I’m looking to buy a 23 ga headless pinner for light cabinet work, like fastening stops in glass-panel cabinet doors. I’ve used an Omer in the last shop I worked at, and thought it was great. But, it’s very expensive. Can anyone reccomend a less costly, but reliable alternative brand? EBay shows a cheap one by the name of EDI. I will only use the gun on occassion, but still don’t want to fight with guns that misfire. I also don’t need the longest length pins. Thanks.
Bob K
Replies
Look for a Senco accuset on ebay they don't make this one anymore and they are not for heavy duty use. I have one and for occasional use they work fine.
Troy
I have a Cadex that cost around $120 and has been just fine. It gets used daily for pins up to 1 3/16".
DR
Ring, I recently picked up the PC #pin100 and I am happy with it. It's 23ga up to 1"pins. Look at the spec. at portercable.cpoworkshop.com it's their overstock and factory reconditioned outlet. They have sales on both.
The guys in the trades said get Senco if you use it every day, otherwise the PC is ok but they liked no others. all the best, Pat
The reason I couldn't get the Senco was that it won't take pins over 1", and I absolutely need the longer length. Nikle make a great pinner but it's twice the price.
DR
Thanks for the input. It's funny how opinions vary. Other forums have trashed the Senco and p/c pinners. As usual, each of us has our own experience with the tools we know and own. I have other p/c guns which work fine, so far, and the price at CPO is attractive. I will avoid the no-name brands on EBay, assuming that you get what you pay for. Thanks again.
Bob K
I have the bostich 23 gauge pinner. It will use pins up to 1 3/16 inch. Works great. Costs about $100.
Jim
Bob, also check amazon as I just picked up a new crown nailer at a better price than CPO. If you need much more than 1" you may need to look at the 18ga. brad nailer as the 23ga. is really very light. Pat
I've got a 15 ga , 18 ga, and 23 ga. The 23 is so much smaller than the 18 --when I don't want obvious holes, I opt for the 23 if it'll hold things together "until the glue dries". :)
Spike, me too, I had not seen a purpose mentioned and was just cautious to mention that the 23ga isn't too structuraly functional eh.Thanks, Pat
The Max I think goes to 1 9/16". I think it's about $220 I have the PC and like it a lot. I just need up to an inch to hold till the glue dries.
I've used several pinners, from the most expensive ( duofast I believe) to woodtek.Several months ago I had a chance to use the Bostich for about 5 weeks. When I buy a pinner it will be the Bostich.A friend of mine that does high end millwork installations has two of these. He also has a senco, now keeps it for a spare.The bostich sunk pins in every hardwood I used without problems. Consistent depth of pin even in bubinga.
mike
I asked this same question a few months ago and ended up buying the cadex for 120$ from floyd tools online. It's a great tool manufactured in canada. Easy to use and perfect...well worth the money i spent on it. I recently went back to work for a cabinet shop that i left and they had just bouoght the 300$ Omer, I had to hold back my laughter...they had to send it back for service because it wasn't siniking the pins fully and so the company filed the tip down for them. I guess it's a common problem for the 23 guage guns but the cadex gets it every time. I laughed all the way to the bank...
yeah, mine sinks them too--the $120 unit.
Edited 6/6/2006 10:33 pm ET by Spike2
Thanks for all of the input, from everybody. I have also been running this same thread in another forum and thought you might be interested to know what the consensus is. The winners clearly are the Cadex and the Grex. Since the Cadex can be had for $119 at Amazon and the Grex is $179, Cadex seems to be the best value, based on the opinions of those who responded.
Bob K
Bob
The Cadex that you mention for $120 is not their top of the line 23g pinner. They have another one that shots a 1 3/8" pin, sells for about $220 and is similar to the Grex and Max, which both shot 1 3/8"
The Cadex that you mention for $120 shots a 1 3/16" pin and I think is made in a different factory then there better gun.
Doug
Thanks for the tip. There seems to be a common incremental step that several makers take to go from 1-3/16" to 1-3/8". Is the difference (for, say, Cadex and Grex) just the increased pin length? Or are there other improvements that make the 1-3/8 gun more reliable? In my case, that 3/16" difference isn't enough to make me spend the extra money, unless the performance of the gun is much better, too.
I bet I've spent $120 worth of time just researching which gun to buy!
Bob K
I've got the $120 Cadex and can't imagine what else it could do better. Consider this: the guy at Floyd Tools said the unit I bought sinks the pins more than the more expensive unit. that convinced me to save $80. :)
bet I've spent $120 worth of time just researching which gun to buy!
You and me both!
This Cadex gun http://www.cadextools.com/tools_cp2335.html
can shot a headed pin as well as the typical nonheaded pin.
I didnt buy it for that reason, matter of fact I didnt even know it until after I bought it! I have used it since though, the head does give a bit more holding power.
When I use the 2335 I feel the difference between it and the 2330 and the senco or PC guns, its just made that much better.
I wouldnt have one of the PC or Sencos but I'm not dissing them, they just arnt anywhere near as good in my opinion.
I've had the oportunity to use the Cadex 2330, a friend has one and I like it, I just like the 2335 much better.
I hear a lot of people say that they would never need the extra length that the 1 3/16 or 1 3/8" guns use but I bought one packet of each size nail, I would say that my 5/8, 11/16 and 3/4" nails get used the most but I'd guess that the others account for about 25-30% of my total use. I'm glad I have the option.
A guy over at BT just bought the Max and swears that it's the best built gun that he's ever had. I think it got a thumbs up from his 4 year old son, said it was like a Power Rangers gun. I'd probably agree because I have a Max gun and they are well engineered, well built guns.
I was told that their was going to be a tool review in FWW comming out soon that will give the Nikle(sp?) its highest mark. I have very little confidence in what FWW, or any mag for that matter, says about a tool. It's usually one man with one opinion regarding the tool. I would rather listen to the people on BT or FWW and the workplaces that I go to daily over them, I dont mean that in any disrespectful way either.
Doug
Thanks. By the way, there's an Ebay store that sells a variety pack of the various length Grex pins for $16. Does anyone know from experience if there is any problem using Grex pins in a Cadex gun?
Doug: I go nuts over the time spent researching tools (and techniques) and shopping for the best price, but the result is that I never end up with a dog.
And I agree that tool reviews have to be taken with a grain of salt. My favorite example was the review of 14.4 cordless drills in FWW. The guy rated Bosch a notch lower than two others because the handle was too big for his small hand, even though it rated highest in torque. Well, guess what...I don't have a small hand. I bought the Bosch and think it's great.
Bob K
I think the review did a good job for you, though. He said why he downgraded the Bosch, you applied that knowledge to your situation, and picked the right tool for you. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
You're right. But it must be pretty frustrating for the makers of the Bosch drill to see the other guys get the "Best Value" stamp of approval from Fine Woodworking over you because the reviewer had a small hand...
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