Facing the daunting task of single-handedly siding my vacation home I knew if I didn’t break down and purchase a few “expensive” tools I’d likely never get the job done. With a tiny budget to afford my travel expenses and all the necessary building materials how could I afford a compound miter saw, air compressor and siding nailer without breaking the bank?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For me, purchasing a new tool is by no means as straight-forward as walking in and plopping down cash for the best new shiny piece to come out of Detroit. (I wonder if there’s a Detroit, China) Just about every tool I buy goes through a process.. which may likely be why you’re reading this article …so begrudgingly buying a “siding” nailer to apply my fiber cement board siding wasn’t easy… or was it?

Cutting to the chase, I had two requirements: The gun must shoot 2″ galvanized ringshank nails that I could purchase locally (in the middle of nowhere) and the gun must have a protective plastic cap for the teeth if it’s not a dedicated siding nailer. A ‘local’ Home Depot had two affordable guns that met my requirements. Those two were NOT siding nailers but full-fledged framing guns. Dedicated siding nailers are closer to $300 but these framers were under $200 so my choice came down to a Porter-Cable ($179) or the Rigid ($199), affording me nails and a compressor within the cost of a single siding gun.

Specifications:

• Adjustable exhaust port : Yes
• Air Tool Type : Air Nailer
• Assembled Depth (in.) : 22.2 in
• Assembled Height (in.) : 6.3 in
• Assembled Width (in.) : 17.7 in
• Color Family : Orange
• Depth (in) : 22.62 in
• Fastener collation : Plastic
• Fastener depth control : Yes
• Fasteners included : No
• Height (in) : 5.46 in
• Item Package Type : Cardboard Container
• Item Weight : 12.1 lb
• Loading type : Strip
• Maximum fastener size (in.) : 3.5
• Minimum fastener size (in.) : 2
• Returnable : 90-Day
• Width (in) : 14.74 in

Experience:

If you read some of the articles on this site, you’ll know that I’m a Residential Home Improvement Contractor and my tools are my living. With that in mind, the decision to purchase a new tool is usually by demand and the product I choose has got to be “the very best” that I can afford at the time. Having the right tool for the job versus my limited funds can be a real predicament, especially when it came to choosing a siding nailer. Believe it or not, having an iPhone with the Amazon App works just as well in NYC as it does on horseback in the country. (assuming there’s cell coverage) I appreciate the Amazon iPhone App and RedLaser barcode scanner tremendously – Together I can see the best price and check availability, comparing one-day shipping costs with whatever I’ve found ‘in-store’ for a confident purchase.

Dedicated Siding Nailers are expensive. I know, I have one. With my choice limited to (2) readily-available sub-$200 framing nailers, I chose the Rigid for $20 more and after a week on the side of a house, I’m very pleased with my purchase.

This article may seem more about being a cheapskate than a RIGID R350RHD Framing Nailer Review but sometimes finding that tool within a budget is what it’s all about. A framing nailer is heavier, more difficult to manage and designed to take and deliver a pounding but it will handle the nails I’m going to use and the price is right.

I bought 2,000 nails @ 2 3/8″ since I was going through CertainTeed Siding then 1″ thick solid wood sheathing and hopefully into the circa 1900 original studs – those ought to hold ‘em. I set the compressor on about 80# output and dialed the gun’s setting way out until the nail depth was just right; pulling the siding tight, without penetrating the very soft cement board.

Comments:

I’m not sure if it’s just me, but the only gripe I had with this gun was the quantity of nails it would accept. Empty, I could get 3 strips into the feed but when a few nails remained I could only fit two strips. I felt like I was constantly holding up a 12′ board, by myself, only to find I was out of nails – and cursing!!! I fed that sucker a lot of nails and experienced only 3 or 4 misfires. The misfires stopped the job. With a bent nail stuck in the gun, I learned after the second one, there is a little metal door held in place by a thumb-screw which allows access for removing just such a foul-up. The RIDGID 3-1/2 in. Round Head Framing Nailer Model # R350RHD performed my siding task relatively flawlessly! I couldn’t have been happier with that well-spent $200.

