I've recently picked up the Milwaukee M18 21 degree nailer, and I was really excited since I love my 18g and 23g nailers. I don't do a lot of heavy framing, just some decks here and there. After using it to put up some 2x4 shelving, I found that out of the 20 nails I fired, about 15 didn't go in properly. I figured that's not too unusual, but today I tried to use it to frame an 11x14 deck, and I couldn't believe how poorly it performed! About 1 in 5 nails wouldn't sink into pressure-treated 2x6s! I tried different batteries, 5.0, 6.0, and even a 12.0, but no luck! I ended up pulling out my compressor and using a Dewalt pneumatic nailer just to finish the job. I love my other Milwaukee tools, but this one has been such a disappointment. Did I get a faulty one, or are these just not as good as pneumatic nailers? I'm considering returning it unless I hear different from you all. Thanks!
2 Answers
Hey there! Sorry to hear about your struggles with the nailer. Did you adjust the depth setting? Sometimes that can make a big difference. I used my 21-degree nailer last night without any issues; even with a 2.0 AH battery, it worked like a champ!
Honestly, these battery-powered nailers rarely match the performance of pneumatic ones. I had to send mine in for recharging right after I got it! My wife bought it for me, and since she lost the receipt, that cost came out of my pocket. Not a great start!
Recharged? What do you mean by that?
Yeah, the depth is set fine, but it just doesn’t have consistent performance. Even 1 in 10 shots not going through seems pretty bad to me.