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Thread: Recommendations for 23 ga nailer

  1. #16
    +1 to the Harbor Freight. If you put it in my hand and told me it was a Grex, I'd believe you - it feels more expensive than it is. Just buy good pins, though - the HF ones are junk.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,647
    I have the PC that takes 1" max. pins, and often wish it could take slightly longer ones. Other than that it's been flawless for 10 years though I've probably only shot a couple thousand pins through it. 2" seems too long for 23 gage, but 1-3/8 might be about right.

    John

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Tucson, Arizona
    Posts
    161
    I have the PC PIN138 that goes up to 1-3/8" pins and also headless and slight head pins. I use mostly the slight head pins and really like the nailer. Not a single problem so far.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    I'd look for a gun that has a real safety. Most bigger guns have a safety right at the tip, so you can't fire the gun unless the tip is touching the workpiece. My 23 gauge gun's safety is a separate trigger, which is right where I pick the gun up. I can easily accidentally fire a pin across the shop, which is pretty scary. One result is that I just don't use the thing much.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Putney, Vermont
    Posts
    1,042
    I too use a Harbor Freight 16 and 23 gauge nailer. No problems to speak of.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Ft. Wayne, IN
    Posts
    1,453
    I did some research and tested a few before I bought. I ended up with the highly rated Hitachi NP35A and I am extremely happy with it. It sets the pins perfectly and never leaves a mark.

    http://www.hitachipowertools.com/es/...20Pin%20Nailer
    "I've cut the dang thing three times and it's STILL too darn short"
    Name withheld to protect the guilty

    Stew Hagerty

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati Ohio
    Posts
    4,731
    I have the Senco and like it a lot.
    If the Harbor Freight would have been available at the time, I most likely saved some $$$ and went that direction.

    I use my nailer to hold fretwork clocks together as the glue sets.


    IMG_0681.jpg
    Last edited by Dave Lehnert; 02-08-2018 at 5:28 PM.
    "Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
    - Rick Dale

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    I bought a 23 Gauge pinner from Harbor Freight for something like $15 several years ago on sale. The idea was that I would pitch it and buy a good one if I thought the tool was useful. Well, I have been hoping the thing would break so I could justify buying a new one but it just does the job and refuses to die. If I were buying new, I would get one that shoots longer pins.

    I also have a Harbor Freight 18 gauge nailer and it works well too. I stopped using it when I got a Porter Cable as part of a set.

    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Harbor freight. Seriously, they work great and are super cheap. I actually have a PC that I bought used as a set that works great as well, but if I had to buy again i’d Save some money and get HF. I have 3 or so other HF guns.

  9. #24
    This isnt a response to the post but more a question for those who responded. We shoot a ton of pins. We run fairly cheap pin nailers that shoot sub 2" (more commonly sub 1.25") pins. I have come close several times to ordering a coupe Grex or Cadex nailers but for the life of me cant get my head around the close to $300 price tag on some of them. Are they really worth that kind of money? I cant often times see us shooting long pins as its a common occurrence to shoot 1" pins that will hook out the edge of pretty benign material (not hard graned, curly, etc). We find ourselves commonly clipping off and setting 1" pins that are shot through 3/8" trim and into the base material and they will hook and pop out (thankfully) the back side. These are double beveled pins too (single sided pins will hook out nearly 100% of the time).

    I cant in any way imagine pinning on trim on an interior or exterior door even if it were backed up by glue or epoxy. We use pins most commonly to clip two and three piece trim on built-up pre-finished moldings that we ship to contractors. Any piece that is pinned is also glued because just handling a part that is pinned together without glue you can easily pull the piece off with mere hand pressure.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    275
    The only alternative on the doors (interior only) I build would be a brad nail which would require filling and sanding. I could "let the painter fix it", but doubt I'd get away with that. It might not be obvious in the picture, but the trim is recessed 1/8" below the face of the rails and stiles. The first of these doors I built have been in use in restaurants for over 8 months and I would have heard if there were a problem. A couple of times I've had to pull the trim off for one reason or another. This is right after I put it on so the glue isn't doing anything and it's not easy to pop it off over the pins. Anything that happened to the door to cause the trim to come off is probably going to do more damage than just to the trim.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    sykesville, maryland
    Posts
    861
    My HF would leave visible divots. The Cadex does not. Headed nails are practically invisible. I bet the headless pins are truly invisible. Placement is very accurate too. I don't have any experience over an inch. I usually go to 18 gauge or other methods if I need fasteners that long.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    This isnt a response to the post but more a question for those who responded. We shoot a ton of pins. We run fairly cheap pin nailers that shoot sub 2" (more commonly sub 1.25") pins. I have come close several times to ordering a coupe Grex or Cadex nailers but for the life of me cant get my head around the close to $300 price tag on some of them. Are they really worth that kind of money? I cant often times see us shooting long pins as its a common occurrence to shoot 1" pins that will hook out the edge of pretty benign material (not hard graned, curly, etc). We find ourselves commonly clipping off and setting 1" pins that are shot through 3/8" trim and into the base material and they will hook and pop out (thankfully) the back side. These are double beveled pins too (single sided pins will hook out nearly 100% of the time).

    I cant in any way imagine pinning on trim on an interior or exterior door even if it were backed up by glue or epoxy. We use pins most commonly to clip two and three piece trim on built-up pre-finished moldings that we ship to contractors. Any piece that is pinned is also glued because just handling a part that is pinned together without glue you can easily pull the piece off with mere hand pressure.

  12. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    I'd look for a gun that has a real safety. Most bigger guns have a safety right at the tip, so you can't fire the gun unless the tip is touching the workpiece. My 23 gauge gun's safety is a separate trigger, which is right where I pick the gun up. I can easily accidentally fire a pin across the shop, which is pretty scary. One result is that I just don't use the thing much.
    Treat it like a firearm and use trigger discipline. I remove safeties from everything but staplers where I want to use the double action. It's a good habit to be in, safety intact or not.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    2,479
    Top brands are Omer, Grex, Senco, Cadex. I had a cheaper brand shooting up to 1 3/8" and worked fine. Then got the 2" Grex. It's a good one but less than 5000 pins and the head split in half. Their customer service (at least here in Canada) left a bad taste in my mouth. Have heard from a few others similar stories. Other than that has worked fine. I would look into Omer if I wanted to spend that kind of money.

    For those who ask: 23g pins work great in a LOT of situations; not as strong as 21g but invisible holes (almost).

  14. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    We find ourselves commonly clipping off and setting 1" pins that are shot through 3/8" trim and into the base material and they will hook and pop out (thankfully) the back side. These are double beveled pins too (single sided pins will hook out nearly 100% of the time).
    Are you buying good-quality pins? I had problems with hooking out until I switched to Grex-brand pins; haven't had a single problem since.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    2,479
    Good quality pins make a huge different. I have had easily over 10000 pins of various sizes and almost exclusively in hardwood material and can count only a few hooks (one was too close to my finger).

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