Expert: Jamie Yocono - 10/21/2006

Question
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The text above is a follow-up to ...
I have porter cable models BN125 shoots a 18 gauge - 1-1/4 in brad, and the porter cable 200A shoots a 18" - 2" brad nail.

1.  Are these good guns and are they big enough to do the job or do i need the framing gun.  

2.  I had planned on using a hammer to do the hanging of the cabniets or should i get a framing gun?  

3.  Are the Porter Cables a quality tool for the "home owner?

4.  Do you know of a web site that will tell you what jobs are appropriate for each gun ?  

Thanks..  

-----Question-----
I am going to build some cabinets for my garage and i will put in trim etc, what are the best or nail guns to use.  There will be approximately 50 feet of cabinets.
-----Answer-----
John,

I need more information in order to answer your question. Please send me a little more information and I will try to help. What specific questions about nail guns do you have?

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com


Answer
Hi John,

Both of the PC nail guns you mentioned owning belong in the same family of brad nail guns. They both shoot an 18 gauge brad, the main difference (as far as I can tell) is the length of the brad that they will shoot. One has a 1 1/4" limit, and the other had a 2" limit.

Now these are great brad guns, but they basically do the same thing. I'm just guessing, but you probably bought these together, in some sort of package deal. Am I correct? They basically do the same thing, and for someone who needs a little variety in their tool arsenal, there is probably no reason to own both.

That's just my opinion, but if you look at the specs on them, they're almost the same gun. They're going to be great for trim work, and some cabinetry work, like building drawers, etc. But that's about as far as you'll go with those. They will not do anything heavy duty for you, like framing.

That said- you asked about installing your cabinets, and if you need a framing gun to do that. No, you don't NEED a framing gun for that, and you don't even WANT a framing gun for that. Cabinets should never be installed using nails. NEVER! The nails will work out over time, and are not used for installing cabinets..

Instead, you want to use a good quality cabinet screw, preferably a 3" screw, since it's going thru the cabinet back, the nailing rail behind it, the drywall, and then into a stud.  I use square drive screws made by McFeely, and the reason is that they don't slip in my power screw-gun. Phillips head screws can slip, so square drive screws are the way to go. Check out their website at: www.mcfeelys.com.

Next, something that most people don't know about is using the proper bit holder when driving screws. There are bit holders that have a metal tube that slides forward, holding your screw in place. It's hard enough to drive a 3" screw, but to do it while holding a cabinet in place, and trying to keep it level? That's hard stuff! So look for one of the bit holders that help hold your screw in place while you're driving it. Dewalt and Makita both make theses holders, as well as a host of other companies.

So- to recap what I just said- your nail guns are nice, but are not going to be that helpful for installing your cabinets. You want to screw those in place, using good quality screws. Porter-Cable tools are fine tools, in my opinion, they make the best routers out there. My nail guns happen to be Senco guns, and have held up a long time. My framing gun is probably 20 years old. And my brad gun and finish nail gun are at least 10 years old, if not older. These tools last a long time with proper care, like a drop of oil in the air hole every time I use the gun.

Use your guns for installing trim or the face frame, and do the installation with screws. BTW- if you have to purchase a screw gun, I recommend a Milwaukee screw-gun. I've owned about 4 of these drivers over the years, and the best one (my opinion) is the Milwaukee, in terms of weight, balance, and durability.

Also- if you want to learn more about nail guns and what each gun is good for, I would look at Senco's website. (www.senco.com).

Last thing- this is just my opinion, but if I were you, I would consider selling the BN125 gun, as the 220A will do virtually the same thing.  I sold a Senco Stapler on eBay and got a decent amount for it. Take your money and buy another tool, like either a framing gun (if you do a lot of heavy framing) or even that screw gun I mentioned. Having duplicate tools isn't worth it, unless you do ALOT of nailing and need a back-up in case one breaks.

OK, good luck, I hope this helps.  And if this answer was helpful... please take a minute and rate my service. Thanks!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com