HF 18 Gauge 2n1 Stapler / Brad Nailer

[junquecol]

Recently I bought one on sale with a coupon for $12.99. Several parts are plastic (so is my helmet and hard hat.) I just used it to put down 1/4" plywood on a bathroom floor, in preparation for vinyl flooring install. Used 1" staples. Gun performed flawlessly!. You can get gun for $14.99 now, using either $14.99 coupon, or just using 20% off coupon on top of current sale price of $19.99. Bought a second to use with brads. No experience with brads yet though. On a side note, today I was in a pawn shop, and saw a Sears nail gun that was built almost identical to one of the HF ones, including color scheme. I think this new line of nailers from HF are going to be a HF Gem.

 

[Mike Camp]

Thanks for being my HF guinea pig, Bruce! I've been waiting on pulling the trigger on any of this new line of HF nailers until I saw some decent reviews.

 

[PND]

The disadvantage of using this particular gun (brad/staple combination) for brads is that the piece which drives the brad is the same one that drives the staple and is correspondingly large. The HF brad nailer uses a small driver which makes only a brad-sized hole in the wood. If you are going to have two guns, you might pay a very little bit more and have one be the dedicated brad nailer--a recognized HF gem.

Phil

 

[MarkE]

I have had the HF Contractor Series nailer/stapler for several years. It has always worked very well. As Phil stated, when using it for brads it does leave a larger hole than a brad only nailer.

The gun I have uses 18 gauge brads and staples. It will drive narrow, medium and wide crown staples. I am about out of the medium crown staples and was looking to buy more. HF no longer carries the staples for this stapler. I have tried staples from Bostich, Senco, etc. and none of them will work in this stapler. They jam every time. The HF staples are quite a bit thinner, they look like they may be closer to 20 gauge. I will have to order some 20 gauge staples and try those, if I can find the correct crown(5/16) and length.

18 gauge brads from Senco and Bostich work fine in this gun.

Bottom line is, make sure the gun you buy will use standard sized staples or you may end up with a brad only nail gun.

 

[PND]

Mark, I see that HF has 1/4 in, 18 gauge staples on it's webpage. I hope those will fit my old, unattractive gun. Good luck in finding something that will fit in yours. If not you might have to pony up some cash for another model.

Phil

 

[MarkE]

Mark, I see that HF has 1/4 in, 18 gauge staples on it's webpage. I hope those will fit my old, unattractive gun. Good luck in finding something that will fit in yours. If not you might have to pony up some cash for another model.

Phil

I am going to check the ones HF sells the next time in the store.

In the meantime I do have an Accuset nailer stapler.

 

[JimD]

I have the HF narrow crown stapler. It is rated to drive a 1 1/2 inch staple but as a practical matter mine will not. If I ran the regulator at 120psi or more maybe it would. But at 90 psi it will not. My other nailers will drive their rated nails at less than 90 psi. But it will drive 3/4 staples well every time so I use it to put the back on cabinets. I've also used it to make plantation shutters for 4 bedrooms, 8 windows. I made jigs so it partially drives the staples.

I also have the wide crown upholstrey stapler. I am not sure how it does with staples as long as it is rated to drive. It has driven all the ones I've tried.

Jim