Moving out of stone age nail guns. need advice - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

cmd17uc · 05-25-2009, 09:36 PM

Need to pick up a new brad nailer and get my first pin nailer. I have been installing baseboard and crown for a few years now and always just use my 16 guage finish nailer and 18 guage brad nailer then go back and fill holes.

I saw a cabinet guy using a pin nailer and was really impressed, and my 18 gauge brad nailer just died so i need one too.

Leaning towards grex brad and pin nailer but not sure which models to get. What size nails are you using to hang crown and nail up base?

Thanks in advance for helping me get out of the stone age !

neolitic · 05-25-2009, 10:41 PM

In case you aren't joking,
pin nailers aren't for installing
base and crown.
Unless you are gluing it to
casework.

world llc · 05-25-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

In case you aren't joking,
pin nailers aren't for installing
base and crown.
Unless you are gluing it to
casework.

always glue!!!
for the pin nailer, get a grex... it's alot more than others, but it's worth it
for the other gun's, i have been moving from dewalt and hitachi over to rigid for their warenty... my guns seem to bust every few years!!

naptown CR · 05-25-2009, 10:48 PM

My personal preference are the paslode impulse guns. I use the angle finish nailer and wish I had the 18 ga brad nailer. If you are doing a LOT of trim then an air nailer may be better for you. I happen to like the convenience of being able to carry the whole thing on one hand. But then I don't run thousands of feet in one job.

PrecisionFloors · 05-25-2009, 11:36 PM

Grex for a pin gun, and Hitachi for anything else that has an air connection and shoots a staple or nail (outside of a flooring gun). My experience has shown me Hitachi makes the best nail/staple guns period.

edit: I did pick up a Ridgid brad nailer a while back that has been great so far, no complaints at all.

WarnerConstInc. · 05-26-2009, 05:45 PM

Get a Grex pinner, I have the p650, I would not hesitate to get their brad nailer either. Their stuff has been top notch for me.

You can use a pinner for cabinet crown, you need to glue the joints and then run a bead of hot glue behind it.

world llc · 05-26-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.

Get a Grex pinner, I have the p650, I would not hesitate to get their brad nailer either. Their stuff has been top notch for me.

You can use a pinner for cabinet crown, you need to glue the joints and then run a bead of hot glue behind it.

actually i bought a grex 18 and 16 gauge straight guns and both were horable!!! i use my old crappy bostige before i use thoes guns again!! the pinner is in a league of it's own though... top notch

trimman2 · 05-26-2009, 07:15 PM

i have the Grex 23 ga awsome gun,the senco counterpart is junk,refuses to set the nail

i have a senco 18 ga and its great

i use a very old Craftsman 18 ga for shoe,ive been using the very same gun for over 15 years,and its never been rebuilt,its run miles of shoe

for production houses i use the paslode 3250 16 ga,nails much cheaper than the 15 ga nails

Hitatchi 15 ga nailer hands down best for the 15 ga nailer which i use on the high end houses,the rubber cusion on the air sprayer doesnt last long but the sprayer comes in handy alot

JLTrim · 05-26-2009, 07:43 PM

I use a Grex also and really like it. For 18 ga brad nailers I swear by the Senco SLP20's.

WarnerConstInc. · 05-26-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by world llc

actually i bought a grex 18 and 16 gauge straight guns and both were horable!!! i use my old crappy bostige before i use thoes guns again!! the pinner is in a league of it's own though... top notch

Really?

I was about to buy their roof nailer.

The angled finish nailer is nice!

world llc · 05-26-2009, 08:35 PM

don't have an experiance with the roofer... i'm sure it's fine... but... i can say i swear by my hitachi roofer!!

even have a newer, 2 or 3 year old, dewalt that's fantastic. but i probably only do 100 square a year, they barely get used, so my experiance isn't the best in the roofing gun area

PrecisionFloors · 05-26-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLTrim

I use a Grex also and really like it. For 18 ga brad nailers I swear by the Senco SLP20's.

Just goes to show how opinions can vary very widely on tools. Every Senco I have used (brad nailer, finish nailer, narrow crown stapler) has been a p.o.s.

Finish nailer tries to shoot two at the end of every rack, damned near without fail....to the point I tried to keep a notice of how many were left and throw away the last tree or four

Its a backup to the backup now.

trimman2 · 05-27-2009, 04:37 PM

i had issues with the newer 15 ga Sencos,the drive pins bend the first time you hit the lotto and hit a framing nail that jams the nail,then even with the depth adjustment cranked all the way it will only flush the nail,$45 bucks a crack for the drive pin,the older guns you could just buy the pin,now you have to buy the piston assembly

anyone know where to get just the drive pin?

JLTrim · 05-27-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrecisionFloors

Just goes to show how opinions can vary very widely on tools. Every Senco I have used (brad nailer, finish nailer, narrow crown stapler) has been a p.o.s.

Finish nailer tries to shoot two at the end of every rack, damned near without fail....to the point I tried to keep a notice of how many were left and throw away the last tree or four

Its a backup to the backup now.

Normally I stay away from Senco too, but I do love their SLP20 and SLP20XP brad nailers. I've had 4 or 5 of them over the last 13 years or so, never had one break on me yet. I like the design also, they're compact, comfortable to use and easy to stick in my toolbag. The biggest plus for me is the operation, they have enough power to set brads in hardwoods and the safety is above the driver and not an inconvenience. I would never trade my Hitachi 15 ga for a Senco though, or my Grex for their pinner. Their reputation has gone downhill a lot in the last decade or so, that's my impression anyway.

mmike032 · 05-27-2009, 08:33 PM

Hitachi are the best guns I've found. no question,
Porter Cable the worst
I've got Ridgid, Porter Cable, and Senco also but the only ones that make it out the trailer every day are the Hitachi.
I got a Grex pinner I bought from my old boss years ago but it needs some TLC.
Old boss has some ancient Senco nailers that weigh about 50LBs but they're still more reliable than all brands excluding Hitachi today.

WarnerConstInc. · 05-27-2009, 08:36 PM

Those old heavy Senco's are amoung the few that can sink a nail into old timber.

MikeNeufeld · 05-28-2009, 07:04 AM

May I suggest MAx Nailers. ( which i personally believe are the BEST!!!!! )

www.maxusacorp.com

There 18gauge Brad Nailer is simply outstanding!

catspaws · 05-28-2009, 04:43 PM

I have the paseload coardless nailguns 16ga-18ga very happy!!! the only problem is the expense in gas and nails, but no hose or compressor!!!. they have all the power the air guns have but not the speed.the 16ga will nail 1-1/4in nails throu baseboard that you are attaching to brick walls with the help of liquid nail.How do the small compressed air containers that you can get at hd work with a pin nailer for cab scribe or crown or toe kick?

Joining_heads@c · 05-28-2009, 11:10 PM

Max for framers

Hitachi for finish

Cadex or Grex for pinners.

With this said, I have not tried any other Max other than the framers I own- which are fantastic.