nail guns

[jackson stieb]

Can someone run down the different types (sizes) of nail and brad guns for me and what each one is used for.... such as the difference of a 15 guage and 18 guage...thanks

[Bartee Lamar]

I only have one that I use so far. It is a Grizzly "Red" that was very cheap. It is an 18g. It shots pin like nails. I have found PC brads work just fine. I keep an assortment of lengths. This is not it (http://www.grizzly.com/products/H5527), but it looks something like it. and this one is only $24.95.

It is very good for stuff where you are using 3/4 stock.

Something that others will know more about is the oil that should be put in before use. I just put a drop or two of 3in1 oil. I guess it lubricates the moving parts.


I have a 23g, but have never used it.

I did pick up the new Rigid brand nailers at HD the other day. They feel really good. Don't know why, but you know some tools just feel right, well that's it.

So for now I have what I need.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Let me grab my coffee first.... OK.

Gauge refers to the diameter of the fastener. Higher numbers are thinner (just like wire gauge).

From smallest up:

23 ga pins (up to 1" long). A tiny headless pin, usually used to attach small trim on furniture, leaving an almost invisible hole.

18 ga brads (up to 2" long). Square in cross section, T shaped, with a rectangular head. Very commonly used for furniture work, sometimes used for light architectural work.

16 ga finish nails (up to 2.5" long). Square in cross section, T shaped, with a rectangular head. Commonly used for architectural trim.

15 ga finish nails (up to 2.5" long). Despite being close in name and number to the previous, these look completely different: round in cross section, much like regular "manual" finish nails. 15 ga nailers have an angled magazine that fits well into corners for trim work.

10 ga framing nails (up to 3.5"). Round in cross section, with either a full found head or clipped (D-shaped) head. The full head has greater pull-through strength, and is required by building codes in some areas (esp. earthquake and hurricane territory).

The above are most likely to be used by the hobbyist woodworker. I've skipped a few special purpose fasteners, like flooring, roofing, and siding nailers, and whatever else I forgot. Also worth mentioning are:

1/4" crown staples (up to 1.5"). Good for thin materials like plywood cabinet backs, where a brad would tend to blow through. Also useful for utility projects (jigs, etc.) where the large hole doesn't matter, but the double holding power does.

Personally, I have an 18 ga, 16 ga, and 1/4" stapler, and use them all about equally. If I did it over, I can't see a downside to going with a 15 ga angled nailer over the 16 ga.

If you're shopping, there are some nicely priced nailer/compressor combos out there and good deals on recon equipment. This is also an area where many users report good results with "bargain" brands.

Wear eye protection!

[Russ Massery]

I think Ken did a great describing the different types of gun. I own just about one of each. There a all Porter Cable. Some are as much as 10 years old. They've all work flawlessly. I don't feel your can beat them for value. If your in the market to buy a gun I suggest you give them a close look. In fact they sell a "combo" set with a small pancake compressor and 3 guns for about $300 locally.;)

[jackson stieb]

:) Thanks so much you guys rock!! So now u brought it up, lol... what is used for roofing such as the sheets and the shingles and wha about framing gun... thanks agian...