Summary:

A few jams and a few misfeeds were the only issues I experienced in nearly 2000 shots. Trouble filling the gun to it’s max capacity kept me returning to re-fill constantly. (Perhaps that’s why most dedicated siding guns are coil nailers) Now I have a framing nailer to complete any remaining interior work. (most done by hand over the past year has me wondering why I didn’t pick this gun up a year ago but the reason is, a $20 hammer and $20 of nails is a lot cheaper than $500 of pneumatics.)

I can’t compare this with the Porter-Cable that was $20 less but the Rigid had a belt clip, a nice tip protector, a soft case, oil and worked very well out of the box. I feel it was light enough, precise enough and durable– because I dropped it more than once from the ladder, dragged it by the hose, lowered it by the hose and threw it around like I do everything else. [Wait a minute.. Do I own that Porter-Cable Framer already?]

I’d highly recommend this gun for someone looking to get the most for their money! Seriously, spending $200 on a gun, $100+ for a compressor and even hundreds more for a compound miter saw were not really in my budget but I couldn’t have gotten the job done without them and I’m very comfortable with my purchase.

Links:

Ridgid R350RHA 3-1/2-Inch Round Head Framing Nailer

Could this be the only tool in my shop that isn’t working? Anything I say about this gun would be speculation because this unit has never fired a nail. Despite the picture showing a half clip of nails locked and loaded, this Bostitch N70 Framing Nailer never worked. Happy Friday the 13th.

I can’t justifiably rate this tool.

Comments:

I received this old tool new in box. The box was still sealed, it was a new gun, even though the manufacture date was many years prior. Basically, someone gave me a brand new older model Framing Nailer. I hooked it up, but nothing… no leaking air sounds, no action. Nothing. Since then I’ve hung on to it for over ten years even though it doesn’t work. I’m not sure what I’m expecting.

I have experience with the N70/N80 nailers from years using Bostitch Framing guns on General Construction projects. My first ten years as a carpenter were spent Framing and Sheathing with a Hitachi in one hand and a Bostitch in the other.

I have several other Bostitch pneumatic nailers, some listed on this site already. I trust the name for weighty but long lasting nailers.

Links:

The current highly rated Bostitch framing gun is the Bostitch F28WW Framing Nailer.
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others include the Bostitch F21PL.
and the Bostitch N100S

Uhm, I’ve been putting this review off. Why? Because this pneumatic nail gun is a Senco and it’s so lightweight and very good looking but there’s something about it’s action and shape I can’t get used to. As the primary means of fastening my work, the finish nailer is my most important pneumatic.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• Sequential Actuation (Restrictive)Tool
• Weight: 4 lbs (3.6 kg)
• Height: 11-5/8” (249 mm)
• Length: 13” (330 mm)
• NailCapacity: 100
• Reg. Operating Pressure: 70-120 psig
• Mode of Operation: contact actuation or sequential trigger mechanism
• Hose Fitting: 1/4″ NPT

Experience:

Read it all over this blog, I’m a trim carpenter. Of all my tools; in combination with my hand tools and a chop-saw, a Finish Nail Gun is indispensable for my trade. I rely on it to function flawlessly but also to feel right, to be a tool I can hook up and go to town with. I’ve used various nailers over the years but I’ve always stuck with my own personal gun, the Paslode 3250-F16 which I’ve archived here on toolboxblog.com. I bought the Senco FinishPro to replace that Paslode.

Comments:

First of all the switch from the thin profile Paslode to this plump Senco nailer is a big one. This is a whole different beast. It does smell of quality. I haven’t beaten this tool up at all and it hasn’t seen a single day as rough as my Paslode had it for years.

I don’t like the 15 gauge nails. I don’t like the bulky gun. I don’t like the way it shoots. I don’t like lifting my finger to fire again, which may be something I can change but needless to say, so far I’m not enjoying what seems to be a really nice nail gun. Yeah, I think it’s partly the 15 gauge round head Senco nails vs the 16 gauge rectangle head Paslode nails. The gun works. I expect it to work. I expect it’s top of the line. I just haven’t gotten there yet.

If you had the chance to pick up my old nail gun and this one simultaneously, I wonder which you would prefer.

