# Basic, reliable workhorse, lacking finer features, but well worth the money.



## b2rtch

"#1. No safety guard. You don't need to push the safety in on the workpiece to fire the nailer. Not a huge deal, but can be painful if operated stupidly. I'm not sure the same type safety that is on the brad nailers, finish nailers, or framing nailers is going to function all that well with a pinner, but no biggie. I can cope."

There is something wrong with your tool and is it very hazardous to use in this condition.
I have the same tool and it does not fire unless the safety is depressed.
I saw once some one shooting himself with a framing gun, this was neither fun nor pretty.

Repair it or get rid of this gun immediately!


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## chewbuddy13

I have the same gun and it did not come with a safety guard. b2rtch, it might be something that is a new design feature, I got mine about 6 months ago, how old is the one you have?


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## HanselCJ

I guess I have been under a rock, because I hadn't heard about pin nailers till here recently. The moire I read about them the more i like. Going to have to see if my local HF carries one of these bad boys. After all, if I don't like it, it wasnt that expensive. Thank you for the review!


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## b2rtch

I got mine probably 2 years ago or more.


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## b2rtch

I paid mine $17.99 on sale I also have the framing gun , that i paid $79.99 on sale equally happy with it.
And I also have the roofing nailer


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## Tom8021

Mine doesn't have the safety either. Noticed that my model is 97525 bought about 1 year ago. LOVE it by the way. It works much better than my other brad nailers.


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## b2rtch

Mine looks different from the one on the picture. It has a trigger right on front for the safety.


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## dbhost

b2rtch, This gun does not appear to even have a work piece depress safety. This simply does not appear to be a feature it is designed with. Mine is now 2 weeks old though.

I agree on the safety features being important, particularly with framing, roofing, or brad nailers, I would like to see this with a safety, and if they introduce / re-introduce one with a reliable safety interlock, I will swap it out.

I am familiar with firearms safety practices, and treat this gun very much like a handgun. Whatever I do not want to hit with the projectile does not go in front of the projectile path plain and simple.

Chase, I guess yo haven't been infected by Norm Abram. I first heard of pin nailers on The New Yankee Workshop. The pins disappear into a finished piece really easily… And are a great way to hold a piece together while a glue up dries. Particularly irregular pieces such as routed trim…


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## b2rtch

From http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?p=312388

LinuxRandal
While the pin nailer holes should just about be identical, you helped me catch a difference. 
The SAFETY location.
On the 95882, there is the safety under the trigger. You move that and your ready to fire. 
On the 93656, there is a safety at the tip, that must be depressed to fire like on a normal pneumatic nailer. So in this case, while it might leave an indentation in your work, if you have kids that get into the shop, it might be safer to have the 93656, so you don't have a Lethal Weapon moment (tiny flying projectiles, one per trigger pull).

Seems interesting to me, that the 95882 is a later model based on the copyright date of the manuals, with this type of trigger.

I knew I had a safety on mine!


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## dbhost

I am going to have to look for that trigger safety on mine.


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## davidmicraig

I bought this same nailer a couple months ago. It isn't a bad running unit. I did have a couple issues that I had to deal with.

1. The slider for the nail size wouldn't work. I could have taken it back but would not have been worth the drive. Instead, I took it apart, find the slider bar had caked on grime. I cleaned it, lubricated it, and has worked fine since.

2. The gun has a marring tip on it. It will leave indentations when pushed against the surface of the wood. I dipped the tip in plasti dip about 4 times, letting it dry between coats. After drying, I shot a pin into a board and now it has a non-marring tip.

It does work pretty well. The gun has a trigger lock, but does not have any safety trigger features. Treat it like a loaded pistol.

Good review,

David


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## b2rtch

" 1. The slider for the nail size wouldn't work. I could have taken it back but would not have been worth the drive. Instead, I took it apart, find the slider bar had caked on grime. I cleaned it, lubricated it, and has worked fine since."

I drop a few drops of fine machine oil in mine before using it, and it works like a champ.
I also use air tool oil in the gun itself.


