I wondered how useful I would find this thing so I didn’t get a expensive one (about 50$). The 23 g pins are really small – a box of 10thousand is about like a roll of quarters.
I just used it today to keep 2 x 2 wall ceramic tile from slipping. I disarmed the safety and “held back” so they would stick out. It worked best to shoot in the plastic dividers. (I have pics I could post later)
Anybody finding good uses for this?
Replies
I bought a Senco about a year ago. Hated it -- wouldn't countersink the pins.
Recently bought a Cadex. Love it -- countersinks (always), shoots pins with no head, and "slight" head, up to 1 1/4".
Use it for moldings, but intend to try it for cabinet pieces to hold them together until the glue dries.
********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Ahhhhh, so you got the Cadex! I know we traded posts about it...glad to read that you're liking it so far.PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
I did, and thanks to you, I got the spiffier model. This is a really quality gun -- in fact it has a better feel than any other gun I own.Asked Floyd Tool if they stocked other guns by Cadex. He said all the other Cadex guns were made by somebody else, and all but told me they were crap. Strange.............So is this one made by Max? If so, maybe I should be looking to them for replacements of my other nailers as the need arises.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
nikkiwood
The Cadex, the one pictured in the previous post, is made by Max. The one that it replaced, the one that shots 1 3/16th is not made by Max, at least thats what I think I heard.
If you see any reviews on finish nailers you'll see Max leads the bunch.
I have a Max roofing nailer, back when I did some roofing, its a cadilac of roofing guns. And I know that I'll never wear it out! Course I dont plan to use it much either.
I think they must produce some high quality guns, not cheap but very good quality.
Doug
The thing would be worthless if it didn't sink the pins - there's no moving them in most cases. We couldn't get them out of plywood we had jigged up.
I just got the Cadex last week -- the one made in Japan by Max:http://www.floydtool.com/cp2335.htm
It will shoot up to 1 3/8 inch pins and it countersinks every time. It automatically adjusts the depth so you don't have to change it every time you change pin sizes. Nice soft rubber tip too.
I even used it to pin door casing to the jambs (with glue) while the glue set. The painter was blown away by the small size of the holes in the casing and other molding.
I might have to try it out on some of them big merskeeters when they come out next summer...
Billy
Edited 1/11/2006 12:12 pm ET by Billy
Billy
I got that gun and I dont know how I'd part with it.
Doug
Doug,
I sprung for the fancy Cadex in part because I read your comments on Breaktime. It is a helluva nice machine. Thanks.
Billy
in part because I read your comments on Breaktime
I wonder where the hell my check is from them!!!
Doug
In case anybody is interested...Senco sells a longer driver for their pinner that will actually countersink the pins, but makes a hole a little larger than the pin. It's about $20.
Bo -- have the part number? -- needing to use the same pinner on a kitchen job in the next 4 weeks --tks
call 1-888-839-9080
ask for part # MDB 06001219L
$19.00 + shipping
Question: Why would Senco not install this driver in the first place???
I think the reason is that many people don't want the larger hole from the driver.
Say your shooting on a piece of architectural woodwork. A driver that sets the nail might expose some raw wood.
Nice feature would be the ability to chose a flush drive or slightly set nail.
By the way I've got the cadex that goes 1 3/16" with headless or slight head pins and love the gun.
I've used the senco, porter cable, and a no name brand and none were even a close second.
Buic
For installing clear finished trim, the Senco as it comes out of the box is useless. You can see every pin that you shoot and you can't set them. Other trim that is not painted still shows the end of the pin, which will either shine or eventually rust. If you are painting your trim or the pin is embedded where it's not noticeable, then there is no problem. I guess it just depends on what kind of work you want to do with the pinner.
I talked with the rep at Senco about this problem and they are trying to come up with an adjustable depth of drive as you suggest. The limiting factor here is not the power of the pinner, it is the design of the driver. I have not used the Cadex pinner.
Since the mass of the pin is negligable, the depth of drive is solely dependent on the design of the driver. The longer driver from Senco is about 1/16" longer than the standard driver. I suspect that the pinners that set pins below the surface simply use a driver designed to do so.
Does your Cadex set pins below the surface? If so, does it leave a gash in the wood ? For my purposes, I would rather fill a small hole than have to deal with seeing the end of every pin you drive.
MY cadex leave a gash!! You must be kidding, right... ( g ) but seriously...
It never leaves the pin proud, but it doesn't set them like a typical finish nailer either. It's literally a hair below the surface. On architectural millwork ( completely pre-finished ) we try to not show anything. When I have to pin something, I touch the pin head with a matching stain marker and they really disappear.
Whether just below flush or set, you're still looking at the end of the pin and usually I'd rather not put putty on and wipe it off. It sometimes creates a dull spot in the clear finish that doesn't go away.
Another tool in the arsenal, I wish I'd have bought one sooner...Buic
Um, Perhaps "gash" was too harsh...but this is the term Senco uses to describe what would happen if they designed it to sink the pins ever so slightly.
I like the idea of the stain marker. My problem is that I install a lot of clear finished maple and other light woods.
