SENCO-FP-42XP-Finish-Nailer/dp/B00008NFQ7/ref=sr_1_5/102-7449947-7697720?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1193168896&sr=1-5

In addition, I have a craftsman 18 guage stapler, 18 guage Senco, PC 23 guage pinner and a Bostich Framing nailer. Have a large PC compressor and a small Senco compressor.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

2” brad nailer will cover 90% of everything

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Thanks Wayne. So, I guess you started out with a finish nailer first.

Another question I have is: In what ways are they useful / necessary for woodwork?

I know they would be great if you were installing molding in your house, but where do they come in handy for general woodworking?

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom,

I have two air nailers in the shop.

1) a Porter Cable 16Ga. finish nailer – mostly used for trim work in the house, etc.
2) a Grizzly 18 Ga. Brad nailer – mostly used for shop jigs, etc.

The PC nailer is a great tool and it works flawlessly and i have had no issues with it. The Grizzly I bought very inexpensively and did not know what to expect however, it has served me well. No issues except that the one I have does not have a rubber protector on the tip to protect the work.

I do not really use these for furniture work but, having said that I would sometime like to get a 23 Ga. pin nailer for those times that I want to apply small trim on a piece and do not want to see (or fill) nail holes.

For most basic nailing I would think that an 18Ga. brad nailer would suffice.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

Thanks a lot Dennis. Another vote for the brad nailer.

Do you think that a crown stapler would be useful? I was thinking about making a bunch of bird feeders for Christmas presents, and I thought that a air powered stapler might be pretty handy.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Mark,

Thanks for your input. Those pin nailers got a pretty good write up in Fine Woodworking magazine recently. It does seem like they would be nice to have sometimes for holding things together while the glue dried.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Actually, I first got a craftsman combo kit with a brad nailer. Then added the stapler. I’ve upgraded compressors and guns since then. You can probably find a combo kit that has 15 gauge gun, 18 gauge gun and a compressor.

I just like the 15 gauge for putting stuff together.

Probably should think about what your dong most often and go from there…. Base board and molding – Brad Nailer, Furnature assembly – Finish nailer, Fence and Framing – Framing Nailer, Detailed moulding work – Pin Nailer, etc.

Do you already have a compressor?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

I vote for the brad nailer. I have two, a Grizzly and a Bostich. I prefere the Grizzly – not sure why.

-- Bruce from Central New York

I also started with a 18 gauge Bostich. Now I also own a 16 gauge Porter Cable. I like them both. But if I had to replace the Bostich, I’d probably buy another PC, primarily due to the way it loads from the top. I use them very sparingly for furniture work, in as much as I like to use conventional joinery and really dislike nail holes, filled or otherwise. However, I do use them (again sparingly) when they will be hidden by moldings.

As Aubster indicated, the nailer should be carefully matched up with max. pressure restictions and the kind of wood you’re using, or else you will end up with a nail that doesn’t go in all the way. Also, they’re a bit tricky in plywood, as they tend to “migrate” at sometimes odd angles as they hit the plywood layers. Like anything else, it takes practice. Just remember, keep you hands well out of trhe way. Nails tend to go in odd directions at times and if your not careful, all the blood and gore is tough to sand out.

-- Bob

Wayne,

Yes, I have a decent compressor. I would have thought that the finish nailer would be more for base board molding and the brad nailer would be more for furniture assembly.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Thanks Bruce,

Another vote for the brad nailer and one vote for Grizzly. I have several Grizzly tools and have been pretty satisfied with them too.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Finish nailer shoots a bigger nail….. I guess it depends on what type of assembly your doing on furniture. I’ll let one of the guys who shoots baseboard for a living speak if a Brad nailer or finish nailer is better for trim work. The brad nailer worked well for the DIY stuff I was doing.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Bob,

Thanks a lot for your input.

That’s a great consideration that you mentioned – SAFETY. Like so many things we do as woodworkers, you really have to have your mind engaged fully when you start certain procedures.

