Need Advice of Finish Nail Gun to Buy - 15 or 16 gauge

>I bought a 15 guage Dewalt finish nailer at local (beleive it or not) farm
> and ranch supply store for a very reasonable price. I think it was about
> $10
> cheaper the the Bostitch I was going to buy at Lowe's.

I also have the Dewalt 15ga. Seems great so far, especially for $99 brand
new (Amazon sale). It's light, comfortable to use, has very good visibility
of the target area, and will sink a 2.5" nail fully in hard maple. I was
almost set to get the Hitachi 15ga. but I couldn't pass on the Dewalt deal.

I would think that either a 15 or 16 guage would be adequate for doing
trim. I have used a 16 gauge for baseboards, and I actually use an 18
guage for 1/4 round trim, as the trim was stained and the nail head
less visible.

Come to think of it, I think I used the 18 guage for some baseboards
too, I can't recall exactly

So, if you're just doing baseboards, I'd try the 18 guage you already
have.

If you have an 18 guage already, then I'd get a 15 guage nailer. A 16
guage doesn't offer much over an 18 other than nail length. With longer
nails, you want a heavier guage anyway, as long nails bend more easily.

I bought the porter cable DA250B:
http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2608

I've used it to install crown moulding in 5 rooms in our home, and I
love it to death.

Your experience with Bostich must be a fluke or limited to that model.
I got a beat-to-death Bostich framing nailer from a pawn shop for
cheap. It works like a champ. I used it to put up 500 feet of privacy
fence pickets on wet PT pine, and it did wonderfully.

Good luck.

makesawdust wrote:
> We're having a new house built and I am going to do the finish
> carpentry. I need to buy a decent nail gun for running the base and
> installing door and window casing. Suggestions and advice about what
> nailer to purchase will be greatly appreciated!
>
> I'm leaning towards a 15 gauge nailer, rather than buying a 16
gauge
> unit. However, Lowes has a 16 gauge Bostitch (Model #: SB1664) on
sale
> for $129; I like the price, but that's about all I like about this
> nailer. I have two other Bostitch guns (18 gauge brad & crown
stapler)
> and have found that these are essentially disposable tools - in
fact, I
> think that the $12 Harbor Freight brad nailer I "took a chance
on" is
> every bit as good, or better, than my Bostitch brad nailer. Also, I
> don't know if 16 gauge nails are heavy enough for the work I'll be
> doing.
>
> Lowes also has a Senco combo-pack for $199 that includes an angled 15
> gauge finish nailer and a stapler. I've used a number of Senco
nail
> guns and liked them (you get what you pay for). At this moment, the
> scale tilts in favor of this Senco package. With this, I could
retire
> the Bostitch stapler to the bottom of a drawer.
>
> Regarding price point, the less I spend on tools, the more I'll
have
> for quality materials and upgrades to our new home. But on the other
> hand, I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish by buying a
junk
> nail gun that will jam and generally not perform.
>
> Your recommendations regarding brand and gauge are appreciated!
>
> Many thanks!
>
>
> --
> makesawdust

I bought a 15 guage Dewalt finish nailer at local (beleive it or not) farm
and ranch supply store for a very reasonable price. I think it was about $10
cheaper the the Bostitch I was going to buy at Lowe's. I have been very hapy
with it so far. I have only owned it for about 4 months, however I finished
my family room with it and my Curly Maple stairs (dont ask). I did get a
Bostitch stapler and I have no complaints about that either. I do agree that
you at times pay for the name brand, but there is a reason that name brands
got that reputation....Just a thought. Hope this helps.

EPI
"makesawdust" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> We're having a new house built and I am going to do the finish
> carpentry. I need to buy a decent nail gun for running the base and
> installing door and window casing. Suggestions and advice about what
> nailer to purchase will be greatly appreciated!
>
> I'm leaning towards a 15 gauge nailer, rather than buying a 16 gauge
> unit. However, Lowes has a 16 gauge Bostitch (Model #: SB1664) on sale
> for $129; I like the price, but that's about all I like about this
> nailer. I have two other Bostitch guns (18 gauge brad & crown stapler)
> and have found that these are essentially disposable tools - in fact, I
> think that the $12 Harbor Freight brad nailer I "took a chance on" is
> every bit as good, or better, than my Bostitch brad nailer. Also, I
> don't know if 16 gauge nails are heavy enough for the work I'll be
> doing.
>
> Lowes also has a Senco combo-pack for $199 that includes an angled 15
> gauge finish nailer and a stapler. I've used a number of Senco nail
> guns and liked them (you get what you pay for). At this moment, the
> scale tilts in favor of this Senco package. With this, I could retire
> the Bostitch stapler to the bottom of a drawer.
>
> Regarding price point, the less I spend on tools, the more I'll have
> for quality materials and upgrades to our new home. But on the other
> hand, I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish by buying a junk
> nail gun that will jam and generally not perform.
>
> Your recommendations regarding brand and gauge are appreciated!
>
> Many thanks!
>
>
> --
> makesawdust

