# Cordless Finishing Nailer Advice



## lionscourt (Jul 15, 2012)

I looking to buy a finishing nailer that is cordless. I am not a professional but do smaller DIY jobs at home and for friends that look professional but take longer to do I realize that cordless is a newer tech and that they are seen an unreliable and less powerful than air compression nailers. 
With that in mind I like to make a good purchase with a quality cordless finishing nailer. Any advice on a cordless finishing nailer would be appreciated. I'm leaning towards battery and opposed to gas and down the line I might get a framing nailer to compliment the finishing nailer so if they operated on same charger that would be great. If you have experience with cordless finishing nailers, let me know what it was like.

So far I've got good info on the Hitachi NT50GS and the Senco Fusion.


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## uncommon doors (May 2, 2014)

I am a finish carpenter by trade. I use a dewalt finish nailer. Runs on the same 18v battery as the other dewalt cordless tools. I like it. I use it for pick up because its not really fast, but I have had no problems with mine.

I would not recommend gas at all. I had a paslode and besides not being that good. You still have a battery to keep charged on top of a gas canister to keep full.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Cordless is nice but for what your going to pay for that one gun you could buy a combo set with compressor, and three nail guns and still be able to run a framer, roofing gun, siding gun later on off the compressor.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

I won a Ryobi finish nailer. It takes up to 2" finish nails. I love it. I have several Ryobi 18V tools and the batteries are interchangeable. I have even used the nailer to put up cedar clapboards with not problem. They have nails from ½" to 2". I like it because I don't need a compressor or drag hose around.

http://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/552


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Clapboards with a finish nailer?


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## lionscourt (Jul 15, 2012)

Joe you did read my op right??? I am a diyer not a pro, don't want a compressor, and am buying a cordless finish nailer. Definitely not dragging a hose a and compressor around. 
Thanks Uncommon. My research on the Dewalt XRP series has caught my eye because of positive reviews. Long battery life and only downside is its slight heavy.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

I did the clapboard by myself. Used the nailer to get them started then added 10 pd nails to finish.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

im a carpenter by trade, interior and exterior finish is my specialty. one thing i see all too often is people who use the wrong fastener for the job.. too often i see guys using heavy hand nails for exterior trim which can and will split the wood or pvc or they use 18 gauge nails and the trim falls off the wall in no time because 18 gauge nails dont have the holding power to withstand seasonal movement of wood. do yourself a favor and go with a 16 gauge , they are heavier than a 18 and they can shoot up to 2 1/2" nail

as for brand to each their own, every one i talk to has their own preference.. ive used roughy 14 different dewalt nailers ranging from the cordless finish guns to their pneumatic framing guns.. all of their trim guns made gigantic holes in the wood which makes for more work to fill. its do to a oversized tip on the driver. the other thing is that of all those guns only 2 didnt jamb within the first hour of using them.. one was a fraimng gun the other was a stapler

paslode invented the cordless nailer and they know what their doing.. 95% of the gas guns ive seen that were problematic were the ones that are abused or not cleaned every few months.


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## lionscourt (Jul 15, 2012)

Ended up getting Dewalt XRP and works great. Next up....a true finish nailer.😎


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## patented (Aug 1, 2012)

Im an avid diy'er and own a Paslode 16ga and Paslode framing nailer. They work amazingly well and I highly recommend them.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

i know countless guys that are running paslode nailers,, the guys that have issues with them are the ones that abuse them and dont keep them clean. the biggest thing is to make sure you dont buy a huge pile of fuel cells that will sit around. the cells do expire when that happens the gun will misfire


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

I am a pro remodeler and do own a Paslode.I rarely use it because like joe,I'd rather have the power and speed of the compressor but that wasn't your question.
The Paslode is probably the best IMHO but you have to keep them clean.Not just the paslode but any cordless.Most of the people who complain about them jamming or missing never clean them.


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## jeffs55 (Jun 6, 2010)

I bought a Paslode and have used it only a little. Can you say very little? That is my fault but not really, it is all I had to use it for. I love it! NO HOSE or anything else in the way. I loved it so much, I bought the framing nailer also. I have little to no use for either, but when I do...................... it is grab and go. No compressor, hose etc. Surely you know when to charge the battery and grab a couple of gas cartridges, it could not be simpler.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Have used cordless but still prefer to fight the extension cords and air hoses. Friend bought the Paslode framer it sucked thought something was wrong with took it back second one was worse. These were brand new out of the box, so were the gas. about every 3rd nail you would have to go back and set it with a hammer.

Finally put a generator in the back of the pick-up and went back to a compressor. This was putting up fence boards around some pasture so the cordless would have been nice. Probably work OK in pine or some really soft woods though.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

landfillwizard said:


> I won a Ryobi finish nailer. It takes up to 2" finish nails. I love it. I have several Ryobi 18V tools and the batteries are interchangeable. I have even used the nailer to put up cedar clapboards with not problem. They have nails from ½" to 2". I like it because I don't need a compressor or drag hose around.
> 
> http://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/552


I've had that one for about a year now. It's excellent for small jobs and a fully charged battery goes a long way.


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## OldSchool1959 (Oct 19, 2014)

r0ckstarr said:


> I've had that one for about a year now. It's excellent for small jobs and a fully charged battery goes a long way.


At the risk of piling on, I have to say that I love my Ryobi ONE 18 ga. finish nailer. I picked up the oscillating tool and already had the drill and driver kit. I saw the bogo big battery upgrade at HD for 98 bucks. The nailer has never jammed and I've run hundreds of 2" nails through it. Now I walk around looking for loose trim to nail. Wink wink.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

OldSchool1959 said:


> Now I walk around looking for loose trim to nail. Wink wink.


I did the same thing. :laughing:


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Not trying to be nit-picky but 18ga is a brad nailer it shoots small wire brads not nails. These are great for trim and projects that need not much holding power as the brad has virtually no head and will pull thru pretty east.

A finish nailer actually shoots a nail with a head on it which gives it more holding power. Then we have 23ga pin nailers that shoots a very small almost needle like pin these are good for small trim pieces as they are so small you don't even need to fill the hole. And they won't split the the wood. but they have no holding power and are really good at holding a piece in place till the glue dries.


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## OldSchool1959 (Oct 19, 2014)

ToolSeeker said:


> Not trying to be nit-picky but 18ga is a brad nailer it shoots small wire brads not nails. These are great for trim and projects that need not much holding power as the brad has virtually no head and will pull thru pretty east.
> 
> A finish nailer actually shoots a nail with a head on it which gives it more holding power. Then we have 23ga pin nailers that shoots a very small almost needle like pin these are good for small trim pieces as they are so small you don't even need to fill the hole. And they won't split the the wood. but they have no holding power and are really good at holding a piece in place till the glue dries.


Nit picky or not, you are correct sir. Please don't tell the risers on my newly installed stair tread/riser combination though. The brad nails are holding well and I don't want them to feel inferior and let go. ( I used plenty of PL2000 too, but still.) I stand corrected and now will have to go to HD and pick up the 16 ga. version. I certainly have enough battery packs...


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

OldSchool1959 said:


> I stand corrected and now will have to go to HD and pick up the 16 ga. version. I certainly have enough battery packs...


Actually I have both the 16 and 18 gauge royobi cordless. I hardly use the 18 anymore. I find 18g brads pretty useless. (Sorry, just my opinion). If you're careful with 16g brads then you can pretty much use them anywhere you would use an 18.


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