I remember working on a construction site where they used a big framing nailer. I was scared to death of that thing and never ever wanted to use it. Just about everybody I’ve talked to who uses these things on a regular basis in the trades has their stories to tell. I don’t want to have any stories like that.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Wayne,

Maybe the brad nailer is better for trim, since it would leave a smaller hole to fill.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

1/4 X 1 1/4 narrow crown stapler would be my second gun! I hardly ever use my 16 ga. Finish gun, but I do use when I’m hanging doors. Even then all the trim is put on with my brad nailer. I’ve also had little complaint about Senco guns. (except their pin nailer) I just got my Grex 2” pin nailer today let me play with it awhile and I’ll report on it.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Dennis,

Oh man, you bought a Grex 2”!!! Those are highly rated, and not a little bit expensive. Yes, give us a report on that after you’ve tried it out.

Why, do you like the crown stapler for a second gun, Dennis?

• Where do you find this to be useful?

• Why would the stapler be preferable to a nail?

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

All I’ve got is the extremely cheap Grizzly 18ga and it has done wonders for me. Baseboards and great for making temporary jigs in the shop too. Love it.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Thanks SPalm.

Another satisfied Grizzly customer. Sometimes a cheap tool is all you need, especially when compared to NO tool. And, you love your nailer and wouldn’t want to be without it.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

The stapler is a stronger fastener. I use it for cabinet box construction when the staples will be hidden. They are great for production work…say you had to build 50 bird houses. As a cabinet builder they are invaluable.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Thanks Dennis.

So, the stapler has greater holding power compared to a nail.

I’ve always noticed that the bird houses and feeders I see at the retail outlets have been constructed with staples. It makes a lot of sense, because nails would tend to lose their holding power when exposed to the elements every day. Plus, the wood tends to dry out and crack around the nails. But, a staple has a “sandwich” effect which is much better.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

I am going put a big twist in TomFran’s thread. Which tool is more useful in the shop a brad/finish nailer or cordless drill?

I’m considering purchasing one or the other but I’m having a problem determining which tool will be the most useful for furniture making & general woodworking.

-- The cost of a thing is the amount, of what I call life, which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.

Tom Bloom,

I think that that is an easy decision. I would have to go with a cordless drill, if it was an either / or decision. Get the drill, then a nailer when you get the money.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom,

I have the Porter Cable Finish nailer, Porter Cable Brad Nailer and the Porter Cable 1/4×1 1/4 Stapler. I use the Brad Nailer the most. I use the Stapler for attaching the backs of cabinets when they won’t be seen. I have had no problems at all with any of the Porter Cable products that I have…. My father has the Senco finish nailer and he likes it also. My next purchase will be a pin nailer….But my vote would be the Brad nailer first.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Thanks a lot, Max.

Another vote for the brad nailer as first choice, and the Porter Cable’s are working fine.

I’ve been told by several people that Porter Cable has been bought out by Black and Decker. Don’t know if that will have any affect on the quality of their tools.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom,

I think the 18ga and 16 ga nailers have more application than a pin nailer. The pin nailer is nice, but a good one running in at $200 with two I have found Cadex and Nikle having some models that shoot both straight 23ga pins and brads at $200 price range. HD has the PC pin nailer on sale for $99 (at least at our local store).

I am always excited to find new toys, but balancing $’s against utility is always a personal challenge. If there is something I have learned, it is if I am going to buy something, do my homework, go slow (don’t get too excited) and buy quality. I am reminded of these lessons every once in a while nevertheless.

Best wishes on your assessment.

Dalec

dalec,

Thanks a lot for your input on this topic.

I agree with that second paragraph. That is the voice of experience.

• do the homework
• go slow
• don’t get too excited (easy to do, when you’re anxious to buy a new toy (in mean tool…)

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Hi Tom;

Seems like you got all the advice here you can use. I’ll just add that we have several of all of the gun types mentioned, and in several brands.

