# Pin Nailer



## Dale W (Jan 5, 2008)

Would like to try my hand in building trestles this winter and think I need a pin nailer. Was at Harbor Freight today and noticed they had one for $24.99. Anyone tried or familiar with this one? Suspect they may be better ones at higher costs but would this one do the job or would I be better off paying more. Never used one and need advice.

Thanks
Dale


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

I've had one 3 or 4 years works great...


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## RCE (Sep 14, 2009)

I have a pin naiiler from harbor Freight. I haven't used it much yet but it works ok.When you use it be sure to angle your the nails so they will hold the wood in place,and use glue on the wood.The pins will work as a clamp until the glue dries. 

Richard


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

When you buy that at HF...buy the pin nails that go in it. One box lasts a long time....


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a Bostich pin nailer and it is great though more expensive at $100+ . I used a 18 gauge brad nailer to build lots of things but when I got the 23 gauge pin nailer it really helped me improve my builds. 
A spot of glue and a pin or 2 at a slight angle like RCE suggests will secure all sorts of wood down to 1/8 x 1/16 of an inch without splitting it. I don't know about the harbor freight one but I would say get it and try it out you won't regret it.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I have one from HF. Probably paid a little over half of that and it still works after many years. (Most of their stuff is "use it once and after that it's garbage.") Be sure to buy one that takes their smallest pins.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

A buddy of mine has the HF pin nailer and loves it. I have the Porter Cable from Home Depot. It's great. When you get your nailer, go online and look for Bostich or Porter cable pins in bulk. You will go thru thousands and thousands. Trust me, a whole new modeling world awaits you. 

As others mentioned, use 23 ga to set the part while glue dries. Doing trestles, follow up with threaded rod and model nut and washer for real strength and appearance.


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

HF pin nailer works fine for me.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm on my 2nd HF pinner, 23ga. 
Do oil before and during use, 3 drops in the air nipple and 1 drop on the pinface, where the pin hammer is. 
Don't let the pins get wet, they are copper plated steel and wet get fatter, I ran some through the old nailer and now have a new one.... 

I think the days at Harbor Freight may be limited, reverse chinese engineering is catching up to them , my buddy bought a set of their brake tools... nothing but junk, the steel body bent and the spring finger was too fat to catch the spring (made thicker to strengthen weak metal)..... 

John


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

I've had one of the Harbor Freight pin naiers for about two years. I've used it a lot. Got it on sale for something less than $20. It works great. I couldn't ask for anything more for the price. 
Bob


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## Dale W (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. Next time I am at HF will pick one up. 

Dale


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Whewn I was lookign for one I had read many reviews and finally settled on the Grex 23ga nailer. I also only use the stainless pins. Never a single jam.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Be sure that you have a regulator on your compressor. Otherwise, with too much pressure you can blow the pin all the way through your work so that most of it sticks out the other side.


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## Dale W (Jan 5, 2008)

Ah, good point. I don't have a compressor yet. Trust a small capacity compressor would suffice. Will get one that can be used for other shop uses, inflating an occasional tire, maybe for use with a small paint sprayer etc. Yet would like a small one that can carry around and not take to much storage space and be relatively quiet etc. 

Any recommendations? 

Dale


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## RCE (Sep 14, 2009)

I bought this one this one at lowes last year on Black Friday. I think I paid $59.00 for it.For the little amount I use it works good for me. 









Hope this helps 
Richard


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

If you use a paint sprayer for any length of time you'll want at least a 6 gallon compressor that puts out about 4 CFM at 40 PSI. Anything smaller and the compressor will run constantly and not keep up with the sprayer. Other then that any compressor capable of reaching the PSI requirement of the pin nailer will work. They don't take that much air. Also get a compressor that uses oil in the crank case. Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By xo18thfa on 21 Oct 2011 04:26 PM 
SNIP... Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry. 



HA! That's easy! They wear out and you get to sell another one to the hapless consumer!


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By xo18thfa on 21 Oct 2011 04:26 PM 
They don't take that much air. Also get a compressor that uses oil in the crank case. Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry. 



No possibility of oil contamination in your paint.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By toddalin on 21 Oct 2011 06:58 PM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 21 Oct 2011 04:26 PM 
They don't take that much air. Also get a compressor that uses oil in the crank case. Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry. 



No possibility of oil contamination in your paint. 
Never seen any. Been running this Coleman for 12 years, change oil every year.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By xo18thfa on 22 Oct 2011 08:14 PM 
Posted By toddalin on 21 Oct 2011 06:58 PM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 21 Oct 2011 04:26 PM 
They don't take that much air. Also get a compressor that uses oil in the crank case. Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry. 



No possibility of oil contamination in your paint. 
Never seen any. Been running this Coleman for 12 years, change oil every year. My 8 yo Coleman was and isn't anymore....
John


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 22 Oct 2011 08:23 PM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 22 Oct 2011 08:14 PM 
Posted By toddalin on 21 Oct 2011 06:58 PM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 21 Oct 2011 04:26 PM 
They don't take that much air. Also get a compressor that uses oil in the crank case. Some of the smaller compressors actually run dry. I don't understand the wisdom of running a reciprocating action dry. 



No possibility of oil contamination in your paint. 
Never seen any. Been running this Coleman for 12 years, change oil every year. My 8 yo Coleman was and isn't anymore....
John



I've been patiently waiting for this Coleman to go so I can get a bigger compressor. It just keep plugging away.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Rather than start a new thread... 

Saturday was my first dry possible build day... my work bench is on my back deck, she sports a roof, but no walls. No Lightening! 
About every 8 - 10 pins my pinner would jam. All my fine tuning tricks were included... well oiled too. The hammer face clean... still I was making 23 ga. pretzels.... 2 screws out, 2 loosened, the hammer gently pried up and a finnished pretzel poked out, reverse above, glue and whoopie another 8 - 10 pins fired successfully and puffttt...salt or mustard? ha ha 
Sunday; too pissed at pinner watched TV and napped.... Monday too hot to drive all the way to work, yet a drive to Home Despots and back and outback made perfect sense! Fired pin after pin and made good progress on my 10' section of cribbing.... 

Famed Chinese reverse engineering unQ C.... HF pins are no good anymore.... I switched to Botsch (sp?) and only stopped when a friend called and said I sounded like I needed a water break... I fergets.... remember when we complained about Taiwan made? Good as gold now! 

Oh I'm retired and checking in on my sis's home while she's away.... 

John


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

AT one time Home Depot had a kit of two pin nailer's that took different sizes of Pins.

It came with a small noisie pancake compressor.

You might take a look at them. 

The ones I got work fine. 


JJ


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