Brad Nailer Decision

Re: Brad Nailer Decision

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

My Senco Finish-Pro 25 has been bullet proof for 15 years. Oil free and light, it'll put a 2" brad through walnut or cherry when on the high power setting. Haven't had a jam in all that time, and put up a mile or more of trim.

I trashed a couple of cheap guns before the 25.

BTW my finish gun is a Bostich, also oil free. Great gun

Re: Brad Nailer Decision

John McGaw

Looks good but pretty pricey. I don't know that I could live up to a nailer that cost roughly as much as my compressor & hose & fittings & blowgun & oil put together.

I was just at HF again this afternoon to get a bottle of compressor oil and looked at the brad nailers they had on display. One that looked OK was of the "Pierce" brand (great name for a nailer IMHO) and the price wasn't too shocking even with the (presumed) increase due to tariffs. Considering my budget and lightweight requirements I might just buy one of them. The only complaints I've seen online are that their cases were flimsy and that they look like copies of old-school Hitachi guns but if that is the worst that can be said about them then I'd probably be satisfied. Of course that Bostitch does have that great narrow nose.

Guess I'll ponder for a few more days...

Go Oil Free

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Oiled trim and pinner guns like to leave oil spots on your wood. Oil Free is much better, but don't go for cheap to get it.

Re: Go Oil Free

John McGaw

Thanks for the tip. I really never thought about that aspect. My defunct PC gun was not oil-free and I never saw any oil spots but it is probably good to keep it in mind.

Re: tale of 2 shops

Bobinak

I live in Alaska and have started snowbirding every winter. I was fortunate and found a home with an attached garage which I turned into my southern wood shop. Harbor freight is everywhere down here. Never had much use for them. Always considered their tools inferior at best. However I've come to discover that some of their tools ain't half bad. At my home shop I have a bostich Brad nailer and a Grex pin nailer. Both excellent tools. I can t afford to stock my Fl shop with everything I have at home. I bought a harbor firefight Brad nailer/staplers and a smallish compressor. Both have served me very well so far. I think the Brad nailer was between 20-30 bucks.

Bob

Re: Go Oil Free

Dick Coers

Aren’t all pinners oil free for a while? Since I spend a small fraction of the time I used to in the shop, I do all my pneumatic tool shopping at Harbor Freight with the 20% coupon.

Harbor Freight

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

I've got a few contractor friends who buy their tools there. Reasons cited are that they do an "OK" job, but no great loss if dropped off the roof or stolen off the jobsite. Drop a HF circ it's $50; Drop a nice Makita or Milwaukee and its $150 or more. Neither one will bounce well

Re: Harbor Freight

Barry Irby

I have a Harbor Freight Pinner. It won't shoot 2" pins like some of the Grex models, but it will shoot 1" maybe 1 1/4" (not at home, can't go look) and it does it reliably. Had it maybe ten years, use it sporadically and it has been 100% reliable. I put two or three drops of oil in it occasionally and have never seen it show up on the work.

OTOH bought a set of sanding drums in various diameters. All were so far out of true I took them back. Strange, you would think sanding drums would be a lot easier to make that a pin nailer.

I don't think HF "makes" anything.