I seems as though they all do what they’re intended to do, so I guess it’s safe to make your purchase based on cost.

The least used gun in our shop would be the stapler.

Happy hunting

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

I had a Bostitch, It fell apart and I took it to the dealer’s fix it man and never saw it again. I now have a Ridgid 18 gauge which is very good. We also have a PC finish nailer that never gets used and two framing guns which we use when we need.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Hello Lee,

Thanks a lot for your opinion here. I know that you’re in the woodworking business, and so your opinion is a weighty one.

So far, it seems that most everybody is getting good service from their equipment, and so I guess it’s like you said: “make your purchase based on cost.”

Even those with “cheap” guns are satisfied with their performance, so that will make the decision much easier.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

I us an 18 ga, and a 23 ga Porter Cable in my workshop. Both pretty much work as advertised and seem to keep on plugging.

Tom A.,

Sorry you had a bad experience with your Bostich. I would have thought they would have replaced your gun, if they lost it.

So, now your most used gun is your 18 gauge Ridgid brad nailer. Ridgid sure has a good name on this site. In all honesty, until I started coming to Lumberjocks, I hardly knew it existed (probably because I used to shop more at Lowes than Home Depot).

Thanks a lot for commenting, Tom.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Thanks gbvinc,

What do you find that you use your 23 gauge pinner for?

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

I use the 23 ga pinner to hold small pieces in place while the glue dries. The hole it makes is so small it does not take much, if anything, to hide it during finishing.

That is very cool. It’s amazing that a nail that thin can be driven into hard wood like oak. If you ever tried to pound those in with a hammer, you could never do it.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom: I’ve got them all. 16 ga. up to 2” 18ga up to 2” and also a couple of 1 3/16” I’ve got a Senco Pin nailer and it seems to have a problem with feeding the pins.

I also have the big nailers for 2 X’s up to 3 1/2” but it is not used for finish carpentry.

I’ve got the small staplers and a big Bostich that shoots staples 1” wide. It’s used for bracing, I’ve also used it for shingles.

They all have their place. The smaller gauge makes a bigger hole. The bigger gauge makes a smaller hole. and the pinner is almost invisible (at least the MFG’s say that. Just sand down to them and you get a big shiny spot. They also mess up hand planer blades. If you are trying to fit a drawer that you pinned some solid wood on the edges of plywood.

Harbor freight has some reasonable prices. Most of mine are from them, but i also have PC.

If you are doing cabinet work the a smaller brad would be best. If you are putting up crown molding or door and window trim, something bigger would be preferred.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Tom, I have a Bostitch and a Senco 18ga brad nailer. I have nothing but good things to say about both. I also have a Senco framing nailer, and a stapler. The stapler is very handy for upholstery if you plan on doing any of that. I have had all but the Bostitch repaired due to hard use. The Bostitch is a newer nailer. I don’t think you can go wrong with starting out with a 18ga brad nailer. Make sure it will shoot up to 2” bards. My next nailer will be a 15ga finish nailer. Good luck on your purchase!

-- Greg Mitchell--Lowell, AR--gdamitchell@sbcglobal.net

Karson,

Thanks a lot for weighing in here! Sounds like you’ve got all the bases covered with your nail guns. You would probably be someone who would say that you would find it hard to be without them at this point.

I’ll be at a Harbor Freight on Thursday, and so I’ll have to check them out there.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Greg,

Sounds like you use your nailers a lot!

Is your stapler the 1/4” crown type?

Thanks a lot, Greg.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom,
I got to throw my couple-a-cents in as well. I’m voting for the ridgid finish nailer because it’s what i have and because, more importantly in my eyes, they have a lifetime service agreement, which translated means they cover parts and labor for the life of time you own the gun. That, to me, speaks volumes about how much confidence they place in their equipment. That’s why i think for whatever it’s worth.
happy hunting!

