Pneumatic finish/brad nailers...Not Duck Related...

Chuck J

Chuck J

Well-known member
Hey all,

Looking for advise. Want to go to an air powered "fastener" devise. Have many looming projects ahead of me. If I were swinging a hammer, I'd be putting in 4d-6d finish nails. Seems they call them brad nailers up to 18 gauge and beyond that they call them finish nailers? Looking for advise on brands, features and size recommendations to make the transition as painless as possible. I've used some Bostitch brand staplers and nailers, and I think also Porter-Cable in the past, both seemed to do the job. Though I have quite a few home projects, it's far from the use a pro would put it through so want that balance of quality versus price.

Thanks
Chuck
 
I bought a 3 gun kit from Porter cable years ago (16, 18, and stapler) and have gotten excellent service from them. I'm sure there are better, but I'm seldom left feeling like I wish I had bought better. I have put a lot of nails through them too. No jams, I've dropped mine off the roof on concrete, etc... well made for me.
 
Just a thought, but the best thing I did in a long time was to switch from air nailers (requiring a hose from the compressor) to Paslode's cordless, angled finish nailer. I used to work in some pretty spiffy homes, and dragging that hose around - and making sure it didn't screw up the floors, etc, was a real pain. I love this gun! All my other pneumatic guns are Porter Cable (framing thru finishing), and they have given me years of good service. If I was still actively working, I'd switch all my guns to the cordless.
Gary
 
I've have a Bostitch 18ga nailer going on 15 years now. Never had a problem with it. I think today they are right at $70.
 
For 16-18 gauge nailers, I think pretty much any reputable brand is as good as any other. I use Bostich and Porter Cable nailers nearly every day and they've held up pretty well. If you go up to a 15 gauge for doing base and casing, I really like Hitachi, although you're stuck using Hitachi brand nails as other brands don't seem to feed very well.
 
My buddy got the same Porter-Cable 3-gun set & pancake compressor, I have used it numerous times. Easy to adjust, easy to load, worked great for the all the finish work I did on our master bedroom addition (crown, base & door moulding) as well as when I did the camper rebuild.
If I were going to buy, I'd buy one of these sets.
 
tod osier said:
... well made for me.
Click to expand...

Good enough for who it's for!

Was you set tied to a compressor too? I'm finding the set Carl speaks of. I already have two compressors and am trying to get down to one. Don't need three. I'm trying to thin things out a little. I really don't want to store more stuff.

Chuck
 
Gary Tanner said:
Just a thought, but the best thing I did in a long time was to switch from air nailers (requiring a hose from the compressor) to Paslode's cordless, angled finish nailer. I used to work in some pretty spiffy homes, and dragging that hose around - and making sure it didn't screw up the floors, etc, was a real pain. I love this gun! All my other pneumatic guns are Porter Cable (framing thru finishing), and they have given me years of good service. If I was still actively working, I'd switch all my guns to the cordless.
Gary
Click to expand...

I looked at those...well on line anyway. I've not historically been a big cordless fan. Drills seem to lack enough sack. Batteries die at the worst moment. I've got a small (weak and short) corded brad nailer, and a corded staple gun. I was eyeing up an Arrow pneumatic that take the same t50 staples that I go through by the thousands. I've been happy as heck with the performance of the Arrow electric but my wife complains that the surge of the stapler causes the computer battery backups to alarm. Got to thinking of my underutilized compressor...
 
Cody Williams said:
For 16-18 gauge nailers, I think pretty much any reputable brand is as good as any other. I use Bostich and Porter Cable nailers nearly every day and they've held up pretty well. If you go up to a 15 gauge for doing base and casing, I really like Hitachi, although you're stuck using Hitachi brand nails as other brands don't seem to feed very well.
Click to expand...

Not so much base and casing but trim on built in bookshelves...would you recommend the 15 gauge for that? I do hate getting stuck with a certain brand of nail. I like the nice generic type stuff.

Chuck
 
I learned the hard lesson that the cheap electric staplers are just that cheap.
I bought one (Arrow or Stanley, cant remember) for about $30 at a big box and it flat out sucked.
 
I'm afraid I can't be much help here. I've been 8n the construction business, mostly on the finish and cabinetry end.

I have 8 different guns that will shoot everything from tiny 1/2" hypodermic sized headless pins all the way up to 3 1/2 ring shanked galvanized framing nails. And they are all made by Senco. My oldest guns are close to 30 years old, and the only thing I've ever done to them is take care of them.

I've used lesser quality guns with pretty good success, where they all seem to lack is power. Takes a lot of mechanical balls to countersunk a 2 1/2" 15 ga finish nail in rock hard maple, or hickory.

Just my $.02 worth.

By the way, I'm liking this new format.

Jon
 
Chuck J said:
Not so much base and casing but trim on built in bookshelves...would you recommend the 15 gauge for that? I do hate getting stuck with a certain brand of nail. I like the nice generic type stuff.

Chuck
Click to expand...

For small trim like you are describing I use a pneumatic Porter Cable 18 gauge brad nailer. Porter Cable are middle of the road in quality and price but every box store sells them. For casing, crown, and general trim I use a gas operated Paslode 16 gauge nailer. I also use a Paslode framing nailer. The Paslodes are great but can be finicky at times and need cleaning. The pneumatics have some issues too. I hate hauling around the hose and I have blown seals which means ordering parts or taking them to be serviced. If I was making a purchase the deciding factor for me would be is the project a bench project or am I moving across the room. If I'm working at the bench pneumatic is more reliable and no messing with gas cartridges or batteries. If I'm moving across a larger area, such as hanging crown molding I do not want to fool with heavy cumbersome air lines and would definitely go with a Paslode gas nailer.

Just my thoughts.

Eric
 
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