Need new 23 gauge nailer, What brand/model ?

[Scott Austin]

I am a finish carpenter that uses a 23 gauge pin nailer quite a bit. I am really frustrated with my senco ( i belive it's a finishpro10 ). It frequently jambs and I don't care for the slide magazine.

What brand have or are you guy's using. Grex & Cadex seem to be the upper brands. Anybody have Senco finishpro23sxp ?

I don't need a 2'' Gun , as I would prefer a smaller one to get into tighter spots.

[Mike Henderson]

I have the Grex. Good but expensive.

Mike

[Bill McNiel]

Echo - Mike, Grex, solid performance is what you pay for.

[glenn bradley]

+3. If I were a pro, I wold get a Grex.

[Bruce Page]

+4, very happy with the Grex.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

If I was a pro Grex. I bought and am happy with my Hitachi NP-35A.

[John Grace]

Yikes...I just looked at the Grex on Amazon. Must be an awesome nailer for that kind of money. Is the value simply in that the Grex lasts/hold's-up much longer or does it have other characteristics that I'm missing?

[Joe Adams]

I use them professionally and have the 1-3/8" Grex and 2" Cadex and like them both equally. The reason I bought the Cadex was for the extra holding power of the slight head when using longer pins to attach crown molding to cabinets. I still use the Grex quite a bit.

I have a bunch of Bostitch guns and originally bought their 1-3/16" pinner. It's a great value for the money. No problems at all during several years of use.

Some folks have complained it doesn't fully set pins but a slight sanding of the nose will fix that problem. Like I said, mine has been trouble free.

One word of warning - Most if not all pinners lack the contact safety found on other nail guns. It's very easy to accidentally shoot a pin across the room or through your off hand. Don't ask me how I know this.

[Andrew Hughes]

I also have a Grex.Has not failed me in 10 yrs.

[Tom M King]

Not the sxp, but I have a Senco LXP that I haven't had a bit of trouble with-same series gun, just different length pins. I only shoot Grex stainless steel pins with it up to 2" long. I bought it remanufactured from CPO. I've owned a Bostitch for years that only shoots up to 1-1/8", and never had any trouble with that one either. The Bostitch is more compact, so I only use the Senco when I need to fire longer pins. I'm also a pro.

[mreza Salav]

I've had two, one being a 2" grex. After less than 4000 nails the head (the part that hammers the nail) was split in the middle and needed to be replaced.
That little part is expensive like the gun itself ($57). It was less than 1 year old and they didn't cover it under warranty as they consider it a wearable item.
My search on other forums found similar unhappy customers. Its a good gun but I expected better service from them.

[Martin Wasner]

What in the world would you use a 2" micro pin on? I use 1" for cross pinning mitres, and shorter pins for applied mouldings, anything else I feel requires a bigger nail. Especially with the tendency of small nails to go wherever they feel like going.

[Tom M King]

The last 2" pins I used were for the ridge cap shingles on a Cypress shingle roof. This was a roof where the ridge was just a row of short shingles that project beyond the other side a little. It was a hip roof with fantail hips, so didn't want an applied layer of ridge caps at the top. I had copper flashing underneath. I did a bit of experimenting, and the 2" pin would hit the copper flashing and curl back up into the bottom of the lower shingle. The holes left behind the pins closed up when they got wet. I sewed them in there at all sorts of angles. I didn't want exposed fasteners, and there was no room to get to them from underneath. That's one use I've had for 2" 23 gauge pins. It's always some unusual use.

[mreza Salav]

hanging the crown (6") in the kitchen. Holes are small enough you can't see them:

332659332661

[Joe Adams]

I've never used 2" pins in my Cadex. I generally use 1 9/16" slight head pins in it. Way more holding power than you would imagine.

[lowell holmes]

I have a Spotnail and I've been completely satisfied with it. It has a nice solid feel to it.

I don't use it that much.

[Bryan Cramer]

I have a bunch of Bostitch guns and originally bought their 1-3/16" pinner. It's a great value for the money. No problems at all during several years of use.

Some folks have complained it doesn't fully set pins but a slight sanding of the nose will fix that problem. Like I said, mine has been trouble free.

