Martin wrote:
I realize it isn't metalworking, but also that a lot of readers here
are Harbor Freight customers.

Here's my question: A current sale flyer has an "18-gauge brad
nailer

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46309
" on sale for $20 (reg $50). They also have an "18-19 gauge finish
nailer",

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42253
, for $40, not on sale. How does a "brad nailer" differ from a
"finish
nailer"?

More importantly, would it really matter which one I chose for
assembling my new kitchen cabinets? Does a "finish nailer" have
something extra, maybe a rubber nose to prevent marring? BTW, it
appears that at least two part numbers of the nails fit both guns
(33206 and 33207).

thanks and regards,

Martin

I have the second model, it was on sale at the store for like $10 one
time, so I picked it up. It's somewhat limited on the length of nails
you can use in it, I usually use the short ones anyway. What I'm
mostly using it for is putting together CD and DVD storage crates from
thin wood slats and using the nails to hold things together while the
glue dries after I remove the finished product from the assembly jig.
I got it to help speed up assembly operations, before I was just using
a tack hammer and brads. It works but clearing jams is kind of a pain.
A lot of it is plastic, this accounts for the light weight. It's
probably durable enough for the use to which I'm putting it. As I said
at the time, you can't even get a decent tack hammer for $10...

The slight-head brads that it shoots wouldn't be suitable for much more
than light molding on kitchen cabinets. If you're looking for
something to tack face frames onto the rest of the carcase, these ain't
the items to use. If you're looking to hold molding on while glue sets
up, they might do.

Stan