Links:

There’s an in depth review of the Senco 41XP at OnlineToolReviews.com

Senco FinishPro 42XP 15-gauge Finish Nailer at Amazon.com

Find 41XP product data at Senco.com

A cheap tool in a pinch. That’s what I considered my Porter-Cable FR350A when I bought it in 2005. Since then it has proven to be a solid performer despite it’s awkwardly large frame.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Description:

• 2-inch to 3-1/2-inch round head pneumatic framing nailer with 64 nail capacity magazine
• Selectable trigger — restrictive or contact actuation mode
• 70-120 PSI operating pressure
• Measures 19-1/2 inches long and 14 inches tall; Weighs 8 pounds
• Includes carrying case, 1/4-inch air fitting with dust cover, and oil

Experience:

With my Bostitch Framing Gun in need of repair I bought the cheapest stick nailer I could get my hands on within an hour’s time. Since then I have used my Porter-Cable FR350A for the heavy demands of house framing. Maybe it’s because it came with a carry bag that my P-C FR350 looks so clean and new but it’s hammered home a bunch of nails.

I don’t really know what to say about this Framing Nailer other than:

1. It wasn’t expensive
2. I don’t prefer this to others
3. It’s big and heavy and unwieldy.
4. It works!

Here’s a picture of it next to a full sized 23oz framing hammer. It’s a big nail gun.

Links:

Porter-Cable FR350A at DeltaPorterCable.com (Product Data)

Porter-Cable FR350A Round Head 2-Inch to 3-1/2-Inch Framing Nailer at Amazon.com
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The Bostitch N64C is a pneumatic coil nailer specifically for designed for fencing and siding nails. 15-Degree Wire Collated Hot Dipped Galvanized Ring Shank Coil Nails are grippy little bastards that aren’t likely to bend when misfired. The N64C is one of my better pneumatic nailers and my favorite siding nailer of the bunch.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:

• Magnesium housing for job site durability
• Quick-release canister for fast, easy loading
• Adjustable depth control for flush nailing
• Rubber grip for comfort
• Adjustable deflector conveniently directs exhaust
• High-impact composite canister survives falls
• Large coil capacity holds up to 350 nails

Experience:

I picked up this particular Bostitch nailer at the Depot because I needed a third gun on a larger siding job. Since then I’ve stashed the others and carry the N64C. Over the past five years I’ve owned this nailer it was only required a few times a year, unlike my finish, brad and pin nailers that are in use almost every day. The Bostich N64C has been a good performer despite issues I’ve had with a Bostitch Framing Gun. I have owned 4 large Bostitch guns, one of them was a dud.

As far as experience, I’ve installed more than 20,000 feet of siding with the N64C firing a dozen+ boxes of nails. It’s an easy gun to operate that leaves no mark when fired. It’s arguably lightweight and doesn’t jam like some guns but the coil type nails can and will get hung up in the cylinder.

Comments:

When siding, setting the nail just below the surface is a close tolerance. Too far and you risk the thin material of modern siding but too shallow and the painters will be pissed. Attaching your nailgun to someone else’s compressor means a change in operating pressure and likely a change in nail depth. I’ve had to use a few different compressors, all to fine results. It takes a method not to double shoot with the N64C but once you’ve got it, you can keep the double-taps down to a few per roll.

As with all coil nailers you’ve got to protect the coils before they make it into the gun to insure the smoothest feed possible. The most common issue with this gun is the coil getting hung up. Other than properties inherit to the design of coil nailers, I like this tool for it’s light footprint and smooth shot. (It’s hard to qualify ‘smooth’ in pneumatics but the Bostitch N64C seems to be a pretty smooth operator!)

Links:

N64C - Industrial Coil Siding/Fencing Nailer at Bostitch.com (Product Data)

Bostitch N64C-1 Industrial Coil Fencing / Siding Nailer at Amazon.com

Bostitch N66C-1 1-1/4-inch to 2-1/2-inch Coil Siding Nailer with Magnesium Housing
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BTW: Nails are a lot cheaper at Amazon.com than they are at my local store.
B & C Eagle Round Head 2-Inch Hot Dipped Galvanized Ring Shank (5,400 per Box)

