Replies

1. 
   FastEddie | Jan 27, 2006 06:48am | #1

   15 ga for sure, regardless of brand.  You can always load shorter nails in a 15 ga, but you can't load heavier nails in a 16.

    

    

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   zorrosdens | Jan 27, 2006 07:08am | #3

   For what it's worth.....I've been a 15Ga. guy for all my life till I came to the South, SC.  Here it seems that nearly everyone I've worked for use and like the price of 16Ga. nails...I have a MAX 15 Ga., which I love, yet I just bought Hitachi's NT65M 16 Ga. nailer.  I liked this 16 Ga. for it's hard metal parts and the metal nail feeder, balance and shorter 2 racks of nails size, and that blower IS handy, too.  I used to think different being from California about which is the best, I still prefer the 15, but if you had to have "one" gun to cover more bases, I think the 16 is it.  Smaller (slightly) nail and hole, which would be less likely to split some of the smaller things you may be nailing and the 1" to 2 1/2" capacity, will cover all the bases in general.  Look at all of them, but the Hitachi is built very well and Lowe's has it now for $150 ( good deal for a GREAT gun).  Put a Senco belt hook on it (with a washer to help make it so the air fitting will tighten up nice without over-tightening it) and you are ready to rock and roll.

   Edited 1/26/2006 11:10 pm ET by zorrosdens

   Edited 1/26/2006 11:41 pm ET by zorrosdens

   Edited 1/26/2006 11:47 pm ET by zorrosdens

1. 
   Jay39 | Jan 27, 2006 07:23am | #6

   I also moved to the south (North Carolina) from California and noticed that many people use 16 gauge nailers. I think the nails are less expensive but I've used a 15g. in the past and loved it(especially when trimming with hardwoods like oak) though I tended to split pieces more often than with the 16g.

1. 
   zorrosdens | Jan 27, 2006 07:34am | #7

   Welllll...Hellllooo there!  I always loved and "swore" by the old Senco SFN2 ( it burned in a garage fire that nearly wiped-out my $7,500 in tools, routers guns compressor tblsaw, etc.etc.), which is a heavy gun and the other Senco's.  Now I love most of the MAX guns and their 15 Ga. is the best in my opinion now.  Yea, they do some things different here, like they alllll hate my Skil 77 worm drive, LOL.  I see alot of things now and have used the side winders, too, and have "done it their way" for a good few years now and it's just fine......MOSTly, LOL!  That's a foriner' ferya!  Check the Hitachi, it's great....like they saw at Mc D's....I'm lovin' it.

   Edited 1/26/2006 11:35 pm ET by zorrosdens

2. 
   DougU | Jan 27, 2006 06:55am | #2

   Jay

   What are you going to do with the gun? Other then the work that you mentioned.

   The reason that I ask is because you can get some decent inexpensive guns that maybe arnt meant to be used everyday for the next 10 years, or, you can get some pricy guns that are meant to be used everyday for the next 10 years!

   Give us a little info on your expected use.

   Doug

1. 
   Jay39 | Jan 27, 2006 07:09am | #4

   Doug,
   I won't be using it everyday for the next ten years but I'll use it fairly frequently. I work for a custom homebuilder doing one house at a time and we're beginning to trim out the house we're currently working on. Once that's finished, it's on to the next project where I probably won't have a need for a trim gun for a few months. In short, I'll probably be using it about three or four months out of the year.
   -Jay

1. 
   DougU | Jan 27, 2006 07:38am | #8

   Thanks Jay

   I wouldn't get the cheapy guns then if your in the business.

   You can get Senco guns that are still quite good, not the home owner versions though.

   I don't see much difference between the 16g and 15g guns.

   I use Paslode airless and they are 16g and I trim anything in a house that others would use a 15g gun to do.

   Once in a while I'll use my 15g Senco gun but I doubt that I'm getting that much more holding power out of the 15 over the 16g.

   You'll also need a pinner for smaller stuff. Get a nice 18g for that. Then down the road, or unless your flush with dough, get the 23g micro pinner. You'll find uses for it!

   Doug

3. 
   zorrosdens | Jan 27, 2006 07:17am | #5

   Also check the other inputs on this gun and the modification I posted for it in KNOTS forum and this one , too.  Good Luck.

4. 
   zorrosdens | Jan 27, 2006 07:49am | #9

   SORRY!  I said the Hitachi was at HMDPTO...WRONG....it's at Lowe's for the $150.  I still have some blonde.

   
   

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   Edited 1/26/2006 11:50 pm ET by zorrosdens