Grizzly Finish Nailer: Nice price. Is it crap?

[Greg G]

Does anyone have any experience with this tool? I have two anticipated uses for a finish nailer:

1. Putting up molding in my kitchen
2. Storing the nailer on a shelf.

I may find it handy once I have it, but I don't think I'll make heavy demands on it.

Greg Guarino

[Art]

There are some nailers that use rechargable batteries. I know a Pella technician who loves his. He's the guy Pella sends in my area when the installers mess up and fixes it up/

[Random Netizen]

If you're only planning on using it for a single job, why not just rent or borrow a finish nailer?

[djh7097]

I've got this, and yes, it's crap. The goggles that come with the kit are especially crap!

I got it to do a load of trim work throughout my house and it has performed admirably and without a single jam. As far as I'm concerned I purchased it for this single job which it has completed without issue. It has saved me a ton of time, has cost less than renting one for 2-3 of weekends and I'm left with a nailer that will be useful for occasional use so it has more than met my expectations.

At the end of the day it's still crap and probably wouldn't last 5 minutes with a trim carpenter but it does just fine for my use.

[Keith Williams]

A few months ago while browsing at the local Borg I came across a Porter Cable kit with a 6Gal pancake compressor, a 16Ga. and 18Ga. nailer, and 1/4" crown stapler for $298 (the kit without the stapler was $297 ;). I'm sure it's not up to contractor's standards, but it's worked well enough.

[Jim Yanik]

Greg G wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Maybe you should try an inexpensive nailer from Harbor Freight. (Central Pneumatic brand) Some of them get good reviews in Wood Magazine.

[g]

In my world (job, homeowner, family, etc.) a "single job" almost never gets done in a "single weekend". So renting would add up. Borrowing something like that makes me a little uncomfortable. Maybe I'll get over it.

GG

[Phisherman]

Grizzly nailers are near the bottom of the quality list. Better brands include Senco, Porter-Cable, Paslode.

[Greg G]

It has been my experience that "crap" falls into two broad categories:

1. Tools that do the job well enough as long as there isn't too much "job" to do. Their main flaw is not so much useability as durability. Such tools are OK for home handymen like me but wouldn't last on a construction site.
2. Tools that do the job poorly or not at all, usually making your life miserable in the bargain.

Your description suggests the Grizzly nailer might be in the first category. Now where can I get a cheap compressor? :)

Greg Guarino

[Jim Yanik]

Greg G wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Home Depot had a name-brand compressor/nailer combo for sale @ ~$200,last time I was there.

[Greg G]

They have a Porter Cable kit, but I believe it has a brad nailer (18 gauge), not a finish nailer. I've been told that 18 gauge is not what I should use for molding. The kits that include a finish nailer are considerably more expensive and buying the compressor and nailer separately is much more expensive.

Greg

[Keith Williams]

The PC kit I bought has both the 18Ga brad nailer and 16Ga finish nailer. I used the 18Ga brad nailer with 1-1/4" nails to nail the moldings to the door casings and the 16Ga x 2-1/4" to nail into the frame (about 3 places on a side). Seemed to work. As I said in another thread the compressor and three nailers (narrow crown stapler) was $298. ...not too bad. The compressor alone was $199, or some such.

[Jim Yanik]

Keith Williams wrote in news: [e-mail]:

And it's a better compressor than the CH or Harbor Freight sort,I suspect. At least there's parts support thru P-C.