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If you could have only one finish nail gun, what size nails would you choose? I am shopping for my first finish nail gun for general interior and exterior trim work (base, stairs, casing, window replacement, etc). I use screws on door jams, so they are not an issue. Are 2″ 18g nails sufficient or too light for 3/4″ base over sheetrock? Are 15g nails more than I need? Is 16g the best compromise? I realize all compromises are compromises, but I would like to get along with only one gun if possible. and of course, smaller is cheaper, if it does the job. I appreciate your advice.
Dan MacD
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Dan I am not a pro but here is what I have found. 18ga. is good for woodworking, attaching small thin peices of trim, or making templates or jigs.
16 ga. is adequate for 3/8 trim (int.). I would not hang a door with 16ga. because of the thinner nail having to span the rough openning. 16ga. is thinner and you might have less of a problem with trim splitting i.e. 3/4" corner round but, thinner nails are more apt to bend.
I have put up 3/8 trim with a 15ga nail and have'nt had much of a problem except on thin peices, then you have to be careful about splitting. (hint: you can minimize splitting by orienting the gun so that the chisel point of the nail is perpendicular to the grain of the wood, not parrelel to it.) Also on thinner trim be careful to adjust your depth because you can blow right through it.
Another advantage to 15ga. nailers is their angled magazine, it helps you get into tight places.
As a general rule I would use the 15ga. gun to put up exterior trim, using a stainless finish nail.
I'm going out on a limb but if it were me I would start with the 15. as a general purpose gun. I use 15's on casing and jambs of hollow core doors, then I nail the edge of the casing to the jamb to set the reveal with the 18ga. brad nailer.
As cheap as 18ga brad nailers are I could'nt live without mine for mitres and picture frames. Geat a 2" nailer when you do.
Actually, I don't own a 16ga. gun but will be buying one shortly, as I find myself needing length, a heavier nail than an 18ga. but lighter than a 15.
Hope this helps.
C
*I am a pro and use 16 for doors (also screw to stud), trim, crown. 18 for more delicate work like cabinets, pre-finished crown for cabinets. Go for the 16 for general purpose use. I own porter-cable(16), bostich(18). Love em both. If you don't want to spend too much, look at the accusets (spel.?) by senco. Nice guns.
*One gun, for general all-purpose use, and at a good price?I'll offer up the PC 250FN. It's 16 ga, and can shoot nails from 3/4" to 2 1/2". To shoot nails shorter than 1 1/4" there's a small metal piece that slides in the magazine up near the nose. A slight pain to install and remove...even though it only take about 30 seconds to do so.I'm lefty and while I'd prefer the angled magazine over the straight, when holding the angled gun with my left hand my little finger gets pinched by the magazine housing. Plus, the straight shoots a wider variety of nail lengths.A simple, easy to use, dependable gun. 16 ga, which is middle of the road. Wide selection of nail lengths, which is excellent for a one-gun guy. Lightweight. Reasonably priced. Reliable.Time to go shopping.
*I am not a pro, so I guess that makes me unprofessional - oh well, I've been called worst... an economist.So "on the other hand", I think that you should get both, but if you are going to have only one nailer, get a 15 ga.If you are going to nail into any hardwood, I think you get to much deflection with a 16 ga.If you can get your hands on the Oct/Nov 1995 (#98) Fine Homebuilding, Jim Britton wrote a good article on the subject - SURVEY OF TRIM NAILERS, pg 72. He even states at the end of the article:"If you're going to get only one finish nailer, make it a 15 ga. model"What ever you decide to do, good luckPaul
*My first gun was a 15ga Senco and I use it all the time for interior trim. 18ga brad nailers are great for light-duty applications, but I wouldn't install base with mine, as the longest brads I can get are 1-3/8". Plus if the walls are real plaster (common here in Mass.) the brads will sometimes deflect.
*15 gauge first and 18 gauge soon thereafter. Unfortunately,there is no compromise. I'm sinisterly handed also and have no problem with angled nailers. I do, howerever, have a problem figuring out why I would want a 16 ga. To save 20 bucks?I hate hand setting gun nails, BB
*I agree with Billy you'll need both. Senco 15 gauge is great, but, too large for finer work. 2"-18ga for 3/4" base will only work if painter uses caulking to hold base onto wall once you're done.
*Just got a flyer with some long deals on Senco 18Gauge & pinners. $85 for the 18gauge. Joe Hhttp://wwhardware.com/index.cfm?Flyers=2