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## dbhost

I like the plasti dip idea… Good, well.. uh.. tip…


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## richgreer

I don't think any of the 23 gauge pinners have a safety device like you see on bigger nailers. Mine (a Porter Cable) has a second trigger. You have to press and hold the second trigger and then fire the main trigger. I think that is how most of these pinners incorporate a safety element.


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## Raymond

I have the same gun and the only safety feature is the trigger block. I think it's a great nailer. The price of the nails can't be beat at HF either. At Menards a 1000 23 gage pin nails were like $8.00 I think I paid like 3 at HF the last time I was there.


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## dbhost

And the HF pin boxes are 6,000 pin count to boot.


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## roundabout22

Thanks for the review. I've seen these advertised, and was wondering if it was worth it. I've got their brad nailer that was around $20 that I haven't had to much trouble with. I finished a project for my wife recently that had some mouldings, and I was wishing for a pin nailer the whole time. This is now up there on the tool list.


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## dbhost

So far I am actually pretty impressed with the Central Pnuematic tools. I have the…

98917 framing nailer
66872 16 ga air finish nailer
97526 23 ga pin nailer

Every one of them has done exactly as it is supposed to, without so much as a single misfire yet…

I don't think I would rely on them for heavy production work, but for a home hobbyist / DIY repair and construction type jobs these things are great…


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## NBeener

Got one.

Like it fine.

Have heard that you get much better results with non-HF pins, but … I probably won't run out for a few decades ;-)


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## Abbott

Yep, I like mine so much I swapped my $120.00 Porter Cable gun for some work. I'm on my second HF gun. I got my first one about 6 years ago with a coupon for $9.99!


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## davidroberts

Hey db, I picked one up last Saturday, I think $29 and change, and a box of 3/4 and 1" pins. Last one in the store. I've been needing a pinner for some time but just couldn't see spending $100+. I agree, great little pinner for the money. I'm very satisfied, nuff said.

PS: The safety is a little swivel with a 90 degree metal guard (protrusion?) under the trigger. You can't depress the trigger unless the move the guard to the side, out from under the trigger. Kinda cheesey but effective. Also kinda annoying that you always have to move the swivlel but nothing is perfect.


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## Brad_Nailor

Wow…that is a great price. I was looking at a Grex for almost $200….I will have to go look at one! Thanks for the review…


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## TwistedRedneck

@David Craig - That is a great tip, I think I will try that and see how it does. I have a similar one, have to go down to the shop to find the part number but I have used it for years with no major issues.

The only thing I have problems with is that sometimes it will fire only half way and the brad will get stuck. I am then forced to extract the brad from my work piece and dismantle the front of the nailer and extract the stuck brad.

I keep my air pressure up to the maximum, I think it is about 90psi and I use an air/water separator with an oil chamber that adds oil to the line. Usually when I first start using the nailer is when I have that issue.

It does have a safety mechanism on it that you can hold open manually or just use it as intended by pressing the nailer against the work piece and pulling the trigger. Like was mentioned, it does mar the work piece.

I bought a pneumatic stapler about a month ago, 18 gauge I think, so it is a newer design and I see that the design is a bit better with a rubber tip on the safety and an actual gauge that you can glance at to see how how full or empty it is. I have used it a few times and have not had any problems with it yet so maybe the newer models are getting better.

Still for the price, it is still a throw-away tool but it has turned out to be a rather good tool despite the set back on occasion. I would recommend it especially in today's economy.


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## b2rtch

Twistedredneck
"The only thing I have problems with is that sometimes it will fire only half way and the brad will get stuck. I am then forced to extract the brad from my work piece and dismantle the front of the nailer and extract the stuck brad." 
Oil your gun before each use with a light machine oil, drop of few drop in the plunger housing and use air tool oil for the gun itself.
That will solve your issue.


