Review of DeWalt D51238K 5/5-inch to 2-inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer (compare, brand)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We were first introduced to the world of nail guns when we were working on a DIY book about building outdoor wooden structures. Until then I assumed that anything that needed to be nailed required a hammer, and of course nails. This is not so. A nail gun like the DeWalt D51238K brad nailer simplifies carpentry projects whenever you are going to be nailing, rather than screwing wood together - and you don't need a hammer at all.
Compare holding a tool against a wooden surface and firing one shot, to making pilot holes either by drilling or with a bradawl to prevent the wood from splitting, and then vigorously hammering away. We still hammer rough post and rail fences on the farm, but will always use the nail gun for any structural work, from installing a new skirting board in the house, to making new panels for a new internal partition in the barn.
What we like about the DeWalt nail gun is that it drives 5/8" to 2"-long nails in very easily and with very little effort. It's a relatively light machine and very easily to load. Really all you do is hold the brad nailer against the wood you are nailing, and pull the trigger. The only real thought process involved is setting the depth adjustment control, and you don't need a tool to do the adjustment. What this adjustment process does is to increase the power of the nail shot, which is necessary if you are working with hard woods as opposed to softer woods and composite materials.
Another feature of this useful brad nailer is that there is a side display panel or small window that shows you when nails need to be reloaded. There is also an over-molded no-mar pad, which is a trademark fitting in DeWalt brad nailers, in the form of a protective casing that acts like a nose cushion. This provides better visibility when using the tool, and also makes the tool a lot more durable than some other brands. If nails jam, you don't need a tool to clear them, which also prevents bent nails getting caught in the nosepiece. There is also a 360