Finish Nailer Recommendations

[eclipsme]

I need to purchase a finish nailer for attaching baseboards and door and window trim. I have heard that the Harbor Freight nailers are actually good. Is this true? What would *you* buy?

Thanks, Harvey

[Woodie]

Bought a Senco FinishPro 41XP. Would buy it again in a flash. nice gun. Review >

[Jim Behning]

[bc]

Have a Porter Cable and a Craftsman and the Harbor Freight. The HF hasn't been used since I bought the PC. Even the Craftsman is better than the HF. Don't get me wrong the HF works, but the fit and finish and feel is so much nicer on the PC. The only way I can describe it is that it works easier, more smoothly than the HF. Just my two cents. Hope it helps. bc

eclipsme wrote:

[Pat Barber]

[Robatoy]

For openers, I'd suggest a 15 or 16 gauge. In a lot of cases the 18 gauge may be enough, but I like the 'suck' I get with the 16 gauge Paslode. A bit more filler.. but you're filling anyway.

A tip I learned here, and one of the most wonderful timesavers EVAR. Shoot your nails through a piece of masking tape. Then apply the filler. Then remove tape.

Which reminds me, and I think I will start a new header... what are some of the BEST tips people have learned here?

[RonB]

No personal experience with HF. However I sold a tablesaw to a local fellow who had transitioned from aircraft worker to finish carpenter after a layoff. Said he started with a couple of HF nailers, two years before, to keep costs down but was hesitant to carry them onto job sites. He planned to move up to name-brand nailers when they crapped out but they won't. He showed them to me and both looked pretty worn; but he said they seldom missed a lick.

He also noticed one other finisher carrying a HF nailer around in a Dewalt bag. Vanity!

RonB

[eclipsme]

Nice tip. Thanks. Harvey

[eclipsme]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Originally, I was thinking of the Senco, but a reviewer said that it takes it's own nails and that they can be hard to come by. That said, I am now thinking of the DeWalt D51275K.

Comments?

Harvey

[Art Greenberg]

What Senco takes custom nails? I have a FinishPro 41XP, and I really like it. Can get 15ga. nails for it anywhere.

[B A R R Y]

I have (2) Senco nailers and a Senco stapler that all accept the same nails as my Porter Cable guns.

[eclipsme]

I am glad to hear this. I got this from a review at Amazon:

"One thing to note is the nails are specific to this gun, so make sure you can get nails at a price that's affordable to you."

And yes, he was talking about the 41XP.

So, are the various sizes available at HD?

Harvey

[eclipsme]

Thanks, it looks like I stand corrected.

Harvey

[IBM5081]

I have the PC 15 guage finish nailer. It is MUCH larger than the 16 guage nailer but it does a nice job. I use the Senco 15 guage nails in it. 15 guage nails are more expensive than 16 guage nails, but I am not a finish carpenter, so a box of nails lasts a very long time.

[Art Greenberg]

Many sizes, yes. Perhaps not all.

I've even seen the stainless steel versions there.

[cm]

Pat Barber is wrong in my opinion. We use HF guns in our home repair and vintage trailer restoration businesses and they work just fine. I would say for the money that they are outstanding. The fit and finish of the other guns is nice but comes at a much higher price. Yup I own senco's, bostich, and a porter cable.

For $19.99 go for it. You can always buy a better one later, but you probably won't need it.

cm

[cm]

Harvey,

Be careful on the Dewalt. Our local repair shop says to buy anything but a Dewalt. There favorite was Hitachi.

cm

[Phisherman]

Harbor Freight sells mostly crappy tools and some good ones. "Chicago" is crappy. Porter Cable is good, IMO.

[Tom Veatch]

Depends a great deal on the tool. I bought a cheap "Chicago Electric"

18v cordless drill as my first cordless tool. It was primarily to drive screws for the deck I was building. Stripped it's gears before I finished the deck. My son had a similar experience with the same model drill. On the other hand, a real cheap "Chicago Electric" 4-1/2 angle grinder has been going strong now for several years. But, I don't use it for hours a day, day in, day out.

So, it's kind of hit or miss. I generally consider HF tools to be single shot "use 'em up and throw 'em away" tools for a specific or unique project that doesn't have an ongoing requirement.

[MrM]

I have a half dozen Senco nailers, brad, and staplers and love them except the SFN30 nailer, it regulary double or tripple taps and it's real hard to get out three nails in the same hole. May just need a tune-up who knows...

m