I fell into the trap of buying tools I thought I needed and ended up with a Dewalt battery-powered 18 gauge Brad nailer. While it seemed great in the videos for holding glue-ups together, I found it to be a hassle to use. It's heavy and I often leave it on the wall, stuck with the extra steps of getting it down, finding a battery, and loading the nails each time. Recently, I realized it could speed up my projects significantly. Still, I'm wondering if switching to a pneumatic nailer with an air compressor would be a better idea. Would it be lighter and easier to use? I'm curious about which type of compressor to get, too—like a battery Dewalt or something from Harbor Freight.
3 Answers
Pneumatic tools are great, but they come with their own set of challenges. I’ve got a Bostitch set and while it works well, you need to maintain the compressor and it can be quite noisy. If you get a good setup, it’s useful, but I find myself longing for the convenience of battery tools sometimes. If you're looking for ease and you’re not using it constantly, battery tools may be the way to go.
I bought a budget-friendly Porter Cable 18-gauge nailer, and it’s surprised me with how often I use it. Sure, it’s a bit heavy, but I prefer it over messing around with a compressor and hose attachment. The portability is a big plus, especially for projects outside the garage.
Honestly, for brad and pin nailers, electric is usually sufficient. They drive the nails well enough for smaller tasks. I love my pin nailer; it’s lighter and has less noticeable holes. I also have a pneumatic nail gun for heavier work, but it requires an air compressor, which is a hassle unless you already own one. Plus, I mostly use my compressor for cleaning, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag for me.