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## dbhost

FWIW, I have an old Arrow T-50 stapler that got to the point it would only fire a staple halfway, and get stuck. I had to take the nose of the stapler apart, clean it up really good with CRC Brakleen, and then lube it with a light machine oil. I do not recall when this stapler was purchased, but I may not have been alive yet, it was my Dad's…

Funny thing about this little nailer, there really is nothing fit or finish wise that makes me feel this is a disposable gun. I put a drop or two of light machine oil (3 in 1) in the mechanism prior to loading, and then a drop or two of air tool oil in the nipple prior to hooking it up. This is a practice I have been doing since I started using air tools, and I have plenty of 20+ year old air tools to let me think I am doing this right…

The marring issue is not something I have had a problem with yet, but I can see how it can happen. a light coat of Plastidip without blocking the opening would fix this problem pretty quickly.

I am getting more confident in HF's pneumatics the more I use them. But there's not much more that I want. I could use a stapler, and the roofing / coil nailer. And as often as I plan on using the roofing nailer, I may get together with a couple of friends with similar projects and split the cost of a gun…


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## davidmicraig

dbhost - For the roofing nailer, you might want to check this one out - distributed by Eagle America. I don't do frequent roof work, but have been asked to help from time to time. Specs look pretty darn good, gun has a 7 year warranty, and the price of 159 is fantastic for a roofing nailer. Not much more expensive than a mid level pin nailer.

David


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## Raymond

I have to admit I have used my Pin nailer to shoot at the occasional mouse that visits my shop.


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## D1st

I have had this same nailer for about 4 yrs now. It has worked great from day one. I dont have the problem with the safety. I think you have a defect in yours. Mine also came with a case and about 1000 assorted pins, nails and staples. For the price I think that this nailer is a steal. I hope you get yours back on track. I like Rigid tools but that doesnt mean that other brands dont work as well.


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## dfdye

I picked up this pinner just based on comments here, and I am pleasantly surprised that you all weren't exaggerating! This thing really is pretty decent. No long term reliability info yet, obviously, but in the testing I did on a few different types of scrap wood I had in my trash, it reliably sunk pins uniformly with

I did notice the tip banging up the surface of some of the pine I was working with, so I think I am going to try the plastic dip trick (new one to me, but I have a jar in the cabinet, so why not try?).

Thanks to everyone for sharing info on this pinner! I just wish I always had this good luck with HF stuff.


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## dbhost

Well, sometimes they sell junk, sometimes they sell gems… I have had pretty good luck from them, but not with everything. I probably won't be going back there for drill bits or hole saws again for example…


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## Abbott

You know whats funny *db* I purchased a drill index from HF a few years ago and it is the best set of bits I have ever owned. They no longer carry the exact same model of what I have, as I have been watching for another set. But the set I have it's still going strong. I have replaced a half dozen bits that were the most common sizes I use. But overall I am extremely pleased with them. I also do a lot of metal work with my bits.

I do understand and agree through experience that a guy has to pick and choose with HF's tools but I think their quality has been improving. After a few years of experience with them it gets quite a bit easier to know what and what not to buy. Every now and them something really nice slides into their inventory.


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## dfdye

I am happy with the HF drill index I got too! 1-60, A-Z and 1/2" to 1/64" (I think). They have performed pretty well well in metal and wood, which is all that I could ask for the money I spent. The Forstner bits I got weren't that great, but they are handy to have for once-in-a-while usage, and the ones I have worn out I simply replace one at a time, as needed, just like Abbott.

The way I see it, if you need something once or twice and don't know how often I'll actually use it, it is nice to buy something cheap. That way you aren't out a ton of money if you never use an item again. If I end up using that cheap thing enough for me to get frustrated with it or to wear it out, I simply replace it with something of better quality. Yes, that means I sometimes have to buy tools more than once, but in the long run I have saved a boatload vs. always buying the high end right off!


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## dbhost

Okay so we are down the road a couple of years with this pinner as well. My experience is still overwhelmingly positive. I am still somewhat concnerned about the lack of a safety, but careful usage has precluded any problems.


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## b2rtch

I bought eh new style one also .


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## dbhost

Well this seems like as good a time as any to update this. I have been using this cheap as all get out pin nailer for years now, running box after box after box of pins through it, and I'll give it credit. I use, and abuse this poor thing and it never once fusses at me. It just keeps chugging along driving pin, after pin, after pin. Feed it a drop or two of air tool oil every time I connect and it is good to go.


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