Wait; I don't mean to hijack this thread but that's the reason why I hate my Bostich so much. I could never figure out what was the point in using these guns if the pins weren't seated below the surface very far. There was a very obvious mark where any nail was even from a distance. So you just sand a bit of the nose off? Not much I'm assuming.

[Joe Adams]

Wait; I don't mean to hijack this thread but that's the reason why I hate my Bostich so much. I could never figure out what was the point in using these guns if the pins weren't seated below the surface very far. There was a very obvious mark where any nail was even from a distance. So you just sand a bit of the nose off? Not much I'm assuming.

Yes, that's what I read in a finish carpentry forum. I think it was on JLConline. Just sand the nose slightly and test fire. Repeat until the pins set just below the surface. A number of guys said this worked for them. My gun didn't have this problem so I never tried it. It may be discussed in Amazon reviews as well.

[Tom M King]

That must be a newer Bostitch than mine. I don't remember how many years I've owned it, but it buries pins just fine, and I don't even remember it getting jambed, or mis-firing once.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I'll go against the grain (ha!) and suggest the Harbor Freight model. I would rarely buy anything more complicated than a hammer from them, but for ~$20, it is an EXCELLENT value. It has a fit/finish/feel that is way above what I expected - if you had handed it to me and said, "This is a $250 Grex", I'd have believed it.

I learned that the HF pins are junk, though, and now buy Grex pins.

[Art Mann]

I bought a Harbor Freight 5/8" to 1" pinner ($15). I bought it 10 years ago to experiment with and see if I wanted to buy a good one. I have used it continuously since then and it simply will not die. I tried dropping it on the floor. I tried not oiling the piston. I shot pins into heart hickory. Nothing has worked so far. The thing is clumsy and a little dangerous to use (no safety) but it just keeps working. I am afraid I am going to have to just run over it so I can justify buying a new one. When that happens, I will buy a Grex.

[Jim Dwight]

I also have the Bostich and am happy with it.

[Jim Becker]

Grex is what I have...not the most expensive one as I don't "need" 2" needles flying about. 1/2" through 1 3/8" is more than enough for me. I use this pinner FREQUENTLY. I do have an older Accuset/Senco pinner, but it only goes to 3/4" and I only use it when having two sizes loaded is convenience. The ergonometric feel of the Grex pinner are more comfortable, too.

[Scott Austin]

Thanks guy's , looks like its going to be a Grex

[jack duren]

Have a couple Hitachi's at work and a Senco at home. All work fine...

[guy knight]

grex or omer have all three love them all but omer is better then grex imo
http://www.amazon.com/Omer-B6-50-2-Headless-Pinner/dp/B002GEREH0/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1456719019&sr=1-2&keywords=omer+23+gauge
http://www.amazon.com/B6-35-Gauge-Pinner-Bradder-Nailer/dp/B002GEKHRO/ref=sr_1_8?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1456719019&sr=1-8&keywords=omer+23+gauge

[Curt Harms]

I have an Air Locker pinner with traditional style safety. It works well, feeds reliably and doesn't jam. It shoots 30 mm pins (1 3/16") and I wish it shot 35 mm ( 1 3/8"). The nose safety can get in the way when I want to get real close to a wall or something. A skinny nose and double triggers would work. Harbor Freight's small nailers & staplers seem to be good values though I don't know that they'd last in a professional environment.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Not only does Grex make a fine tool, their customer service is excellent. More than once over the years I've had to call them for O-rings. He stayed on the phone with me until he was convinced I was comfortable taking the pinner apart and installing the rings. Then, with the rings, he sent me an expanded drawing with notes, circled the items he sent and told me to call him when I was ready to make the repair. I appreciate that kind of dedicated service.

[Bill Ryall]

Another vote for the Bostich. I have had mine for several years and use it frequently. Never an issue.

[Bill Orbine]

Thanks guy's , looks like its going to be a Grex

You won't regret it!

[Mike Heidrick]

If you want to buy a NIB Bosch let me know via PM.

[Scott Austin]

I got the 630 Grex. Works great, plenty of power. Paid $ 149 free shipping from the nailgun depot. I got it in 2 days too.