I'm going to invest in a nailer soon and wondering which kind & who's to get. From watching Norm it looks like he uses a brad nailer more than just a nailer? That being the case which do all of you suggest to purchase without breaking the bank? I'm new at this, well sorta... started WW last winter and now that winters almost here it time to play with wood.
Thanks
Depends on what you plan to do. Brad nailers are good for tacking things in place while the glue sets. If you put a couple of brads into two boards, you can pull them apart by hand. I like to pop a couple of brads in a couple of panels I'm assembling. After everything is in place, I'll use screws for greater strength. It is a hand tool
Finishing nails are better suited for when the nail will do the holding, installing moldings in the house. I see Norm nailing things together where I'd use screws. I'm not concerned about speed.
If you are only using air for nailing and the occasional tire fill up, a small pancake type will don. Porter Cable has a kit with compressor, either brad or finish nailer, air hose, etc. Worth checking out.
Depends on the job you wish to do. If it is mostly cabinetry and furniture work, then probably a brad nailer will get the most use.
-- Regards,
Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews
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Not bad value, but the compressor is friggin loud. Ear protection is a must. I had PC pancake unit and it's being replaced with a small oil lubed Makita which is much, much, much quieter.
If you are interested to know what nailer(s) Norm actually uses, this guy has researched them all and put them on a website at
If this is your first venture into the wonderful world of "nailers" I would suggest you get a brad nailer from Harbor Freight, which on sale is less than $20.00 for one which will handle 2" 18 gauge brads. (BTW Suckers really hold but you would need glue support.) This is the orange one. The burgundy one is cheaper but only handles 1 1/4" brads.
Anyway, try it, see how you like it and what you would want that it does not have, then buy the one that has the features you want and put this one back as a spare. (Or in my case, gets used all the time)
As for compressors. Since it is only going to run very occassionaly, an $89.00 two tank unit from HF works really well. Put a pressure control valve on it for $5.00 and you are good to go. However, do not get the rubber hose, it will not last.
Deb
This subject comes up from time to time:
Peek here:
These are all "Norm Approved" and available at
Woodchuck wrote:
I've had a Porter Cable 18Ga. brad nailer for a couple of years and it has performed well, does from 5/8" to 2", good for molding and small projects, hope this helps.
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