I recently purchased a 23 guage pin nailer to hold 1/4" strips of
hardwood to edge plywood cabinets. I thought it would be a lot easier
than bar clamps, and don't mind putting a dab of filler in after the
glue sets up. However, I get the feeling that the pins do not hold
well enough to apply pressure to get a tight joint.

Anybody else using this method with better success, or do I just dump
the nailer?

Len

wrote:
I recently purchased a 23 guage pin nailer to hold 1/4" strips of
hardwood to edge plywood cabinets. I thought it would be a lot easier
than bar clamps, and don't mind putting a dab of filler in after the
glue sets up. However, I get the feeling that the pins do not hold
well enough to apply pressure to get a tight joint.

Anybody else using this method with better success, or do I just dump
the nailer?

Len

I've also got a 23 ga pinner. It should work fine if the pins are long
enough. My pinner goes up to 1-3/16", which is what I usually use. You
can always add some blue tape to pull the strips tighter to the cabinet
if you see the pins aren't pulling the edging in tight enough. The
pinners are designed to be used for the application you seem so
reluctant to use it for!!

Or you can just send your pinner to me...

Dave

wrote:
I recently purchased a 23 guage pin nailer to hold 1/4" strips of
hardwood to edge plywood cabinets. I thought it would be a lot easier
than bar clamps, and don't mind putting a dab of filler in after the
glue sets up. However, I get the feeling that the pins do not hold
well enough to apply pressure to get a tight joint.

Anybody else using this method with better success, or do I just dump
the nailer?


The edge-grain of plywood doesn't have the density to create any 'grab'
for many types of nails.
An 18ga 1-1/2 would be a start.
Another suggestion is to use a combination of routerbits, which create
a modified v-shaped channel in the plywood edge, and the 'male' part on
the edge material fits in there nice a snug. THEN nail a few 23ga pins
from the top of the ply into the edge....kinda makes the barclamps less
of a bother, huh?

Dump the pin nailer and use better clamps.... I use Gross-Stabil edge
clamps for all edging, the advantage is that they can be used
one-handed.

Here's the 3" version:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN//B000960K1E/awh

They also make a 2" version and Bessey makes a replica, but I didn't
see them on Amazon.


Mort


wrote:
I recently purchased a 23 guage pin nailer to hold 1/4" strips of
hardwood to edge plywood cabinets. I thought it would be a lot easier
than bar clamps, and don't mind putting a dab of filler in after the
glue sets up. However, I get the feeling that the pins do not hold
well enough to apply pressure to get a tight joint.

Anybody else using this method with better success, or do I just dump
the nailer?

Len