-- Isaac, "It's no coincidence that Jesus was a lumberjock too"

Tom – I ran around in circles trying to decide which to buy first. I drove myself crazy making lists of pros/cons and what I could and couldn’t do with each. I ultimately ended up buying a Porter Cable set. It’s got:

1-1/4 In. 18 Ga. brad nailer
2-1/2 In. 16 Ga. finish nailer
1 In. 18 Ga. crown stapler
3/8 In. 22 Ga. upholstery stapler
1 In. 23 Ga. micro pin nailer

and came with a compressor, hose, couple of canvas bags, and other accessories. It cost me about $400-$450. The only one I haven’t gotten much use out of is the upholstery stapler but even at that I still figure I saved a couple hundred bucks on the nailers and got the compressor for free. The cost of all the stuff you need to go with the nailer can add up quick and if you don’t already have a compressor, hoses, etc these kits start looking pretty attractive.

If I could I’d trade the 16 Ga. nailer for an angled one but I still have no regrets.

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

Isaac,

Thanks for your input on this subject. You make an excellent point on the Ridgid warranty. It really is worth something to have a lifetime warranty on a product. I now own a Ridgid planer and am glad to have that kind of backing should I ever have a problem with my machine. I’m glad to hear from another satisfied Ridgid customer (now that I also own one of their products…)! I will have to go to “Big Orange” and look at their nailers.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

if only PC would offer the same type of warranty then it wouldn’t even be a contest. the set that Shaun mentioned really is a great deal and PC makes great stuff, but I almost always vote for the best warranty.

-- Isaac, "It's no coincidence that Jesus was a lumberjock too"

Shaun,

Wow! That’s the way to go. You’ve got the bases covered. Everything you’ll ever need, it sounds like. I don’t think I’ll be able to buy a set with everthing, but it’s good to hear that all your Porter Cable nailers are working fine, and that you’re satisfied with your equipment. It must have been like Christmas when you brought that stuff home!

I do already have the compressor with the hoses and all that so, right now I was just trying to figure out which gun to buy first, second, and maybe (hopefully) third. I know you don’t use these things for box making or other elaborate types of woodworking, but for making jigs and other such projects where a few nails aren’t going to degrade the project, they’re pretty nice to have.

Thanks a lot for your helpful comment!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Isaac,

Yes, Porter Cable really is quality equipment. I bought a DeWalt biscuit joiner recently, and now wish I would have spent a little bit more money and bought the PC one that does FF size biscuits. Oh well, live and learn ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

if only livin and learnin weren’t so expensive, but i guess that can be a good thing since we rarely forget the lessons that end up costing us $ or headaches.

-- Isaac, "It's no coincidence that Jesus was a lumberjock too"

Isaac,

If only I was omniscient, I wouldn’t be having those problems…

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom, you probaly don’t need a Senco or Grex (Although working with those top-quality tools is a dream come true) unless you will be using them day in and day out. I got a Grizzly 18-gauge brad nailer/stapler combo I got for about $29, and it works just fine. The staples are good for attaching OSB or fiber board, while I use the nailer (2” capacity) to anchor some of my larger picture frames. It helps hold that miter joint tight while the glue dries and gives it extra strength. I have a 23-gauge pinner I got from (gasp) Harbor Freight. It only cost $19 and I use it sparingly for trim work. I have a Ridgid full-head nailer I use to build stuff like our fence and shade cover for horses. Love that Ridgid!

As far as compressors go, stay away from used ones. People get lazy and don’t drain the tank daily and mopisture can build up and rust the inside of the tank. I have the small Craftsman 2 galon compressor and it is portable and gets enough pressure for any nailer. It sells around $99 on sale. You have to realize that nailers may not be a “neccessary” tool for you, like your table saw, router, or planer. Buy accordingly!

As far as your biscuit joiner goes, I think that you can buy the 2” blade used to cut the slots for the FF biscuit and just replace the 4” bladde on your Dewalt with that blade when you want to use the FF size. I know you have to replace teh 4” blade on tgeh PC to cut the FF size. Check that out and let me know. I like those FF size, too.

