Brads for brad nailer

Dec 29, 2006 3 Replies

My girlfriend gave me a brad nailer for Christmas. It was purchased from Overstock.com and is some sort of Chinese import (the name on the box is Grand Rapids Industrial). The documentation says nothing about what brand of fasteners to use with the tool and no fasteners came with it.



I went to the local Lowes and purchased a package of 1-5/8" Bostich brads, which say they work with Bostich, Porter Cable, Senco and Accuset nailers. Unfortunately, they do not fit my off-brand nailer. Almost, but not quite. The head of the brad is slightly taller (a few thousandths of an inch), than the corresponding slot in the faceplate of the tool.



Can anyone who is familiar with the various brad nailers offer any insight into whether or not such small differences exist between fasteners from different manufacturers? I would think not, and suspect that this particular nailer is simply out of tolerance.



Jim S.


Hi Jim,

Two things to look for when buying nails. The gauge and the angle. Brads are the thinner gauage and normally a straight. If not they are angled 20 degrees. I would assume that 1 5/8 are trim nails and not brad. If you look for 1" nail they will be brad nails.

-Lee

brad nails are usually 16 gauge and 18 gauge

5/8"-1 5/8"

try the 18 gauge porta cable brads they fit most brad guns

bostich only retrofits a few brad guns and they are different than porta cable in length

angle nails are for finish guns not brad guns

replying to Jim Sculley, Monte wrote: Brad nails are usually 18 gauge most of my cheap ones are, some nailers are 16 gauge some straight and some angled, there are even 23 gauge pinners, all of witch i own. Now that I have muddied the waters completely. _/*Most*/_ cheap are 18 gauge brads are fairly universal some may not accept 1-5/8" some are limited to 1-1/4" some will take up to 2". The least expensive ones on Overstock.com only take up to 1-1/4".

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