Brad Nailers

Hi again everyone. This month I would like to discuss brad nailers, and I'd like to start by first discussing just what a brad nail is. A brad is a very thin finishing nail with a very small head sometimes called a slight head or can actually be headless. For the most part, brads range in length from 1/2" to 2". All nails are rated by their gauge, or thickness. Brads are mostly 18 gauge, where a normal finish nail, which is thicker, is 15 or 16 gauge. Brads are very popular with hobbyists working on small projects, and woodworkers needing to attach material using a very thin nail that will leave a very small hole in the material It is usually the first nail gun that shows up in a wood shop.

There are electric and pneumatic brad nailers available. For purposes of this review, I will focus on pneumatic nailers only. I have yet to find an electric nail gun that I have any confidence in. They are constantly breaking down and quite inferior in most aspects to pneumatic nailers.

Let's review some of the different brands of brad nailers available. Many companies have jumped into this arena; some are very popular names, others are virtually unknown. For purposes of this review, I will stick with the known brands, namely Porter Cable, Senco, DeWalt, and Hitachi. You need to be careful with the lesser known names. They are manufactured mostly in the Far East, and the quality varies greatly. More important is the availability of parts and service. If the gun fails, you want to know that it can be fixed. Let's take a look at the brands. Porter Cable is now the leading manufacturer of nailers in the country. They lead the way with two models, one that shoots a nail up to 1 1/4" (BN125A) and a 2" capacity nailer (BN200A). DeWalt offers a 2" model (DW51238K), with Senco, and Hitach offering the same. For the most part, features and benefits are pretty constant, with easy clearing nosepieces in case of jamming, soft grip handles, easy to load magazines, depth of nail adjustment, and built in mufflers in the head of the tool. All models will countersink in hardwoods, and offer non-marring nose pieces so as not to damage the surface of your material. All use a common 18 gauge brad. All are very reliable, however both Porter Cable and DeWalt probably have the most extensive repair and parts availability of the lot.

There is one gun that separates itself from the competition, that being the Senco FinishPro 25. Although it offers all of the same features, it is an oiless gun, which takes all the guesswork out of determining the proper lubrication.

It's important to note that pneumatic or air tools create water as the air is passed through your compressor to your nailer. You should try to minimize the amount of water going to your tool. One way of accomplishing this is to install a water filter on your compressor. This will help to eliminate much of the water before it gets to your gun. Since it is impossible to eliminate all of the water, it is important to sufficiently lubricate your tool with air tool oil. A few drops of oil right through the air fitting will help reduce water and rust buildup in your tool. A great accessory to consider is an automatic oiler. This is device that screws right into the back of your gun and is filled with air tool oil. Every time you pull the trigger, it releases a trickle of oil, and takes the guesswork out of properly oiling your tool. While we're on the subject, let's talk for a moment about air compressors. To operate a brad nailer, a compressor in the 3/4 to 2 hp range is more than sufficient, with a 2 - 4 gallon air tank. Most nailers will operate between 70 and 90 PSI, so it's not necessary to oversize and pay too much when contemplating which compressor to purchase. Make it a small hand carry unit. Your back will thank you.

I encourage you to e-mail me if you have any questions or comments, or if you have ideas for further columns. I'll speak to you again next month!

If you have any questions about brad nailers, or any other tool, feel free to e-mail me and I'll be glad to assist.

Speak to you again next month!

Comments, questions and/or ideas for future articles are also appreciated.
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