On Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:15:59 -0800, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

on Thu, 25 Feb 2021 15:18:37 -0500 typed in
rec.woodworking the following:

It's long been my tool of choice to pre-drill for small nails when
installing trim or hanging light things on a wood backing. For bigger
holes, I'll prefer a cordless drill.

I broke the last small bit installing baseboard in my wife's shop.
(If I did that sort of thing more often, I'd consider a pneumatic brad
nailer, but I don't already have a compressor.)

Elijah
------
is not so well excercised that extra hard work would hurt
Get a cordless electric brad nailer

Do they work? I've been looking for a stapler. I've bought two,
neither was worth a damn. The reviews on all of them are pretty poor
(wish I'd looked before leaping), am really leery about trying a
third. Twice burned...

Main issue with them I have found is that most don't have the
"heft" to hold still when you drive a brad / staple. That is, while
they are pushing the nail _in_, they are also pushing the nailer
_out". If you hold it in, sort of lean on it, they'll do better.
Otherwise, I use it as a "nail starter" which will get the panel
held to the wall, and then I can go back and drive the brad all the
way flush. Beats trying to hold the panel and the nail and the
hammer.
Generally they work pretty good in softwood - some not so good in
hardwood. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18 guage unit gets good reviews.Or
spend Festool - like prices and buy a Paslode - which uses a butane
canister and the battery just controls and ignites the fuel. Dewalt,
Bostich, and poeter cable use a spinning flywheel. Get one with a
fry-fire lockout that stops the unit from firing when you run out of
nails so you don't continue dimpling your wood blissfully
accomplishing nothing. I don't own one but several friends do and they
love them for trim work and "fixturing" when gluing