I have had a Craftsman for years and have no problem
"Hansen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
I bought a 15 guage Dewalt finish nailer at local (beleive
it or not) farm
and ranch supply store for a very reasonable price. I think
it was about $10
cheaper the the Bostitch I was going to buy at Lowe's. I
have been very hapy
with it so far. I have only owned it for about 4 months,
however I finished
my family room with it and my Curly Maple stairs (dont ask).
I did get a
Bostitch stapler and I have no complaints about that either.
I do agree that
you at times pay for the name brand, but there is a reason
that name brands
got that reputation....Just a thought. Hope this helps.

EPI
"makesawdust" <[email protected]> wrote
in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> We're having a new house built and I am going to do the
finish
> carpentry. I need to buy a decent nail gun for running
the base and
> installing door and window casing. Suggestions and advice
about what
> nailer to purchase will be greatly appreciated!
>
> I'm leaning towards a 15 gauge nailer, rather than buying
a 16 gauge
> unit. However, Lowes has a 16 gauge Bostitch (Model #:
SB1664) on sale
> for $129; I like the price, but that's about all I like
about this
> nailer. I have two other Bostitch guns (18 gauge brad &
crown stapler)
> and have found that these are essentially disposable
tools - in fact, I
> think that the $12 Harbor Freight brad nailer I "took a
chance on" is
> every bit as good, or better, than my Bostitch brad
nailer. Also, I
> don't know if 16 gauge nails are heavy enough for the work
I'll be
> doing.
>
> Lowes also has a Senco combo-pack for $199 that includes
an angled 15
> gauge finish nailer and a stapler. I've used a number of
Senco nail
> guns and liked them (you get what you pay for). At this
moment, the
> scale tilts in favor of this Senco package. With this, I
could retire
> the Bostitch stapler to the bottom of a drawer.
>
> Regarding price point, the less I spend on tools, the more
I'll have
> for quality materials and upgrades to our new home. But
on the other
> hand, I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish by
buying a junk
> nail gun that will jam and generally not perform.
>
> Your recommendations regarding brand and gauge are
appreciated!
>
> Many thanks!
>
>
> --
> makesawdust

I trim homes quite a bit and don't like using the 16g T nails, they just
don't hold like the angled 15g nails. The 15 gauge have a small head on them
and it keeps them from pulling out as easily as the 16 gauge t nails. This
is important when setting doors
and such. Go with the Senco, there excellent guns. --dave




"Mike Reed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> If you have an 18 guage already, then I'd get a 15 guage nailer. A 16
> guage doesn't offer much over an 18 other than nail length. With longer
> nails, you want a heavier guage anyway, as long nails bend more easily.
>
> I bought the porter cable DA250B:
> http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2608
>
> I've used it to install crown moulding in 5 rooms in our home, and I
> love it to death.
>
> Your experience with Bostich must be a fluke or limited to that model.
> I got a beat-to-death Bostich framing nailer from a pawn shop for
> cheap. It works like a champ. I used it to put up 500 feet of privacy
> fence pickets on wet PT pine, and it did wonderfully.
>
> Good luck.
>
> makesawdust wrote:
>> We're having a new house built and I am going to do the finish
>> carpentry. I need to buy a decent nail gun for running the base and
>> installing door and window casing. Suggestions and advice about what
>> nailer to purchase will be greatly appreciated!
>>
>> I'm leaning towards a 15 gauge nailer, rather than buying a 16
> gauge
>> unit. However, Lowes has a 16 gauge Bostitch (Model #: SB1664) on
> sale
>> for $129; I like the price, but that's about all I like about this
>> nailer. I have two other Bostitch guns (18 gauge brad & crown
> stapler)
>> and have found that these are essentially disposable tools - in
> fact, I
>> think that the $12 Harbor Freight brad nailer I "took a chance
> on" is
>> every bit as good, or better, than my Bostitch brad nailer. Also, I
>> don't know if 16 gauge nails are heavy enough for the work I'll be
>> doing.
>>
>> Lowes also has a Senco combo-pack for $199 that includes an angled 15
>> gauge finish nailer and a stapler. I've used a number of Senco
> nail
>> guns and liked them (you get what you pay for). At this moment, the
>> scale tilts in favor of this Senco package. With this, I could
> retire
>> the Bostitch stapler to the bottom of a drawer.
>>
>> Regarding price point, the less I spend on tools, the more I'll
> have
>> for quality materials and upgrades to our new home. But on the other
>> hand, I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish by buying a
> junk
>> nail gun that will jam and generally not perform.
>>
>> Your recommendations regarding brand and gauge are appreciated!
>>
>> Many thanks!
>>
>>
>> --
>> makesawdust
>