Wait until the Christmas sales and Home Depot may have their compressors/nailer combos on sale. At least wait until the after-Thanksgiving sales, if you can!

Good Luck and God Bless,
Hawg

-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards

Hawg,

Thanks for great advice. Grizzly has been fine by me. I just had a problem with my bandsaw, and they agreed to send me a new part waving the s/h charges. I have gotten good support from them, and feel that they really do try to service what they sell. Like you, I love expensive and well built tools and machinery, but my budget just keeps getting in the way of my satisfying those desires. So, I usually buy something middle of the road, and am generally happy. Hey, I’m grateful to have even some of the stuff I would like to have.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

OK, the conclusion of the matter is as follows:

• 18 gauge brad nailer for first purchase.
• 16 gauge finish nailer for second.
• 23 gauge pinner third
• 18 gauge 1/4” x 1 1/4” crown stapler
• or you could buy a combo 18 gauge brad/stapler and kill (2) birds with one stone.

As far as brands go, it appears that nobody has any major complaints about any particular brand, although Ridgid gets an honorable mention for having a lifetime warranty on their guns.

Thank you all for your helpful comments!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom,

I mostly use my 18g nailer (bought from Walmart from all places) to nail backs of furniture. I stay away from nails for anything else since cleaning up after them is not worth it (I prefer to glue things and put clams to keep things in place rather than nail). I found that super glue is a better method to make jigs if you use laminated mdf (like I do) but for attaching backs the nail gun is unbeatable.

I do use the nailer occasionally to keep things in place while they glue (large legs where I have to laminate 3 pieces of wood; the nails keep it from moving until I clamp everything). Trouble is you have to remember you have nails in and not push the legs through the jointer (managed to damage the jointer knives like this).

If I were you I would buy a cheap 18 g nailer (Grizzzly, Walmart, it does not matter). Then see what you use if for and go from there.

Alin

-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida

I have various nailers and staplers but the ones I use the nost are-

1/4” crown senco stapler. I build all of my cabinet casework with this gun

Senco 18 gauge brad nailer. Attaching various mouldings.

Senco 23 gauge pin nailer. Small mouldings.

DeWalt 16 gauge angled 18 volt nailer. Love this gun. My main job site gun for base moulding,large crown, casing,etc.

-- http://www.jgcw.biz

Alin,

Thanks for the good advice. You know what? I just ordered an 18 gauge combo gun from Grizzly. It shoots brads from 3/8” to 2” and crown staples from 3/8” to 1 1/2.” I think that this will get the job done for a while. If I find that I need a better one later, I’ll do it, but I think this will be nice.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

JGCW,

That’s interesting. Dennis Mitchell said that the stapler would be his second gun after the 18 ga. brad. Lee J. said he hardly uses his. That’s what I like about the forum here; I get a variety of good opinions. Of course, the type of work you do most often will dictate which gun is used most.

Thanks a lot for weighing in here on this!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Hello Tom,

I’d had a Grex pin nailer for the last two years that I LOVE!!! I also have an 18 gauge Senco brad nailer that I use all the time as well. I’ve used several different brands over the years (friends tools that were borrowed) and if I were buying again today, I would get a Grex over any other brand. Grex has so many little neat features that take it over the top. Their pin nailer is nothing short of amazing.

I can drive 5 pins into a sharpened pencil lead without breaking the lead… No kidding! I’m going to be getting three more Grex nailers early next year. For my money, they are the Mercedes-Benz of nailers out there… YMMV. Take care and best wishes to you and yours!

Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas

-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com

I must be the only guy with a $19 Harbor Freight 18g nailer. (sorry, I’m a believer that if I make my living with a tool, I should own the best, but if I’m an occasional user, I get the cheapest I can find that is sold by a place that will back it up. Harbor Freight has, on the few occasions when I needed them to, backed up their products)
I love it. It is also a crown stapler, and both work great. I’ve used it for a couple years, now, and have had no problems.There…yet another opinion for you to digest. -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

Steve,

The Grex pinners must be as good as you’ve said ,or nobody would be willing to pay the $280 that they cost. I’ve always wondered what makes them so great, but I guess they have sure impressed you. And now, you’re buying three more! Wow! But, when people make their money doing woodwork, they should buy what they love to use, and what will do the best job. You are fortunate to be able to use such high quality equipment.

