Advice sought on electric nailers

[WabbitPoo]

I do a lot of decking work, as well as DIY. I am looking for an electric nail gun for nailing noggins and for doing stud work. I can't believe the prices

Anyway I came across this: Tacwise which handles up to 50mm nails. Does this one look half decent? Anyone use Tacwise (never heard of them myself)

Any other suggestions that won't break the bank?

 

[Scrit]

It's an 18 gauge brad pinner - 18g American Wire Gauge is actually only 1.023mm so a gun like this is used to fire really thin pins (a lot thinner than panel pins) to hold glued boxes, furniture, etc. together whilst the glue sets. 18g brads are so thin that they are almost impossible to hammer in by hand because they bend and they provide no real structural strength all. Worse, in exterior applications they'll rot out pretty quickly as opposed to conventional nails. In other words not really suitable for any form of building construction work. For that you'll need to go up to something like a 15 gauge (1.45mm) nailer which in turn normally requires a compressor (unless you go overboard and buy something like a Paslode airless which uses cartridges) - and even 15g guns they are on the wimpy side for external work. You couldn't use one to build a shed or a fence which is intended to stand for a few years. For fencing you need to go even heavier, with something like a full head nailer like the deWalt D51845 which fires annular ring nails

Problem is that a decent one will set you back £250 to £500 (the DWs come in around £280 street price, list over £500) and even a "hobby" gun will cost over £150. Nailers are one of those areas where you really do get what you pay for. To be frank for decking unless you can spend the money to get a small compressor (with a reservoir) and a decent size gun you'll be better off sticking to decking screws and a hand-operated hammer.

Scrit

 

[WabbitPoo]

Wow, that's some pretty comprehensive advice. Thanks a lot. I suppose I've managed thus far without one....... Maybe I'll look on ebay or down the local auction house.

 

[Thermo]

Wabbitpoo, i use a paslode for decking work. Very robust baring in mind the conditions we normally work in. Nails and gas can be bought from a lot of places a lot cheaper these days as well. Im thinking about getting a first fix air nailer as well but im undecided as the batteries can be a pain when they run out mid job, but still an excellent bit of kit. Id definetly go for either over electric.