Harbor Freight Nailers

[Jim Dwight]

I have one 10+ old Harbor Freight stapler that has never done a decent job with the 1.5 inch staples it is rated to drive but does fine with 3/4 inch. I have used it to make plantation shutters for our last house and to put the back on cabinets. I recently got a new stapler and some 1.5 inch staples. I tested it with the intention of taking it straight back if it wouldn't drive them. It works great. So I wanted a 15 gauge finish nailer and got one of those. It will drive the 2.5 inch nails it is rated to drive easily in softwood and it did it one out of two times in the edge of a piece of hickory flooring. I didn't try turning up the pressure or the depth adjustment, it doesn't have to do the flooring on edge. But I tried a couple through the tongue like I will use it for to install flooring where the flooring nailer (also a HF) won't work. It did those 2 inch nails just fine.

Besides the fact that they work, the key reason to buy harbor freight is, of course, price. My 15 gauge, with the 20% off coupon, was $64. A rebuilt Hitachi, the next least expensive I found, was $85. The stapler was $20, after the 20% off. Their 23 gauge is also available for $25 before coupon, $20 after. The 18 gauge is a little less at $20/16. A 16 gauge $58/46.4.

A pretty complete set of nailers (15/18/23) can be had for less than $100. That's a great deal.

I do recommend testing them, I wonder if there are not occasional "bad ones". But if you take it back with your receipt they are good about returns.

I have a Bostitch 16 and 23 gauge and a Porter Cable 18 gauge. 10+ years ago I saw a significant difference. These days, those differences are much, much less. I don't see any difference that justifys the price of the other brands.

If you're in a town with a HF store and need a new nailer, I recommend you give them a try.

[Matt Day]

Agreed! I don't know why anyone would spend the money on anything but HF for nailers for hobby use. I have 3 or 4 HF guns and they work great.

[Mike Cutler]

Some of the HF nailers get good reviews, and of course there are a few stinkers, but if a person takes the time to research and read the reviews, you can save some $$$$.
I have a few HF products, and have actually been fairly surprised by them.
Their pneumatic brake bleeder is worth the $$$$. ;)

[John Lifer]

Well, the difference between the Hitachi and the hf is not significant enough,the Hitachi would be way the better. I have a pin nailer and it has worked well enough,used to buy the hf 16g straight and wore two out. Great bargains 10 yrs ago. They cheapened them up an they are now not worth the effort or money. If you look closely you can get a set of name brand for not much more than what you have in those. Yeah I still buy hf,just not pneumatic guns.

[Art Mann]

Around 12 years ago, I bought a HF 23 gauge pin nailer for $10 just to play with and determine whether I wanted a good one. It worked well so I decided to just use it until it broke. I am still waiting.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I bought a HF 6n1 framing nailer to build a handicap ramp for church next door several years ago Ramp was 90' long, and six feet wide. All the decking, rails and pickets were fastened using HF gun. Four jams in five boxes of nails. Only complaint is it's HEAVY and bulky. Bought the combo stapler/brad nailer many years back. Have put down hundreds of sq ft of 1/4 under layment, using staples with no jams.

[Robert Parent]

Only good experience with the HF guns. Just threw out the last of the so called name brand nail guns as the HF one's work so much better. Gone are the constant jams and misfires. This past week I helped my Dad install Crown Molding and he had a name brand gun, so wish I had brought my HF guns which actually work.

Robert

[Curt Harms]

I've had two HF guns. The first was a 21o framing nailer bought 15+ years ago. It worked sorta okay flat but toe nailing? Forget it - nail would be sticking out an inch. 120 PSI helped a little but my compressor kicks out at 125 and on around 110 so no, it went back. I recently bought a wide crown upholstery stapler. It's crude - no safety or empty magazine lockout - but it works pretty well and cost $15 after coupon. Max pressure is 90 psi and it requires that to drive 9/16"" staples into oak but it's been reliable and will sink staples flush. I don't use HF fasteners which I've read is one of the secrets to HF pneumatic fastener gun happiness.

[Terry Wawro]

It's funny you should post this. I've had pretty good luck with the HF nailers. They can be clunky and heavy, although for the price they are a bargain if you are a hobbyist. I had a Porter Cable 18ga and a HF 18ga die within one day of each other. Both were old, well cared for and lightly used. The PC just refuses to work and the HF had a problem with the safely. I tinkered with it for about 40 minutes and I could get it to work occasionally but decided that they are so cheap, it was easier just to trash them both buy a new HF one.

[glenn bradley]

I have a Bostitch 16 and 23 gauge and a Porter Cable 18 gauge. 10+ years ago I saw a significant difference. These days, those differences are much, much less. I don't see any difference that justifys the price of the other brands.

The race to the bottom is working! Qapla! :D