[jyl]

On a whim a couple weeks ago, I bought a Makita 18 V LXT brad nailer. Or at least I thought I did. I picked up a pack of what I thought were brads.

And that was that. I had nothing that needed nailing, just a fleeting idea that it would be nice to be able to nail effortlessly. Ok, I guess I had a Consumer Moment. And I’m the guy who bends nails and whacks his thumb, when using a hammer, more than anyone who’s been on this earth for almost six decades should. So it was a safety thing, really.

My daughter needs to build a frame for a painting she’s starting - a commission, actually. You can buy ready-made frame pieces at art supply stores, but they only come in limited sizes. So we went to the lumber store, picked up some 1x2 and 1x3 pine, spent half a hour with the table saw and chop saw, and had ourselves all the pieces for a really sturdy 54” x 38.75” frame.

Ah ha, I own a brad nailer!

So we insert a battery in the nailer and get the glue, and assemble the frame. I’m thinking, hm, these brads seem pretty wimpy. It goes together fine, and the stretched canvas will hold it together, plus the glue - which is good, because really the more we work at it, the more these brads seem pathetic.

The frame is in the garage waiting for the glue to dry. I’m looking more closely at this brad nailer. I realize I didn’t buy a brad nailer. I bought a PIN nailer. It takes 23 gauge pin nails, max 1 3/8” long. They look like something from an office stapler, just straight. Well sh?t.

Ok, since I’m all into supporting our economy, I’m going to buy another nailer.

It’ll be a Makita 18 V LXT, since I have the batteries. Also, last time I checked, Makita makes more of their tools in not-China than most consumer power tool companies.

Question is, do I get a BRAD nailer or a FINISH nailer? The respective Makita models will both drive a 2 1/2” nail, the finish nailer is about $100 more.