Tool test: pin nailers

Bostitch #HP118PK
Price: $175
This model boasts one of the tiniest tips in the group, allowing the tool to deliver pins into the smallest spaces.
Although the Bostitch doesn't come with a protective plastic tip cover as some other models do, a little care during use prevents damage to softwood surfaces. I found that the Bostitch offers a comfortable, spacious handle grip. Grabbing the tool automatically activates the large safety paddle that enables it to be fired. This feature overrides the safety system whether you want to or not.

“This gun felt very comfortable in my hand,” Dalrymple said, “with good weight and balance. It isn't too bulky for tight spots; the hose attaches easily and the tool is manoeuvrable.”

“The exhaust system works well, directing blasts of air away so they're not bothersome. The magazine is simple and easy to load, though sometimes tricky to unload,” Shervill said.


This model is one of the few pinners that includes a depth-adjustment control. It's a dial that adjusts internal air pressure, although the tool drove pins below the surface properly, regardless of the settings.

Rating
In your hand: good
Depth control: good
Tip shape: good
Reliability: excellent
Magazine operation: good
Overall rating (out of five): four
Fastener lengths: 3/8" to 1 3/8"
Weight: 2 lbs. 7oz.
Warranty: 7 year

Grex #P650L
Price: $355
This pinner is the most expensive one in the lineup. It delivers excellent features and performance, starting with the tip; it's very small, making it ideal for intricate work, even with the removable plastic guard snapped in place. Shervill found the “balance point, trigger and handle excellent.” The only small fault I found was the safety lever;
I'm not crazy about having to press it with my middle finger.

The Grex is one of only two pinners in the lineup that can fire pins from 1/2" to 2" long, increasing its versatility. The magazine works flawlessly while loading or unloading, with no need for adjustment to suit different lengths of pins.

It's easy to run out of nails unnoticed with any kind of air nailer, especially pinners because you can't easily see that pins haven't been delivered into the wood. You might think you've secured a piece of wood when you really haven't. To eliminate this problem, the Grex includes a unique auto-lockout feature that shuts down tool operation when roughly six pins remain in the magazine, ensuring that you never mistakenly think you're securing wood when you're not. This lockout feature can also be overridden for those times when you have just a few more pins to shoot before completing an operation on top of a ladder or scaffolding.

“Smooth magazine operation. The tool is very easy to load/unload,” Dalrymple said, “and I like the left-sided magazine latch and opening.”

Rating
In your hand: good
Depth control: good
Tip shape: excellent
Reliability: excellent
Magazine operation: excellent
Overall rating (out of five): four and one half
Fastener lengths: 1/2" to 2"
Weight: 2 lbs. 10oz.
Warranty: 1 year