Used cordless Dewalt framing nailer

[branimal]

Found a guy selling a the DCN21PL tool only for $165. Seems better than prices on completed ebay sales.

I'm currently using a Freeman pneumatic nailer and it is very heavy. I picked up the dewalt in HD yesterday and it felt really light.

Anyone have experience with this gun?

What should I look & test for if I pick it up?

Thanks

 

[mike93lx]

Reviews on youtube pretty consistently show it as less than great. I'm a Dewalt guy, but can't see getting one.

The milwukees are supposed to be excellent.

If I was testing one, I'd bring a 5ah battery, a strip of nails and a 2x4. Shoot all of them in various positions.

Freeman are some of the more inexpensive guns, right? I'd try a nicer pneumatic before giving up on weight. The cordless guns with nails and a decent battery are far from light.

 

[dnschmidt]

Cordless: Milwaukee
Air Powered: Hitachi

This is how God intended it to be.

 

[shoot summ]

I was in an office a couple of weeks ago, they were remodeling. The carpenter had the 20v Dewalt framing nailer. Couldn't tell you which model, his feedback was he liked the gun, but it was heavy. I have a Hitachi pneumatic gun already, but would like to add a cordless framer to the herd, not sure the Dewalt will be the one I do.

 

[branimal]

Reviews on youtube pretty consistently show it as less than great. I'm a Dewalt guy, but can't see getting one.

The milwukees are supposed to be excellent.

If I was testing one, I'd bring a 5ah battery, a strip of nails and a 2x4. Shoot all of them in various positions.

Freeman are some of the more inexpensive guns, right? I'd try a nicer pneumatic before giving up on weight. The cordless guns with nails and a decent battery are far from light.

Thanks Mike. Watched a few youtube videos and I'm going to hold off for now.

One of the problems I have with the freeman (other than being darn heavy) is that even at 100 psi @ the compressor, the nails don't come close to flush when toe-nailing. (Typically a 1" stick out). I end up driving them home with a palm nailer. When I shoot nails straight the nails drive home fine. I'm using Paslode 3 1/4" nails. The grip-rite brand nails won't fit in the nailer b/c of the thickness of the plastic coating.

Back to the weight - it's often a two handed job just to shoot a toenail.

I just got an alert that HD is running a promo on the Milwaukee framing nailer. I have 2 - 5amp Makita batteries. Maybe I can get one of those battery adapters. A friend was able to run Ridgid batteries on Dewalt tools.

 

[PCustoms]

even at 100 psi @ the compressor, the nails don't come close to flush when toe-nailing. (Typically a 1" stick out). I end up driving them home with a palm nailer.

If they shoot fine straight in then you have some sort of a mechanical blockage when toe nailing.

And good lord, why are you using a palm nailer to drive them home?

 

[mike93lx]

Thanks Mike. Watched a few youtube videos and I'm going to hold off for now.

One of the problems I have with the freeman (other than being darn heavy) is that even at 100 psi @ the compressor, the nails don't come close to flush when toe-nailing. (Typically a 1" stick out). I end up driving them home with a palm nailer. When I shoot nails straight the nails drive home fine. I'm using Paslode 3 1/4" nails. The grip-rite brand nails won't fit in the nailer b/c of the thickness of the plastic coating.

Back to the weight - it's often a two handed job just to shoot a toenail.

I just got an alert that HD is running a promo on the Milwaukee framing nailer. I have 2 - 5amp Makita batteries. Maybe I can get one of those battery adapters. A friend was able to run Ridgid batteries on Dewalt tools.

Did you take off the rubber shoe? You should be seeing teeth

I run my nail guns at the full 120psi my portable comp outputs. It's down enough by the end of the hose to be fine for me and I don't have an issue sinking them.

I run a HF 21 degree and a ridgid 21 degree. Full head only

 

[Renegade1LI]

I have the dewalt, there's a learning curve as it uses a flywheel, once you get used to it it works great.

 

[branimal]

Did you take off the rubber shoe? You should be seeing teeth

I run my nail guns at the full 120psi my portable comp outputs. It's down enough by the end of the hose to be fine for me and I don't have an issue sinking them.

I run a HF 21 degree and a ridgid 21 degree. Full head only

I tried taking what appears to be a metal shoe off by removing the spring clamp. The shoe won't come off. It would be nice to have that shoe off so I can see exactly where the nail is going.

I bumped up the pressure to 115 at the compressor and the gun is sinking the nails in better. Maybe 3/8" stick out. The depth setting is set as deep as possible.

My freeman nailer is 9.5lbs. The Milwaukee nailer is 9.5 + 1.5lb battery = 11 lbs. So yeah I would be adding weight going cordless.

 

[beemerphile]

I have the dewalt, there's a learning curve as it uses a flywheel, once you get used to it it works great.

Yep, but with the Milwaukee you don't have to get used to it. With the time lag on the DeWalt, it is like the difference between firing a flintlock and a cartridge rifle. I like most of DeWalt's tools, but they can keep the nailers.

 

[mike93lx]

That shoe comes off for sure. It's a rubber guard to prevent marring. Just bend the clip a bit more

 

[Renegade1LI]

Yep, but with the Milwaukee you don't have to get used to it. With the time lag on the DeWalt, it is like the difference between firing a flintlock and a cartridge rifle. I like most of DeWalt's tools, but they can keep the nailers.

For the few times I use it I have no issues, it's quick & easy plus the batteries are being used in other tools. For any real framing work you just cant beat air, and with a small ho comp & 1/4" hose it's not that bad to set up.

 

[branimal]

That shoe comes off for sure. It's a rubber guard to prevent marring. Just bend the clip a bit more

Got the shoe off. The teeth were exposed and really held the gun in position when toenailing. Nails are shooting near flush (at the angle).

Thanks Mike!!!

 

[archer11]

I bought DCN692N-XE years ago and it's been fine. The learning curve is not that big.
Tbf I've always like dewalt more.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

All my pneumatic nailers are Porter Cable from Home Depot using them for the past 20 years. Bought new a second framing nailer from HD 4 years ago great tool. With 2 nailers you can build projects quickly.

 

[branimal]

Home depot had a deal on the Milwaukee 21* framing nailer. ~200 for tool. I couldn't resist. I bought a battery adapter ($12) for my Makita 5amp batteries. Seems to work pretty well. I little on the heavy side, but not overbearing.