What Guage Nailer?

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Tony - from 23 gage pin nailer to 18 gage brad nailer is probably your range.

I use both (and 16 gage too) for installing trim and minor attachments.

23 gage pin nailers are adequate for many purposes and do not normally require filling holes (painting over them does just fine).

1 1/4 pins or nails will leave connections together. (I hate to have longer nails curve and come out the side -- vary the angle a bit for better resistance to pull apart. Use glue for best long term strength)

If there are forces on the boards, the larger size 18 gage is a bit stronger. Big stuff with attachment through wall board it it time for longer and stronger (16 gage)

best strength is to shoot longer nails through and cleat them over.

(I use air with a small portable compressor -- but the Makita battery nailers are sweet)
 
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Thank you Ken. So with 18 gauge (I am assuming the smaller gauge #, the bigger the nail.), I will have more strength, but it is likely that I will have to fill holes. Is that correct? I don't mind filling holes. Thanks!
 
I use a 15ga for nailing, an 18ga for holding (useful for glue joints), along with pin nails, A10-D10, L11-L14, M's, C's, and the occasional Q25.

For general use, I would select the 18ga. It's useful for many projects, small and big.
 
Displaced Canadian said:
If I could only have 1 it would be an 18 gauge. Just make sure to get one that can use several lengths of nails.
Click to expand...

I'm thankful that I didn't have a sip of coffee in my mouth--that was funny!!

I'd agree on the 18 gauge being the most versatile. I do use my 23 gauge a lot for holding while glue sets, though for me it's more of a luxury. I'm using air, but as good as batteries are today I will revisit that when/if I need to replace.

earl
 
What Ken said. I use 23ga for picture framing, mainly to hold the miter joint until the glue dries. For trim and molding, I'll use either 18ga or 16ga (or the occasional 15ga). Brad nailers are like tater chips... you can't have just one.
 
Wow, that's thing is expensive and doesn't have a battery or charger. I have an 18 gauge air nailer from Harbor Freight that I have used for a number of small projects. It costs about $20 and I run it off my 6 gallon pancake compressor (also HF). They have a pin nailer, 23 gauge for about $25. Granted I don't use it much, I've only shot about 200 nails, but it works great.
 
I bought a paslode t200-f18 7 years ago. I've used it so many times I can't even estimate. It can drive anything from 5/8" to 2" finishing nails(pin nails) and has been incredibly handy. No I'm not getting any royalties from paslode :smile:
 
Tony,
Because most of my cordless tools are Ryobi (green), I purchased (Well, LOML did) an 18V, 16 gauge Ryobi nailer and an 18 gauge narrow crown stapler - 2 years ago.

Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ AirStrike 18-Gauge Cordless Narrow Crown Stapler + Lithium Upgrade Kit-P360-P128 - The Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18...r-and-Lithium-Upgrade-Kit-P325-P128/207153527

ON the woodworking forum that I frequent, there were some early on comments that battery powered nailers just were not there yet. I never have been partial to nailers and love the power of the screw, on everything. LOML wanted me to add new baseboard after installing new flooring in 4 rooms, so I said OK.

WOW was I surprised at the power of those nailers, even in oak. I nailed oak to oak. I have run 5 full nail pack/bunches? and the battery was still half charged. The stapler works just as well too. They are heavier than air powered nailers, but there are no cords or hoses to deal with. If I had it to do over, I would have purchased the Angled Nailer 15 gauge, but it was not available when I got mine.

I like those things and I was not a "nailer" fan before because of the hoses and upkeep.
 
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