Need Advice of Finish Nail Gun to Buy - 15 or 16 gauge

[makesawdust]

We?re having a new house built and I am going to do the finis

carpentry. I need to buy a decent nail gun for running the base an installing door and window casing. Suggestions and advice about wha nailer to purchase will be greatly appreciated!

I?m leaning towards a 15 gauge nailer, rather than buying a 16 gaug unit. However, Lowes has a 16 gauge Bostitch (Model #: SB1664) on sal for $129; I like the price, but that?s about all I like about thi nailer. I have two other Bostitch guns (18 gauge brad & crown stapler and have found that these are essentially disposable tools ? in fact, think that the $12 Harbor Freight brad nailer I ?took a chance on? i every bit as good, or better, than my Bostitch brad nailer. Also, don't know if 16 gauge nails are heavy enough for the work I'll b doing.

Lowes also has a Senco combo-pack for $199 that includes an angled 1 gauge finish nailer and a stapler. I?ve used a number of Senco nai guns and liked them (you get what you pay for). At this moment, th scale tilts in favor of this Senco package. With this, I could retir the Bostitch stapler to the bottom of a drawer.

Regarding price point, the less I spend on tools, the more I?ll hav for quality materials and upgrades to our new home. But on the othe hand, I don?t want to be penny wise and pound foolish by buying a jun nail gun that will jam and generally not perform.

Your recommendations regarding brand and gauge are appreciated!

Many thanks

-- makesawdust

[Hansen]

I bought a 15 guage Dewalt finish nailer at local (beleive it or not) farm and ranch supply store for a very reasonable price. I think it was about $10 cheaper the the Bostitch I was going to buy at Lowe's. I have been very hapy with it so far. I have only owned it for about 4 months, however I finished my family room with it and my Curly Maple stairs (dont ask). I did get a Bostitch stapler and I have no complaints about that either. I do agree that you at times pay for the name brand, but there is a reason that name brands got that reputation....Just a thought. Hope this helps.

[bf]

I would think that either a 15 or 16 guage would be adequate for doing trim. I have used a 16 gauge for baseboards, and I actually use an 18 guage for 1/4 round trim, as the trim was stained and the nail head less visible.

Come to think of it, I think I used the 18 guage for some baseboards too, I can't recall exactly

So, if you're just doing baseboards, I'd try the 18 guage you already have.

[Mike Reed]

If you have an 18 guage already, then I'd get a 15 guage nailer. A 16 guage doesn't offer much over an 18 other than nail length. With longer nails, you want a heavier guage anyway, as long nails bend more easily.

I bought the porter cable DA250B:

've used it to install crown moulding in 5 rooms in our home, and I love it to death.

Your experience with Bostich must be a fluke or limited to that model. I got a beat-to-death Bostich framing nailer from a pawn shop for cheap. It works like a champ. I used it to put up 500 feet of privacy fence pickets on wet PT pine, and it did wonderfully.

Good luck.

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[Dave Jackson]

I trim homes quite a bit and don't like using the 16g T nails, they just don't hold like the angled 15g nails. The 15 gauge have a small head on them and it keeps them from pulling out as easily as the 16 gauge t nails. This is important when setting doors and such. Go with the Senco, there excellent guns. --dave

[mp]

I also have the Dewalt 15ga. Seems great so far, especially for $99 brand new (Amazon sale). It's light, comfortable to use, has very good visibility of the target area, and will sink a 2.5" nail fully in hard maple. I was almost set to get the Hitachi 15ga. but I couldn't pass on the Dewalt deal.

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