15 years on a few drops of oil, my Paslode 3250-F16 has shot more finish nails than most people will ever get the opportunity to. How many houses in 10 years as a trim carpenter? How many thousands of feet of trim? How many hundreds of thousands of nails? This Paslode has really been a great tool.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• Model:    3250-F16
• Part Number:    403700
• Weight:    4.4 lbs.
• Height:    9 1/2 in.
• Cycle Rate:    12 nails/second
• Nail Capacity:    150
• Air Req./100 p.s.i. (6.9 bar):    .040/cycle
• Op. Pres. p.s.i. (bar):    80-120 (5.5-8.3)

Experience:

Every day for years. 10 years of trim carpentry, my Paslode 3250 16 gauge finish nailer has been the best. Truly lightweight, rarely failing; I have nailed it all with this one.

A few years ago, realizing this Paslode had seen it’s time, I replaced it with the Senco 41XP. Although the Senco is lightweight, I’d trade back in a heartbeat. As you can see it’s still got nails in it and ready to go. For a while I had a hard time switching over to the Senco.

Comments:

Only after about seven years did this gun start to leak. The odd thing is it leaked when you connected a hose but as soon as you shot the first nail, the leaked stopped. I used it like this for a few years but now it’s got to be taken apart and refreshed even though it still sees a jobsite when it’s needed.

Links:

Paslode 3250-F16 Finish Nailer at Paslode.com
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Paslode T250A 16-Gauge Finish Nailer at Amazon.com top rated new Paslode.

One day I needed a brad nailer and bought an Airy because it was least expensive and I’d heard it would be ‘good enough’. I’m pretty sure the sticker on this one says AMT-6232S though a Google search reveals the same nailer with different numbers like ATA 0232S. I can shoot 18 gauge brads or staples and do often enough with this versatile Airy pneumatic nailer.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• 18 Gauge Nail/Staple Kit (2-in-1)
• Staple: Crown (5.7mm) Length (16-28mm)
• Nail: Length (16-28mm)
• Max 95 PSI / 7BAR

Experience:

I’ve owned and used this Airy Nailer for over 10 years and it still works great. I have used it extensively. Installing thin trim pieces, stapling lattice to frames, stapling 1/4″ backing on cabinets and more. It’s a versatile tool accepting either staples or brads. I carry a case with boxes of staples in 5/8″ and 1″ and brads in 16mm, 3/4″ and 1″. More often than not, this airy brad gun is in my truck toolbox and for years as a sub-contracting carpenter I put this gun to the test day after day and it hasn’t failed yet.

Comments:

I’ve pinched my finger in the double trigger more than enough but my Airy brad gun has been a good tool with only a few drops of oil there’s been no maintenance for over ten years. From freezing cold to scorching hot, it’s never failed to shoot brads and staples. I can’t even recall this gun ever jamming which seems exceptional. If I could read past the reviews I came across so far, I’d buy the same gun again. I’m pretty sure this is an archived tool. I expect my Airy 18 gauge brad nailer to keep shooting for a good while longer.

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Links:

Airy ATA 0232S at epinions.com

Expensive Senco FP25XP 18-Gauge Brad Nailer

Popular Hitachi NT50AE2 Brad Nailer at Amazon.com

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I have to be very careful not to swear while writing about my Paslode Cordless Finish Nailer. I have a serious love-hate relationship with this tool. For certain applications the Paslode Cordless Nailer is indispensable but that’s highly conditional upon it actually working. It’s truly unfortunate, my Paslode Cordless 16-gauge nailer is the most unreliable and unpredictable tool I have ever owned.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• 1-1/4-inch to 2-1/2-inch cordless 16-gauge gas angled finish nailer with non-mar tip and sight lines
• Depth-of-drive wheel with probe position-indicator; locks tool at 10 nails to prevent blank firing
• Comfortable in sure grip-inch and soft trigger
• Includes nailer, battery, 2-hour charger
• 11-1/2 by 10-3/4 by 3-1/4-inches; 4.9-pounds with battery; 5-year warranty

Experience:

Ok, Imagine this: You’ve wrapped up a huge job, the crew is gone and the painters are doing their thing. The special-order crown moulding finally arrives for the kids bedroom. You throw your cordless nailer in the truck and head over for a simple install. Only six cuts and you will collect your final payment!

