Harbor Freight Brad Nailer Opinion

[Tony Sivori]

If you do intend to kill, make sure you have a full clip.

[DerbyDad03]

That's kind of what I thought. It mentions depth adjustment on the box but there's nothing in the manual about it.

For $17.99 you'd think they'd do a better job with the manual. ;-)

[Jon Danniken]

I thought it was for adjusting the safety mechanism, in case it did not function correctly.

I could be wrong, though.

Jon

[HeyBub]

Are you referring to the big one atop the nailer?

If so, it's to direct the exhaust away from your sensitive, unprotected, and necessary body parts. Just imagine your various bits getting hit by 100 psi.

[Jon Danniken]

Well I'll be. Thanks for posting that, Oren, now I know!

Jon

[JIMMIE]

Ive got one. It was worth the cost if it only worked for one job for me. That is usually the qualification I place of HF tools. I still have it and have used it several time. Make sure you can get the brads for it and it will handle ones that are long enough. For that cost what have you got to lose.

Jimmie

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks, but no. Even though that wasn't covered in the manual either, I figured that out from the parts description.

[DerbyDad03]

True, but once a tool is bought for one project it becomes available for many others.

As I mentioned earlier, I have an electric one that I've used to tack stuff together (like after a glue up) but it rarely buries the head. I hadn't tried it for the quarter round for that reason.

I tested the HF tool with 1 1/4" brads to tack a piece of 3/4" oak to a 2 x 4 at 75 psi and it buried the head flush.

I'm not thrilled with the divot it leaves next to the brad head though.

[Joe]

If your hammer and nail set results look anywhere near as neat as my nailer work does, then your have my profound admiration and respect. But none of my fingers are black and blue.

Joe

[RonB]

Looks like one I bought 4-5 years ago as a backup for my Porter Cable. Works fine and seldom misses a beat. I think I paid about $20.

One reason I bought it was an "endorsement" from a finish carpenter who bought a tool from me several years ago. He said he got into the business a few years earlier when he got laid off from an aircraft plant. He couldn't afford top quality tools at first and bought a couple HF nailers, until he got ahead. He since upgraded but still uses the HF brad nailers and showed me one in his truck toolbox. Looked like a beat-up stock car but apparently still worked fine. He said he was kind of hesitant to take them on a job with a bunch of pros but the %#$^^ thing wouldn't wear out.

RonB

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

I think the HF brads are zinc coated. I fasted the treads on my steps for the hot tub with them 2 1/2 yrs ago. One of those 'temporary' jobs. Cedar nailed to old PT with whatever was in the nailer.

Daily outdoor use. Re-coated with a quick splash of Cabot's this spring. No sign of rusting or staining yet.

I haven't looked at PC brads. Are they different from HF? I'd bet somebody makes a SS or hot-dipped brad that will fit the HF gun.

Jim