Pinner Nailers? Do I need more than 1"

[Ted Baca]

So far I am only finding the Grex makes a 23ga pinner nailer that accomodates a langer brad than 1" up to 2". I really prefer a Porter Cable as I have had good luck with the other pnuematic guns of theirs. I am wondering if I buy the Grex first off; is it a good quality gun, the price says yes. Second; how hard will it be to get brads or all of the brads in 23ga the same. Third; I will mostly be using for glue up support, is more than 1" necessary. I really like the idea of the tiny holes when it omes time to putty them. Love to hear from Creekers that have been down this road.

[William OConnell]

Is larger necessary. It will be on odd occasions and is nice to have the capacity. It is relatively easy to go pins and they all seem to work in different guns so the pins arent brand specific. Grex is a very good quality product. The pins are so small that a tiny box is 10,000 pins so they should last. Buy once cry once

[John Keeton]

Another Grex owner and wouldn't consider another pinner. I use more larger size pins than small. It is great to pin applied moldings to build ups. Made a walnut mantle shelf with several applied layered moldings just after getting mine and it was great. The grain filler made the holes disappear for a flawless finish.

[keith ouellette]

The problem with a 23 gage is that they bend and shoot in odd directions if they are very long. If you need a tiny, almost invisible pin for something 1/4" ro 1/2" thick then a 23 gage pin is great. If you need something longer than an inch or inch and a quarter then have a brad nailer, like a 18 gage. I never use anything less than 18 gage because I didn't want to have a 18g brad, a 16g finish and then a hardly ever used 23g pin nailer.

I would get a 18g brad nailer first.

[Jim Becker]

I just moved up to the Grex 635 specifically for the inch and three-eights capability for "clamping" face frames invisibly and was very pleased with my first use of that feature about two weeks ago. (See my wet bar thread) But for the past five years or so, I was perfectly happy with the 3/4" and under capability of the Accuset I bought long ago.

["Gary Brewer"]

Ted: I think getting to 1 3/8 length pins is very desirable. Think about wanting to nail 3/4 molding. A 1/4 length into the substrate isn't very much. The Grex gets the most hype and is a high quality gun but it only shoots headless pins. The Cadex cpb23.35 and Nikle NS2340 shoot headless pins and slight-headed brads. The slight headed brads greatly increases the holding power and draws the piece to the substrate. Experiment in two pieces of off set wood and you will see. For around the same price as the Grex you get much more increased functionality. I can't see any significant difference between the pins and slight-headed brad holes but then my eyes are as good as they use to be. The Cadex length is 1-3/8 and the Nikle goes up to 1 9/16. All three are high quality guns. The Cadex and Grex except for color and plastic trim look exactly the same and I believe ( not positive ) they both are made in Japan so I suspect they might be made in the same plant. The Nikle was rated the best pinner in a magazine " Tools of the Trade", a contractor trade magazine. 2" length is available but for me it wasn't worth the cost. (The pins are so thin anyhow that it is amazing they can be shot accurately into wood but they can. ) I have two Porter Cable nailers (finish, brad) and they have been very reliable for me and would have been a serious option but I just felt I needed a longer length then Porter Cable had at the time I purchased. Just FWIW and my own opinion.
Gary

[frank shic]

the only reason i bought the grex was to help with pinning raised panel doors to free up some clamps so the only pins that i have loaded in it are 5/8" long.

[John Keeton]

Let me throw in again. I have a 15 ga finish nailer, 18 ga brad nailer, and the Grex. Since getting the Grex, I never use the brad nailer.

Greg has apparently had the opportunity to use the Cadex for a comparison. I haven't had that opportunity, but can honestly say that I have never had any problem snugging up trim with the longer pins and I have never had one do anything that I could blame on the gauge of the pin. I have had a couple turn out on me, but it was bad grain and I knew it. Its always one of those times when you look at it and say this ain't gonna work, you do it, and it didn't work. I do a lot of work with oak and the Grex will set the long pins like the oak is butter.

I always am using glue with the Grex, so the pin is very temporary and only for clampling as Jim says. Go with a pin nailer, and I would say any of the 3, Grex, Cadex, and Nikle would get the job done.

[Ted Baca]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will get the Grex since Woodcraft has it locally. I did read a reveiw and the Cadex and Grex are the same just different colors. For some reason the Grex doesn't offer anything but headless. But I wouldn't use headed brads anyway. I have a PC 18ga if I need the holding power. I really want this for smaller parts and glue up.
Again thanks I feel much more confident in making the buy.

[Ray Gutnick]

For a 23 gauge pin, is there a guideline as to what lengths to use? I just bought the cadex which came with 1 3/8" pins and I'm finding that some of them do bend and come out the sides. I'm trying to pin 1/4" thick maple trim to melamine (which is 5/8" x 10").

[Jim Becker]

Ray, the particle board (what's under that very thin layer of melamine) is very dense and could very much deflect a thin pin fastener. But for tacking 1/4" material you really don't need more than 1/2" fasteners...and you should get little deflection with those. I use the 1 3/8" pins to fasten face frames (with glue) on built-in work where clamping isn't possible. Otherwise, I use shorter fasteners that are just long enough to do the job.

[Steve Griffin]

Also consider the Max Pinner, which can shoot 1.375".

It's one of the finest tools I own.

(and the 5 tools have which I like the least all start with P)

-Steve

[Steve Clardy]

Never seen a need for a 23 pin any longer than 1".

If I need longer, I'll go with a 18 or 16ga. Just depends on what it is, and type of wood

[Charles Robertson]

I have the Cadex 1&3/8 cap. What took me so long to purchase one? Read several reviews on pinners that tested their pin setting (below surface) capabilities. In this one review, the cadex was more consistant. Got it and one each of all their pins. Half and 5/8 are most used by me. On my second box (large) of half inch. Believe you will be happy with any of the top guns. Change that, know you will. Unless you are a commercial shop you will rarely need any thing over 1&3/8", but that choice is up to you. Good luck. Al

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

Pinner Nailers? Do I need more than 1"
After buying a 23 ga. PC pinner last Summer, I've all but abandoned my 18 ga guns.
A year ago, I could see no use for a 23 ga pinner.
Now I can't see getting by without one.

The 23 ga has such a small footprint it's nearly invisible - especially if you choose the right spot to drive a fastener so that it's hidden by grain pattern or by some part of a decroative design in the wood.
When I bought the PC. I figured I'd never use anything longer than 1".
In hindsight, I believe I should have gone with a Grex which would take a longer fastener.

Eventually, I'll probably end up with one somewhere down the road.

I have noticed though that the 23 ga is becoming more popular. Home Depot has started stocking the PC and the fasteners at some of their stores.
Hopefully, the rise in popularity will result in more models that use longer fasteners, at lower prices.