Light (ish) duty pinner/nailer?

[hrk]

Hi,

I'm after a nail gun, primarily to hold parts together whilst glue tries. More for pinning than structural work. There seems to be so many options, and a few videos I have seen online look like they mark the wood badly.

I usually use plywood sheets up to 18mm so thats probably the thickest material it would need to work with.

I was looking at one of the electric versions (tacwise etc) but they don't seem to get good reviews on this site!
I already have a small air compressor. Budget around £50, though if that will only buy a rubbish one I can up this.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Wuffles]

Bostitch pin nailer, double your budget but I use it daily. Double trigger system so you can fire away from the work and pin stuff to remove the pin after. Paint straight over the pin and you won't see it.

Longer warranty on the Bostitch too.

I bought from here - you have to ring to get the pins added to your cart I think - I use 30mm and 18mm for mouldings and holding for glue-ups:

http://www.ctsironmongery.co.uk/power-t ... r-30mm-max

 

[petermillard]

Hard to recommend anything electric at that kind of budget tbh - I have a tacwise nailer/stapler and it's poor enough for me not to use it, ever, ever again; was replaced with a Maestri 18 ga and a Spotnails 21 ga but at considerably more £££. If you have a compressor then go for an air nailer/pin gun - I have a Silverline 16 ga that's surprisingly good for the £20-odd it cost, but they don't seem to do anything finer than 18 ga.

Otherwise, if you have any Ryobi One+ gear, their new 'Air Strike' nailers and staplers are pretty good for light use - but again, 18 ga is the finest they do.

 

[blackrodd]

I recently bought a Tacwise, as I had loads of nails and a job to get on with and struggling with a hammer and pins.
As I don't see the use for an expensive nail gun, this one is a bit better than the previous model,
And assembly of stuff needing pins etc for gluing up is now much easier though I have to knock a few in sometimes.
It makes life very much easier for small money
It doesn't drive the 30mm pins in all the way, but will drive the 25mm right in.
So ok for part time use but for cracking on with a paying job I would think an air fed tool is better.
Regards Rodders

 

[hrk]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I will go for an air version. There is a Makita one I have my eye on for about 65 on ebay so maybe that would be a compromise.

 

[Roughcut]

Everything I've ever had with the name Tacwise on it has always been a waste of money and a source of frustration.
I tend to stay away from cheap tools now, however last year I bought a Silverline air nailer from Toolstation for just over £20.
It only gets very occasional use but has performed adequately.
But I suppose if I was using a nail gun more frequently I would go for one of the higher quality brands which would probably outlast the budget one I have.

 

[JakeS]

I recently bought a Tacwise
...
It doesn't drive the 30mm pins in all the way, but will drive the 25mm right in.

FWIW: I have a Tacwise electric pin nailer/stapler, and I found that I can get it to completely sink all of the different length pins it came with just by applying a little pressure to the back of the unit before firing. It takes a little practice to get used to how much pressure, because if you use too much it mars the wood - in a ~3mm bar shape, presumably because it has to fire staples as well as nails. But it's quite possible to get used to the amount needed and get it to pin perfectly every time. I'd imagine it would be easier if it was just a pin-nailer (I'm fairly sure there's a model which doesn't do staples?) because then you wouldn't have to be so careful with the amount of pressure required.

I wouldn't recommend one to anyone looking to do professional work, but it's more than capable enough for occasional home DIY use. I certainly prefer it to just knocking the pins in with a little hammer, it's much quicker for anything more than about five pins.

 

[Aden30mm]

I've got 3 Bostitch air nail guns, but last year on a whim I bought a Parkside (Lidl) pinner / stapler. For the price (I can't remember how much but it was cheap), it was a no brainer. Works well, I did stock up on nails for the gun, as I wasn't confident that I could obtain additional ones later on.

My Bostitch stable is better, but for value for money its difficult not to to consider the Parkside (the warranty is a couple of year I think). The one downside is that these deals only come around once a year,last year I think it was in March.

 

[Mark A]

I have an Axminster brad nailer. Works perfectly well and only cost about £40 at the time.

 

[woodenstx]

I picked up the £29ish Erbauer electric brad firing device from screwfix, its not perfect, but its got adjustable force and seems to cope well with what I've thrown at it

Being able to use staples would be nice, but they didnt have that one in stock :lol:

 

[blackrodd]

I recently bought a Tacwise
...
It doesn't drive the 30mm pins in all the way, but will drive the 25mm right in.

FWIW: I have a Tacwise electric pin nailer/stapler, and I found that I can get it to completely sink all of the different length pins it came with just by applying a little pressure to the back of the unit before firing. It takes a little practice to get used to how much pressure, because if you use too much it mars the wood - in a ~3mm bar shape, presumably because it has to fire staples as well as nails. But it's quite possible to get used to the amount needed and get it to pin perfectly every time. I'd imagine it would be easier if it was just a pin-nailer (I'm fairly sure there's a model which doesn't do staples?) because then you wouldn't have to be so careful with the amount of pressure required.

I wouldn't recommend one to anyone looking to do professional work, but it's more than capable enough for occasional home DIY use. I certainly prefer it to just knocking the pins in with a little hammer, it's much quicker for anything more than about five pins.

A good reply Jake, I now remember reading this in the directions, and of course promptly forgot in the workshop!
I'm repairing a bedside drawer unit at the moment, and will hopefully remember to increase the downward pressure.
on the glue up and pin party.
Thanks and Regards Rodders

 

[user22161]

Old thread but relevant. Already have an 18g brad nailer and now considering getting a 23g pin nailer, most likely the Arrow
- https://www.arrowstaples.co.uk/arrow-ai ... er-pt23euk

What about the pins? - are the various makes of pins interchangeable? Reason I ask is that the Arrow ones are up to 10 x the price of some others.

 

[TFrench]

I've got the makita 18g and 23g air guns, I really rate them. The 23 was firing 25mm pins into oak with no problems when I did my stairs. I couldn't find any reviews of the cheaper ones so I went for a known brand. I've only used the makita pins in it as they were cheap on amazon, but I would imagine they're all the same.

 

[user22161]

OK thanks, I suspect they all use the same spec of 23g nails except for the Axminster which states 24g.

 

[Fergal]

https://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+hand-tool ... nds+dk7800

I got the 18g & 23g nailers from Rutlands when they were on offer for £70 I think.

I've not used them that much, but they seem pretty good and are much better finished than the Draper I had before.

 

[user22161]

Have ordered the Arrow 23g one today and if it works as well as my cheap Silverline 18g has done, I'll be well pleased.