Thanks for your input to the discussion!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

SST,

Karson said earlier in the thread that he had several nailers from Harbor Freight, so they must work pretty well.

I just bought a combo gun from Grizzly similar to the one you have. I’m looking forward to it arriving. It’s taken me a while to get on the air nailer bandwagon, but I think it will be a nice addition to the shop.

Thanks a lot for your comment!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Hello Tom,

I could write volumes about Grex nailers… You get the same feeling using them that you do when you’re driving a Mercedes-Benz, or when wearing a Rolex. They exude quality, with flawless function and design. As I get older, I tend to value quality and comfort more than I did in my younger years. I also value a hassle-free experience more than I used to… So I tend to stick to things that deliver that kind of experience.

Having said that, many other nailers work very well and cost less. I have a friend that has a HF nailer and he has had no problems with it at all. Pin nailers are a different animal though and must have very tight tolerances to work well without jamming. I have several contractor friends that have various pinners and they hate them all because they tend to jam, or penetrate improperly. Whatever you decide, we’re all rooting for you to get a nailer you will be happy with and one that works for you without problems… :-) Take care and all the best to you and yours!

Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas

-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com

Steve,

I can’t disagree with anything you’ve said. But, before you go, I’ve got a question for you in regard to your pin nailers. What do you find them most useful for? For you to spend that kind of money on them, they must really do something which you believe makes them worth the investment.

Thanks in advance!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Good question Tom. Tell me Steve. Why did I just shell out the kind of money I just did for a Grex pin nailer. I was hoping the 2 inch pins would nail a 3/4 piece of oak on to particle board. Which it does at 100 lbs air pressure, but fails to sink the nail. Darn! That would have paid for the gun real quick. Let alone the much higher quality it would have brought to my work. In any case I do enough work with prefinished trim to more that pay for a second pin nailer and this one just feels good. You might check out their pricing on 18 ga. nailers. Not that much more expensive. I thinking real hard about their 1/4” stapler to. I do wear out lots of tools so if they will last longer I’ll be happy to pay. I’ve went through two senco pin nailer before switching to portacable.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Tom, I must have missed the Harbor Freight reference in the thread, I don’t know how…there are only about 100 comments. This really is an amazing site when you need help or input on something. I really do like having a gun around, too. Have a great day. -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

The Grizzly looks like a good choice to me Tom. Enjoy!

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

Dennis,

That’s a good reason to pay extra for quality – you wear out the cheaper products too fast! It then becomes cost effective to spend more for better equipment. Plus, the reliability factor is there too.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

SST,

I agree, this is a great site to get opinions from people who have the answers. The folks at Lowes and Home Depot really can’t tell you much when it comes to topics like this.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Shaun,

Thanks a lot. Can’t wait to find it on my doorstep!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Tom, I have that Grizzly SF5040 that you ordered. It’s great! And for $29.00…you can’t beat that. I haven’t had any problem with mine as long as you regulate your compressor to the recommended output. I had it cranked to the full 125psi one time and was shooting, or should I say recessing my nails 1/8” deep into hard maple! You can buy your nails and staples thru Sears/ Lowes/ or the BORG cheaper than at Grizzly.