What a great invention; a finish nailer without a heavy compressor in tow: the “cordless” nailer. Too bad it doesn’t work. Well, that’s not entirely true since my nailer works sometimes. I’ve used this nail gun for it’s appropriate task; nailing trim without a compressor on site. Look at the photo above; my case is filled with nails and fuel cells. The batteries and fuel cells last a long time! I’ve used my Paslode Cordless Angled Finish Nailer in basements and attics and second floor closets, on bathroom remodels where a hose would have had to come from 3 floors away and snake through a fancy home, on sites without electricity and on my own home. It’s ideal for those last few pieces you have to go back and fasten.

The best thing about this gun is you don’t even have to own a compressor, let alone bring it to your job, set it up and pull cords all the way to your work. I love it for exterior trim when I’m perched high on a ladder. I have put this gun to the test but not too often, because betting on this tool to operate is a bet with very poor odds.

Comments:

It’s a liberating tool but it jams so often that you will spend more time opening it, pulling out the half-fired nail and shoving the firing pin back into place. I’ve learned to use a nailset to retract the pin. I can clear a jam in under a minute. WHAT HAPPENS: You place the gun against your material, you pull the trigger and POP! the nail shoots into the material. How often is impossible to say. I think my best run of nails without a jam is about 20-30 shots. However, standard experience with the Paslode Cordless Finish Nailer is 1 out of 3 will jam. If I get five shots in a row, I’m happy. If I get 10 shots I’m lucky. If I get more than 10 shots I’m totally shocked and amazed.

A jam happens in one of two ways. Either two nails come out and one doesn’t fully penetrate or 2) the nail shoots but the nail-head sticks inside the gun, basically nailing the gun to the board. There is a very easy to operate latch which opens the front so you can extract the nail.

• Unjamming this gun is not easy.
• It will jam ALL THE TIME
• It’s awesome to have a cordless nailer!
• It really sucks when it jams every 3rd or 4th nail all day long.

I don’t know what more to say. I absolutely love the idea, but f-ing hate this tool. I actually forget I own this one until a job absolutely requires a cordless, then I bring my Paslode 16 gauge nailer and fight and curse with it’s piss-poor operation. Please comment on this tool if you own one because I’m curious to hear your experience.

Links:

Paslode Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer at Amazon.com

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Paslode-Cordless.com

The Porter-Cable PIN100 is one of my favorite pneumatic tools. It’s a very handy nailer and saves a lot of time assembling. I use it for that third hand I always wish I had.

Cabinetmakers take notice, It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford the Grex P635 Pinner, you should have a 23 gauge nailer in your shop.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Description:

• Uses 23 Ga. micro pin nails from 1/2″ to 1″ long similar to Senco® models
• Tool automatically adjusts for different fastener lengths. Easier loading and less problems with pins out of spec
• Rear exhaust port channels air and tool oil/condensation away from work
• Bottom load magazine holds 170 pin micro nails
• Dual trigger feature
• Nail reload indicator
• Rubber comfort grip on tool handle

Experience:
The 23 gauge pin nailer is a relatively new tool in my collection. I needed one to install some prefinished kitchen moulding. Now it’s part of most of my glue-ups. A single pin can hold a corner while you set-up for a larger fastener and they are tiny enough that you can still manipulate the joint for adjustments. That is until you shoot ten pins into a glued miter. They are nearly invisible in wood. I alternate between the 1″ and 5/8″ pins constantly.

If you’ve ever done cabinets supplied with pre-finished trim then you’ll appreciate the 23 gauge nailer. Most often it’s shoot and leave it. No touch up necessary.

Comments:
I love this tiny nailer and have since kind of forgotten about my brad nailer which leaves remarkable holes in comparison. The oil supplied in the carrying case leaked. The nails in the case got oil on them and when shot in dry wood leave a spot. Even with new ‘dry’ pins I am still getting a spot of oil marking the otherwise nearly invisible hole. I don’t know if this is unique to the P-C tool since this is the 1st and only 23 gauge pin nailer I own.

Links:
PIN100 at Porter-Cable.com (Product Data)
Porter-Cable PIN100 23-Gauge Pin Nailer at Amazon.com (Better price than I paid!)