Anyone Use A Dewalt 18V Brad Nailer (DC608) Instead Of Traditional Air Nailer?

[Ben Rivel]

So far I have not found a need for an air compressor in my shop. However I would kind of like to add a brad nailer for various tasks. I was wondering if anyone out there using a brad nailer has gone an airless route with an option like the DeWalt DC608 18V brand nailer (LINK). I've already got a few 18V LiIon DeWalt batteries for several other tools so there's no additional cost there to consider. description says it'll take 5/8" - 2" 18 AWG brad nails. What I'm wondering is does it have enough strength to send those into hardwoods? Anyone out there have one or tried that route and care to comment? Or anyone have a different airless brad nailer option they recommend? Or is going airless for a brad nailer a bad idea?

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

The only tool I would purchase as far as cordless goes is a drill and impact driver. I would buy a small pancake compressor and a brad nailer. I can't imagine a cordless brad nailer being that light and easy to handle.

[Jay Larson]

I just finished out my home using the Ryobi Airstrike All the trim is 3/4" maple. Window extension jambs were also maple. I was able to have 1 1/4" nails drive completely. I then switched to 2" for the trim to wall. I think throughout the whole house two or three nails did not set. I was pretty impressed, I thought there would be more.

The one thing you do have to do is use a lightweight oil to clean the nail driver periodically. Also once in a while, the first time you use it in the day it will misfire. It will also periodically not retract the driver completely. You then have to fire it again to get the drive to retract. Or remove the nails and open the jam release to reset everything. Neither one happened very much.

All in all, they have no more issues than one with a compressor. I have had all of those things happen with an air driven nailer.

I have no idea how it would hold up to a full crew trimming out a house, or for how many houses it would last, but I am pleased with it.

[Bob Carreiro]

Have the Ryobi version.. Have had a few misfires, but all nails set propery, even in hardwoods. If you go for it, try CPO. You can buy w/or w/o batts and you can also buy refurb units at tremendos savings. Good luck.

[Rich Engelhardt]

So far I have not found a need for an air compressor in my shop. However I would kind of like to add a brad nailer for various tasks.

A brad nailer is like a pocket hole jig.
Once you use it, you'll smack yourself for doing without one for so long.
I have 2 framing nailers - one is loaded with galvanized nails all the time and the other is loaded with regular nails.
I have 3 18 ga brad nailers. One is loaded with staples, one is loaded with brads and the third stays connected to one of my small ultra portable compressors (I have two of those).I had 4 but, one just recently died.
I have a 23 ga pin nailer.
I have a 15 ga finish nailer
I have a 16 ga finish nailer.
I have a coil roofing nailer.
I have a flooring nailer...
Oh yeah, how could I forget my favorite one of all - - the palm nailer!

See the trend here?
Once you get your feet wet - the nailers just sort of naturally accumulate.
Browsing through the prices of the cordless nailers, I notice they are about two times the price of a pneumatic.

The smaller ones, the 18, stapler,16 and 23 all run fine from a very small compressor like Harbor Freight sells on sale for $59.
Harbor Freight also sells an 18 ga combo brad nailer/stapler for under $25 on sale.
Pretty much for the price of one cordless brad nailer you get a nailer and a compressor that will power @ least 3 or 4 other nailers.
Spend twice the money on a compressor (move up to a 1.5 HP compressor) and you can run any nailer out there.


HOWEVER...
Having said all that.....
Cordless nailers rock! They are so handy. A lot of times you just need to shoot a couple of fasteners and it's a real drag to haul out the compressor- the hoses - the gun, fire up the pump and wait for it to build up pressure, oil up the gun - then use it for a couple nails.

[Michael Zerance]

I have the 16 gauge version of that gun and it was one of my best tool purchases. It sure beats unloading the compressor and dragging an air hose through the house. It is plenty strong and I haven't had any issues with jamming or misfiring. I use it a lot.

You do have to wait a second after pressing the nose to the workpiece for the gun to "wind up". If you fire as soon as you press the nose to the piece it won't fully sink the nail.

If the compressor is already out because I am using the stapler or pin nailer, I go for the lighter and more nimble pneumatic 16 gauge gun over the heavy and bulky DeWalt 18v.

I may pick up the 18 gauge now that it is available.

[sebastian phillips]

I have the 16 gauge version of that gun and it was one of my best tool purchases. It sure beats unloading the compressor and dragging an air hose through the house. It is plenty strong and I haven't had any issues with jamming or misfiring. I use it a lot.

do have to wait a second after pressing the nose to the workpiece for the gun You o "wind up".

Agree 100% with MZ-
Have only used the 16a, but it is a champ. Never, I mean never, jams. Reliably sinks nails to a consistent depth in a variety of materials. A pleasure on a job-site to not be dragging a hose around, up ladders or on scaffolds.
Just remember to get a 2nd battery, and always keep the spare charged and ready to swap out.
I don't think it would be such an advantage in a shop only setting, however, and you're going to want/need a compressor sooner or later....think long term.

[Michael Zerance]

I don't think it would be such an advantage in a shop only setting, however, and you're going to want/need a compressor sooner or later....think long term.

Agree. You can get a compressor and few different guns for the price of the DeWalt. Pin nailers are cheap too and a huge benefit for doing detail work. The only reason I have the DeWalt is for jobsite work; if I worked only in the shop, I wouldn't own it.

[Jim German]

You do have to wait a second after pressing the nose to the workpiece for the gun to "wind up". If you fire as soon as you press the nose to the piece it won't fully sink the nail.

That sounds quite irritating, are there any other brands of cordless nailers that don't have that issue? I have a big compressor and I always hate having to fire it up for just a few nails, but haven't found a cordless that I like yet.

[Michael Zerance]

It's not that bad; it really is less than a second. Just something to be aware of. I think it needs time to wind a spring inside to generate the force to drive the nail. I would assume that most electrics would be similar. I could be wrong.

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

It's not that bad; it really is less than a second. Just something to be aware of. I think it needs time to wind a spring inside to generate the force to drive the nail. I would assume that most electrics would be similar. I could be wrong.

A friend has an electric brad nailer and it fires just as a pneumatic one would. No need to wait for it to wind up after shooting a nail.

[Michael Zerance]

A friend has an electric brad nailer and it fires just as a pneumatic one would. No need to wait for it to wind up after shooting a nail.

I wonder if that is due to the brand or the gauge of the nail. I noticed that the 18 gauge DeWalt nailer is a lot less expensive than the 16 gauge nailer; it could be a difference in technology.

[Ben Rivel]

Hmmm.... So I spent a couple hours yesterday doing a bit of research on compressors. Being that this is just going to be for shop use maybe you guys are right about having a lighter air nailer as opposed to a heavier cordless one. And then I found the DeWalt kit (LINK) with a 2.6CFM 6gal compressor, hose and 18AWG brad nailer, all parts with good reviews, for the same price as the 18V DeWalt 18AWG cordless. Hmmm...

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

I wonder if that is due to the brand or the gauge of the nail. I noticed that the 18 gauge DeWalt nailer is a lot less expensive than the 16 gauge nailer; it could be a difference in technology.

I think it's a 15 gauge and the brand is Reliant,

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

Hmmm.... So I spent a couple hours yesterday doing a bit of research on compressors. Being that this is just going to be for shop use maybe you guys are right about having a lighter air nailer as opposed to a heavier cordless one. And then I found the DeWalt kit (LINK) with a 2.6CFM 6gal compressor, hose and 18AWG brad nailer, all parts with good reviews, for the same price as the 18V DeWalt 18AWG cordless. Hmmm...

The choice is simple