My bro-in-law (pro-cabinet dude) recently bought a Paslode gun. He’s absolutely estatic about this. It’s gas charged and doesn’t require a compressor or hose. So for our roaming LJ’s this might be a good purchase.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

HI TomFran, I’m amazed not to see paslode anywhere I’ve used both the large version and small version for some time and enjoy the freedom they give me. No compressor. But I did end up getting the Senco for finish work because they leave a smaller hole than the paslode. And the Paslode can be expensive to operate. But I’ve owned those two for about five years and although I don’t use them as much as probably someone like Dennis does I have had no trouble with any of them. But the porta cable compressor I got from Sears they can have back. It’s just a little pancake compressor but all I’ve had is trouble with it. mike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Tom,
If I had it to do over…
1. Brad, bostich, porter cable
2. Pin Nailer, grex hands down
3. Finish nailer, bostich, porter cable

I must say my pin nailer has been an awesome addition! I probably use that as much as the brad nailer and now I rarely use the finish nailer.

-- http://rjoneswoodworks.com/

Dadoo,

That’s great that you’ve got the gun I just ordered, and you’re happy with it! I’m glad to hear that.

On the Paslode gun; a contractor friend of mine swears by them. They ARE very expensive though, so you had better be using it for your livelihood, or it would be a VERY expensive toy.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Jockmike,

Paslode must be like Grex – they are so good that people will pay the money for them. The Paslode’s that I saw started at around $350.

It would really be nice to not need hoses or compressors to run your guns.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

RJones,

Thanks for your professional opinion on this topic.

I now possess a brad nailer and an inexpensive pin nailer. These are “entry level” tools for me. I really wanted to try out a pin nailer because of some articles I’ve been reading about them of late. Mine will shoot 1/2” to 1” pins. I’ve already tried it out and was amazed that it would shoot a 23 gauge pin into solid oak and countersink it also. They are pretty impressive.

Someday when I become a real woodworker, I’ll have to get one of those Grex pinners. Those guns are like the Dowelmax – I don’t hear anybody who isn’t satisfied with their purchase.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Hello Tom,

Please accept my apologies for the late reply… We are in the process of shooting a new DVD video and my schedule is crazy to say the least. :-o I got my Grex pin nailer to assist me with some of the remodeling around my home. I will be adding some delicate hand carved trim accents that I wanted to use the pinner on… Also, I use it frequently for form mock-ups for casting trays (polyester resin and urethane resin) and lots of other little things in my studio. I also use my brad nailer quite a bit, but it lacks the finesse of the pinner. The holes are so tiny that when I use it on delicate trim, they almost disappear. The more I use the pinner, the more I love it. The model I have shoots pins to 2”, which is incredible to say the least for such a tiny pin. :-) It’s certainly a tool that I would not want to be without!

Dennis: I have not tried to shoot 2” pins through Oak and into particle board… Humm… I have shot 2” pins into solid hardwood, but I almost never use particle board. Are you trying to shoot it through the smooth face side, or the thin side? I will try a test and see what happens if I can scrounge some particle board. What specifically is your setup for the Oak and PB? I would like to duplicate your test. Take care and best wishes to you and yours!

Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas

-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com

Steve,

Thanks a lot for telling me a little of why you bought your pin nailer and why you like it so much. I am looking forward to using mine. I think you “nailed it” when you said that it is a finesse tool, and an amazing one at that (2” pins – wow!).

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Steve, I was shooting through 3/4” oak into the edge of a sheet of particle board. It would flush the pin but not quite sink it. I just don’t want to see the shinny pin.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Hi again Tom,

No problemo… The more you use your pinner, the more you will find new ways to use it. That’s part of the fun of it I guess. It reminds me of when I got my Fein Multimaster. I use that bad boy for tons of things all the time and it’s a favorite of mine when remodeling.

Dennis: I will try and replicate your setup and see what happens. Enquiring minds want to know! :-)

Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas

-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com

I am certainly enjoying my new pin nailer. It has come in handy on several occasions already.

One use is holding things in place before glue ups or when driving screws. I even used it to apply some temporary handles for doors that I was in the process of painting. When I got done with the paint job, I simply pulled the handles off leaving only a small hole on the back of a door that nobody will ever see anyway.

It’s like Steve Russell has said above: “The more you use your pinner, the more you will find new ways to use it.”

You were right Steve!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28