You've almost got me talked into another tool!! ;)
I wrote to Senco about my complaints, and one of their tech people actually called me. Why do you suppose he never mentioned this longer driver?********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I've had the Senco for a little over a year and have used it pretty heavily without any major problems. The only time I've had "proud" pins was when the compressor pressure was too low.
Mine is in for repair right now. It started misfiring once in a while and the repair tech has told me that it just needs some new seals, etc.
Actually, Senco has farmed out the production and sales of this longer driver to a specialty company. Why the rep didn't know about this is anyones guess. I'm sure they have had enough complaints by now that everyone is in the loop!
Cowtown Eric is enthused about his 23 GA nailer too.
A recent excursion with it and a bunch of crown moulding leaves him wondering why he didn't scope this out before.
Although on this job, the stuff was fastened with a mechanical certainty with 18 gauge to studs, (hey, you wouldn't want crown moulding falling onto yer wife's noggin would ya. Would ya?) this stuff was going into plaster and lathe, and four pins, two straight up, two straight into the wall, right in the middle, held up a 12' piece sufficiently so that you had to work mildly to pull it off. I just didn't fall down.
Finiishing this pre-painted stuff involved a quick spray over the holes, a swipe of the the thumb, and then oversrpaying it. NO HOLE FILLING, and although this was my first experience with Crown mldg and 23 gauge, Ifigure that three or 4 18 guage into studs is gonna provide the physical attachment, and a sh*t load of 23 gauge is gonna provide the "alighnment" to keep it close to the wall and ceiling.
To be noted is that there is next to no physical attachment strenght with these headless pins, although the "toe-nail" mode works to suck up drywall to the moulding. The downside of this is that some finisher is gonna start using glue to attach the mouldings and that means the reno guys is gonna have to deal with towrn paper when they start removing trim from walls, but that happens already.
The upside is that finishing is so much easier.
These 23 ga brad guns get a positive vote from me. I wish I'd found em 10 years ago.
Eric
Here's the pics using the 23 g headless (1 inch pins) to keep tile from slipping. I have the safety disarmed so I can leave them sticking out for easy removal. It was convenient because it could be easily pinned after adjustment. Wear safety glasses! I learned to shoot in the plastic dividers.
Here is Senco's thinking -- it makes sense:
Q: I have your SENCO FinishPro10 micropinner and it does a fine job driving the nail flush-even to the surface of the wood. I realize the tool is designed for the flush drive. But, now I have a job that requires some countersink. How can I make my tool drive the micropin with a bit of countersink?
<!----><!----><!---->
A: Call Motion Devices at 888-839-9080 and order the MDB06001219L – these special piston/drivers are 1.5mm (nearly 1/16 inch) longer. The list price is $19.00 each.<!----><!---->
<!----><!---->
The brand new FinishPro10 is designed to drive micropins flush to the wood surface.<!----><!---->
A deeper drive would result in a visible "gash" on the wood's surface, a result of the tool's driver blade plunging into the wood. Most customers prize the invisibility of the flush drive into non-painted woods.<!----><!---->
A longer driver is available for customers who require some countersink - call MDE at 888-839-9080 to buy the longer driver.<!----><!---->
I've had my Senco 23 ga. for about 3 years. I've replaced the driver twice, when it wears I get lots of misfires. About 2 years ago I had a job that required that I counter sink the pins. I just ground the tip on the pinner by about 1/16 of and inch and have used it that way ever since.
Edited 1/13/2006 11:03 am ET by BilWil
What's the best way to remove that 1/16 from the tip -- file, grinding wheel, etc.?********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I used a grinding wheel.
thanks................. I'll give that a try before I throw the Senco on the junk heap.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
belt sander works too.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Sooooo, is anybody using this Nikle? http://www.floydtool.com/ns2340.htmThat 1 9/16" would serve me quite nicely... Hey, pocket doors can't come off the track if they're nailed open
I've got the Bostich. Haven't used it much, but it seems to work pretty well when I have used it. Unlike the Senco everyone's referring to, the Bostich has depth adjustment. I think it'll shoot 1 3/8" pins.I had heard that theirs was based on their industrial nailer models, and it looks it.For $105 or so from Amazon, so far so good. Besides, everything that's had a Senco name on it in the last 3-4 years has looked like a cheap Ryobi tool in build and finish. Julian
Did you modify your senco pinner? If you still aren't satisfied, I might buy it from you, give me a price.
Nope -- didn't touch it. I think you know, I bought a Cadex, which is about four quantum leaps better than either the Senco or the PC. I have toyed with the idea of keeping it, since there are times when it is useful to have two guns with different sized nails. But I really don't like it, so I guess I wouldn't mind if it found another home with someone who could love it better than I. Price? How about you look up the price on Amazon, and I will give it to you for half that? Shipping? How about I contribute up to $5, and if the UPS charge is more than that, you pay the excess? I would send it to you, and if you're satisfied with it, send me a check. If you want to go to the next step, send me an email thru the BT profile, and I'll get back to you.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
OK, I'm thinking on it now.