Looking to upgrade nailers -- Is Rockler deal a good one?

[blueman]

My first plunge into pneumatic nailers involved buying a bunch of el-cheapo Harbor Freight nailers -- they work well if you don't mind not infrequent misfiring (say 1 in 10-20), don't mind that the depth of penetration is not uniform, and if you don't care about the shoe marring the surface of the wood . I actually, don't mean the above as a negative comment because such flaws are to be expected for a $20 tool.

HOWEVER, I am now looking to upgrade but since I am only a "hobbyist", I am looking for reasonable quality at reasonable prices.

Rockler has a pair of Porter-Cable 18 gauge (BN200A) and 23 gauge (PIN

100) nailers on sale for $150. The separate price even on Amazon is about $220. Both tools seem to get very positive reviews on Amazon (4+ stars). The only disadvantage I can see is that the BN200A has been replaced by the BN200B.

So,

- Has anybody had any experience with those models?

- Is it a bad, OK, good, or fantastic deal for $149.99?

Thanks

[Ed Pawlowski]

I have the 18 gauge and it has never mis-fired or given me any other problem in the few years I've had it. I'd go for it.

[skeez]

I have both. well had..... lost the 18 ga. a year or so ago [left it on a job] but they both work fine for me. they are not top of the line but they seem to be well built. the 23 ga will mar your work if you aren't carfull. they both will so you gotta do your part.

skeez

[Evodawg]

Have both and have no complaints. Always work, just keep them lubricated and cleaned and they should work for many years. Believe the ones for sale at Rockler are rebuilt, but I have had good luck with older PC rebuilds.

[RonB]

I have owned a BN200A for about 10 years with no complaints. In addition to normal shop projects it has helped finish a 1600 SF basement and now another new house including several cabinet projects. Thousands of nails and VERY infrequent misfires. Most misfires have been with the 2" nails going into hardwood.

I would recommend the 200A. No history with the other.

RonB

[Swingman]

Ditto. Mine is at least as old as yours, with lots of hard use and accidental abuse.

I've rebuilt it once with parts from DelatServiceNet, the trigger has been held on with a bent nail at the pivot point for the last few years, but it still takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

While they may have been originally Asian Rim in manufacture, I wonder if the model is the same, or has been "china'ed" to its detriment?

[blueman]

This deal appears not to be a rebuild -- or at least the ad doesn't mention that (while other adds typically mention rebuilt).

[Evodawg]

lubricated

My mistake

[Roy]

I've had once since Allison visited us in 2001. Bought it to put in all the new baseboard. Love it. I've run a few thousand brads through it, many 2", and I'd buy another. BTW, I also have the HF $15 on sale brad gun from about the same time. Outside of only taking 1-3.8 brads, and using a credit card under it at times to prevent dents, it has been a very reliable gun. No experience with the combo brad/staple gun they now sell.

Last summer I was looking for a good pin nailer, and borrowed a friends PC 23ga to try it out. Even with air pressure over 100psi I could not get the heads below the surface with anything above 3/4 inch long. Some of these were shot into plywood and they still were proud of the surface. I ended up buying a Grex. Buy the best and only cry once. Zero regrets for the Grex. Same friend now comes over and borrows it when shooting pins, and that PC gathers dust. My opinion of the PC pin nailer is that if it was bigger, it would make a decent boat anchor. I have 3 PC guns (18g, 15g, staple) and am very happy with them. Their pin nailer is a dog.

BTW, stay off the Rockler/WWJ mailing list or they will send you books and DVD's you didn't order then hound you to pay for them. Rockler/WWJ first pulled this stunt about 4 years ago, and did it again last summer. They have not gotten a nickel of my money for almost 4 years and never will again. There are ethical companies that sell the same products.

Regards, Roy

[CW]

Been getting Rockler's sale flyers for at least ten years. That's all they have ever sent me. They must like you.

[Leon]

Snip

I have never gotten any thing from them expecting payment unless I ordered it. And I have been on their mailing list long before they changed their name to Rockler. Actually they have better prices than Woodcraft. I did however receive a DVD from a magazine company last summer, it went in the trash but it was not from Rockler.

[Roy]

Heh, yea, right. They must have thought I was more stupid than I look. Consider yourself lucky to be below their radar. Maybe the other victims had once have had a subscription to woodworkers journal, owned by rockler, rather than just being on the rockler mailing list itself? There are a couple big threads in the archives about the first time they pulled this stunt. Threads start in Feb 2005 and run through May. (search string is - woodworkers journal book - if you want to look it up) One guy claimed he was being hounded by bill collectors they set on him.

I used to subscribe to their mag and buy a good bit of stuff from them and their local store. Losing my business won't break rockler since I spend maybe a grand or two a year for tools, shop equipment and hardware, but at least I know they no longer get a penny of it. As I mentioned earlier, there are many ethical companies out there who would never stoop to a trick like this. Why support the unethical ones? The then-editor of Popular Woodworking actually jumped into that discussion (Feb 2005) to make those points. I still have a subscription to that magazine.

Have a great day!

Roy

[Mike M]

I think your right, I deal with Rockler, and have subscribed to WWJ but other then offers to reup no problem. I to got the DVD you referenced, which I haven't seen yet and still seem to get mail from them asking for payment.

Mike M

[Swingman]

Never fell for WWJ, but have been on the Rockler's regular, and Pro, mailing list for years and have never received anything regarding any magazines, books, DVD's.

I'd be pissed if I wasn't on it ... too many good deals and discounts that I wouldn't otherwise know about. AAMOF, Rockler gets much of my small tool and expendable items money because of their proximity.

The only problem I ever had with any of their merchandise is their brand name screws ... twisted a few heads off in critical applications and that was enough of that stuff.

[scritch]

Roy,

Unless you signed up for some kind of subscription service where they can send you materials that you are then obligated to pay for, it's my understanding that if someone sends you something without you asking for it or agreeing in advance to pay for it, it is a gift, and you are under no obligation thereafter. If Rockler asks for payment, just say "thanks for the gift!" I bet they stop sending stuff.

scritch