Jim Dwight
11-05-2016, 3:31 PM
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.
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.