Best nail gun

[Ben woodcraft]

Hi all I'm a carpenter with over 15 yrs experience, I'm looking at buying a new nail gun, I've currently got the paslode im350+ 1st and 2nd fix, I service them regularly but there starting to play up and new ones are very expensive!! All my other gear is makita but I'm not sure makita is the best, I've heard good things about hakoki but I'm not sure, what are your thoughts and experiences with other guns??

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have had Paslode in the past but like you found they needed a lot of servicing, I now have a Hikoki first fix and like it, a bit heavy but I have not found it to be a problem.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Ben woodcraft]

Does the hikoki take any brand of nails and gas? I've noticed that to get best performance from my paslode and reduce mis-fire I have to use paslode nails and gas

 

[Allen Quay]

This is a very recent video. Apologies if you've already seen it!

 

[eribaMotters]

I bought my first nail gun at the end of 2018 to refurb our bungalow. I needed one for second fit and bought a De Walt. I went for the cheaper battery option with 2 x 2amp/hr batteries. I am surprised at how long these batteries last and can easily pin out the skirts and arch's in a couple of rooms on one charge of one battery.

Colin

 

[Piyush]

Hikoki is the one we have and since 2019 and it’s the one to buy I think. So far we have used hikoki, firmahold, Fischer and Paslode nails. 90 RING shank nails are the one need much more power as specially if you are shooting into LVL or cross laminated Tiber.

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have used Hikoki and Firmholds with no issues, one of the advantages of these newer guns are they do not need gas.

 

[Denty]

Hi all I'm a carpenter with over 15 yrs experience, I'm looking at buying a new nail gun, I've currently got the paslode im350+ 1st and 2nd fix, I service them regularly but there starting to play up and new ones are very expensive!! All my other gear is makita but I'm not sure makita is the best, I've heard good things about hakoki but I'm not sure, what are your thoughts and experiences with other guns??

I’ve had the Paslode First and Second guns and they are great bits of kit but!!! and there’s always a but, the bloody servicing drives you mad.
I moved over to the18v hikoki first fix when they first came on the market simply because you didn’t need gas and knowing this is what caused most of my problems with the paslode it was a gamble but one I was prepared to take.
yes they are a lot heavier because of the battery but given they fire 90mm ring shank without a problem in most timbers my first fix gun hasn’t missed a beat in the 3 or so years I have had it.
the 18g hikoki is a very nice gun and the weight doesn’t bother me if I’m honest.
I would look at the Milwaukee 18v but they wasn’t out when I was looking.
if weight is a major factor stick with Paslode

 

[Ben woodcraft]

Thanks for all your advice so far, weight is not an issue for me, I've heard good things about hikoki guns and there half the price of paslode, I think with paslode your also paying for the name! Yes the servicing does my head in, which hikoki would anyone recommend, gas or gas less?

 

[Denty]

Thanks for all your advice so far, weight is not an issue for me, I've heard good things about hikoki guns and there half the price of paslode, I think with paslode your also paying for the name! Yes the servicing does my head in, which hikoki would anyone recommend, gas or gas less?

Gasless for me

 

[Ben woodcraft]

Has anyone got the makita nail guns? If so what do you think to them? Problematic or good?

 

[Ollie78]

I think the ones that compress a little air tank are best. They fire like an air nailer but no hose and no stinky gas like a paslode.

Hikoki, Senco fusion, Milwaukee all fundamentally the same technology as are Ryobi airstrike but they don't do a framing nailer.
The Dewalts use a flywheel which sort of ramps up, not as well regarded.
I think the Hikoki is best value and is on my shopping list, when I have a job that warrants it. But if you already had milwaukee kit then go for that one.

Ollie

 

[scubadoo]

I have the Hikoki 18g and 16g. Really like them. I've never used an air nailer so can't compare but I have used a dewalt framing nailer and disliked the delay between pulling the trigger and the nailer firing. The Hikoki is virtually instant. Heavy, but really happy with them.

 

[johnnyb]

I've got an old dewalt 18v 16g angled.itd good for second fix in soft and mdf. the makita 18v 18g is rubbish not enough power and plastic unbalanced body. it will fire 25mm into soft ok.

 

[hugov]

I've got a Ryobi Airstrike 16 gauge and have been super impressed with it. As far as I recall I've never had a jam, and it drives probably something like 1000+ 50mm nails on a charge (5Ahr). Heavy though, and I feel like it doesn't perform as well on small batteries (2Ahr; I had to increase the strength adjuster thing to get the nails to drive home).