Pin Nailer - Do I expect too much

[High Score]

This week I received the Porter Cable 23 ga. pin nailer that I ordered back in January (a bit too late for the project I needed it for, but oh well ...) Anyhow, I just couldn't seem to get the thing to reliably set pins below the surface of the wood. At best, it would set them even with the surface, leaving a nicely visible small shiny dot. At least 50% of the pins would stick up above the surface (how much work is it to fix that?).

I tried it on walnut, pine, poplar, and white oak with only marginal differences between species. I ran the air pressure all the way up to ~

110 psi at the nailer with no success. Pin length did not seem to make a difference either (I shot quite a few 1" and 3/4" pins).

The only way I could get the thing to set the pins below the surface was to push the nose firmly into the wood. You guessed it, a noticable dimple from the pressure was the result.

So am I crazy to expect that I can gently place the nose of the nailer against the workpiece, shoot a pin that sets 1/32"+ below the surface, wipe some putty in, and then stand back to admire the work?

Anybody have any experience with pin nailers living up to the hype? I reckon I can make a tiny nail set and hope it doesn't slip off the head of the pin.

Thanks for letting me gripe.

-M20

[ABQSky99]

What does the nosepiece look like?

I have found in the past that this may be a problem as far as depth of setting the pins.

I myself use my Senco LS's from many years ago and swear by them.

Hope that this helps...

[NorthIdahoWWer]

I used a PC 23 at the last shop I worked, same result as you.. either shiny tiny dot or a dimple in the wood. Maybe it's just the brand.

Still a useful tool in the right applications.

Will

neuter... i mean snip

[DL]

I am almost positive that this unit's depth setting is controlled by air pressure. What PSI are you running this at? Have you tried to increase the air pressure? Double-check the owners manual just to be sure.

David

[Scrub]

Coincidentally, I took delivery of a 23 ga Grex pinner today. Tried

5/8, 3/4 and 1" pins on white oak, maple and some oak ply with perfect results. Guess you have some choices. Return and take your chances with an exchange or return for a refund, then spend the extra and get a Grex. By the way, the Grex comes with a removable rubber nosepiece that leaves no indent in the surface being nailed and can shoot up to 1 3/8" pins.

I think you should bag the 'tiny nail set' idea. Does the PC have a nail set adjustment?

scrub

[cm]

We use the $19.99 (on sale) brad nailers from HF and have no such problems.

AZCRAIG

Vintage Travel Trailers Refresh, Repair, Restore

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I think you missed what he told you.

[High Score]

Scrub wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Did you get the p630 or p635?

The PC supposedly uses air pressure to adjust the set, but I tried it a settings 70 - 100 psi without much change.

Thanks

[DL]

Mortimer,

Good catch. It was late and I did miss what he said, but I also checked the manual on the PC site and it states that the depth is controlled by air pressure. Maybe the OP needs to go to 125 or 135 to get the desired result.

David

[Scrub]

P635

[Scrub]

P635 Bought online from International Tool. Service and communication was first rate.

[Upscale]

Maybe there's something I'm not aware of about nailing pins, but to be honest, that sounds pretty high for countersinking them. My Porter Cable FN250 nailer is able to countersink a much thicker and longer 2" nail with slightly less than 125 psi from my 1 HP hot dog compressor.

[DL]

I would agree that the pressure sounds high as well, but the pneumatic mechanism in the finish nailer you have might require less because of the strength of the finish nail itself, 15ga IIRC. My theory based on the previous sentence is, since the 23ga pin could bend much more easily, it might require a higher pressure to drive it in straight and even higher to set it as their is less inertia being so small. Additionally the pneumatic mechanism in the Pin Nailer just might operate at a higher rate. I don't know, I'm surely not an pneumatic expert, just presenting some thoughts.

Sounds like a call to PC might be the best advise to get their recommendations. I can't imagine that they would have designed a tool this way. Given that more and more people are finishing with water based finishes, the potential for rust stains is much higher.

David

[Eddie Munster]

I have the senco. Mine just go below the surface a hair. I will have to try more pressure I guess. I never really thought much about it.But I think at certain angles the shiney end will still be visible. But usually after finishing the hole is filled. When the pc's came out I felt bad because my wife spent so much on the senco. And two boxes of every size pin too. What a Christmas! And that was my sock!

John

High Score wrote:

[High Score]

The PC manual says that max is 100 psi, but that you should adjust to the lowest pressure that works for you. My guess is that bigger nails have more weight and hence more momemtum to send them deeper into the wood. It may be, though, that the ram needs to extend beyond the nose piece a bit. Someone suggested filing the nose down, but I'm sending this puppy back so no experiments.

Thanks for all the replies.

- M20

[Eddie Munster]

High Score wrote: I'm sending this puppy

Agreed.