Need to purchase a finish nailer (so please - no recommendations for swedish or norwegian units) for a few upcoming trim jobs. Want to get a quality unit so price isn't main concern but don't want to break the bank. Also, a recommendation for a decent smaller compressor would be helpful.
Also, anyone used the battery operated nailers and if so, any merit to them?
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks Murphy. The Bostitch gets good reviews. And you are correct about the cordless (hoseless?) nailer being expensive. You definately pay for that ability to be unconnected. Plus, as you shared, the compressor can be used with other tools and for other purposes.I love my Bostitch, I run it on a Makita compressor but it's bigger than what you'd need just to run a finish nailer (I also use it to run my hopper). Never used a battery operated one but I would think that you'd get a better quality air nailer + compressor for less $$$.
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Thanks for the feed back on the battery operated nailer Bill. The lithium ion batteries have made using many of these types of units (ex. my Makita drill and driver set) a great experience. I do however, like the idea of having the compressor and nailer being seperate.The Dewalt 18V 18g nailer's great. I don't own one, but I've used them a lot for basic trim work like base and casing. It's a beautiful thing not having hoses dragging all over the place. Or having the compressor kick in in a quiet house every time you walk by it so it makes you pee yourself a little bit.
That being said, I've got one of the Porter Cable pancake compressors with the PC 18g nailer. Had it for about 10yrs. Used it a ton and have never had any problems. Nice and small combo, lightish, easy to carry. No oiling the compressor either.
Got it for a decent price as a tip from a customer. My buddy and I kept talking about picking up two of these things when we were doing their exterior. At the end of the job, they told us to go grab two and attach the receipts to our invoice!
The small PC only has one hose connection as well. I installed a Tee and added a second.Little trim projects I run a pasloge. If I run air it is senco with a small Roland compressor. Like the compressor because it is super quite. It will do super small texture patch. The down side it has only one hose connection. But I can work around that. It might have just a gallon tank on it.
Guess I was thinking along the lines of a brad nailer. Going to be using this pretty much mainly for baseboard trim and window/door trim installations. For that purpose, I think a 16 guage brad nailer would be a good choice over an 18 gauge. Thoughts?I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "finish nailer": one that drive full-size finish nails, a brad nailer/pinner, or a 23 ga. pinner. Of those three types, we get far and away the most use out of the latter two.
I don't think you can go far wrong with major brands. We've got Sencos, Bostiches, Hitachis, and Grex guns, from 23 ga pinners to siding and framing guns, and they've all been reliable performers.
I think the most important factor would be local service. For guys in the big cities, that may be no big deal, but out in the boonies, that makes a difference.
I'd definitely go with one of the smaller compressors. We've had one of the PC finish ones for some time now. It's certainly a lot easier to lug around. There are a number of newer models out there, so it might be worth a look at FWW, FHB, or JLC to see some recent comparisons.
One piece of advice that someone gave me years back was to get galvanized or stainless fasteners if you'll ever be doing exterior work. They may be more expensive, but it's less hassle than trying to keep two sets of fasteners on hand.
