Pinner splitting very small stock?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I'm wondering if I need a 23 gauge pinner. I'm building a toy barn for my daughter. I intend to use oak scrap "lap siding" milled close to scale, roughly 1/2" wide with the profile tapering from about 1/16" to 1/8". I tried to brad some close to the end with the 18 gauge nailer, but it split every time. Would a pinner allow pinning close to the ends of these little boards? It has a timber frame type of frame, and I'd like to be able to nail the boards, so I don't have to glue clamp and wait. Thanks for the advice,

[David DeCristoforo]

With pieces that small, nailed that close to the edge, even a pin nail will split them. "Best bet" is to get a very small drill bit and pre drill the nail holes.....

[David Peters]

I'm building a toy barn for my daughter.

If your kids are anything like mine, even if you are successful with the pinner holding the boards in place, you'll want a drop of glue under each to make sure everything stays in place as the toy gets knocked around from time to time. Otherwise I'd worry that the joints would get loose after repeated jostles.

Just my $0.02... I'm not a toymaker.

[Jason Roehl]

One thing I've found with all the pneumatic brad nailers I've used is that they are far less likely to split if you orient the "wedge" of the brad/pin tip so that cuts across the grain, rather than parallel--where it acts like a...splitting wedge!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

With pieces that small, nailed that close to the edge, even a pin nail will split them. "Best bet" is to get a very small drill bit and pre drill the nail holes.....

I was afraid of that...

[Steve Rozmiarek]

David, glue too I'm thinking. The frame makes it pretty darn tough though.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Jason, tried that with the 18 gauge, like you'd use an old cut nail, and it didn't work in this instance. I have used that idea before though.

[Matt Ocel]

Hot Glue might work.

[John Callahan]

I'd give the pinner along with glue a try. I often glue and pin returns on chair, window aprons etc.; other times it's glue only because the size of the return is so small. I'd try on on a few scraps ................ you've got nothing to lose.

[Karl Brogger]

One thing I've found with all the pneumatic brad nailers I've used is that they are far less likely to split if you orient the "wedge" of the brad/pin tip so that cuts across the grain, rather than parallel--where it acts like a...splitting wedge!

This is true of any nail and it is very good information to have.

When I'm nailing up crown I usually use a pin nailer, (18ga) for everything. Once in a while I get to close to the end of a piece and it splits. The 23ga micro pinners can save the day. I've never had anything split using one, and I've nailed together some really small moldings with one. When I get a split in something usually I can squeaze it together and hit it with a couple of micropins to get it to hold the split together.

[Jim Becker]

I've used my pinner on some very small moldings with no problems, but you can always use blue painter's tape to hold things in place until glue dries.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks guys! I ordered a Grex, so we'll see. I'll post the results.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The Grex came in yesterday, and I just put it to use. I'm completely impressed with the tool, and the result. Perfect for this use, and not a split that I didn't cause, yet. Truthfully, I expected less of a tool. Grex ought to spend more on shiney advertising, rather then back of the mag black and whites. I highly recommend the P650L to anyone, and the Fastener Store gets high marks as well. Nice to have a tool that beats the expectations.