Grex P635 23 Gauge 1-3/8-Inch Length Headless Pinner

So here’s the deal, this was talked up to me for so long that I had unattainable expectations for it. Unfortunately in my experience so far it’s only slightly better, like 10% better, than my Porter Cable 23g nailer. Both do the exactly same thing but one is 100 bucks. You decide. I’ve used it for 3 months and traded a coworker for a Porter. Perhaps I’m wrong but very unimpressed. (That said the Grex 18g is incredible IMHO)

About a year ago I started hearing rumbling about a tool that could supplant my 18-gauge brad gun for trim work. I laughed, because EVERYONE knows that the 18-gauge gun is the king for baseboards, molding and the like... right? But I heard more and more, and I was forced to admit that those big holes the 18-gauge heads plowed in the trim were indeed unsightly and time consuming... And the occasional splits at board ends and in fine components verily did vex me most acutely...So, I decided that I would try this new thing, this "23-gauge revolution". After a fair bit of research online and in woodworking magazines, the Grex appeared to fairly consistently lead the pack for quality and capability, so I gambled the cash on the P635, figuring that I could always re-sell it if the old Craftsman 18-gauge out-performed it the way I expected it would. It is now a year later, and the old Craftsman hasn't come out from the box in over eight months. Within the first couple shots on oak base boards, I started to warm up to this gun in a hurry. The tiny, invisible pin holes need no filler at all, and the light, handy gun is easier on my arm and compressor. The holding power of the 23-gauge pins is surprising, far greater than I expected, especially if they are shot into solid wood. In oak or maple, you will likely break the pin entirely before you are able to pull it free of the wood. If you do not have a solid substrate to shoot into (say shooting into soft wood or sheetrock) a pair of pins fired at opposing angles in the same area will lock the object down and prevent any movement at all. The holes are so tiny that you will not be able to tell you shot it at all, much less twice.I have about 3K pins cycled through this gun now, and everything is still running like a sewing machine. The auto-adjusting magazine works very well, and the dual-trigger safety is REALLY nice with delicate parts, since you do not have to run the risk of denting or marring the surface by pressing the safety tip against it to clear the trigger like you do on an 18-gauge gun. The heel of the magazine is cut off to allow the gun to be cocked backwards as you get into a corner, so you can shoot right into the angle itself, and the feature works well when it is needed.One thing to watch out for, though: The 23-gauge pins have tremendous penetrating power, but very little directional stability. If your wood has a strong grain, expect the pin to follow the grain instead of going straight, especially if the grain runs very close to parallel with the pin's path. This can occasionally result in a pin curving as much as 45 degrees off-target and exiting the side of the workpiece. Consider your grain and angle before shooting, and the risk of a blow-out can be minimized. Not a fault of the gun, merely a cost of using a pin so fine and easily flexed.Overall, I am extremely pleased. The only real downsides are the pins following grain as mentioned, and that the supply of 23-gauge pins is less well established in big-box stores than 18-gauge brads. The local BBSs stock three lengths of Porter Cable branded pins that work in this gun in a pinch, but you will be well-served to just order a pile of them along with the gun when you purchase it. Get a range of sizes, because you'll quickly find yourself reaching for this handy little fellow for more things than you ever thought possible!

This is an excellent product, comes ready to use, and works perfectly. Quiet, light, and well made. Feels better than the Porter Cable I tried out, and extremely accurate. I used it at 90 psi with the 1 3/8" pins, and had no issues with putting pins through shoe molding, corner molding, pinning crown miters, etc.A very minor gripe: it is difficult to load a new clip of pins when there are a few still left on the old clip. The spring mechanism pushes the two clips together pretty hard when you close the magazine, and the ends of the clips can get doubled up, jamming the magazine. I was unable to fix this, so I just made sure I only refilled when it was completely empty. Kind of a hassle on the ladder, but there are so many pins in a clip it didn't matter to me that much. I don't know if this was a problem on the other pinner I tried out because I never thought to check.If you've never used a pinner, you should know that it is NOT going to replace your finish nailer. In other words, don't plan on a pinner to hold up oak trim on a coffered ceiling. You can put the smaller stuff (cove, bead) up with the pinner, and you get perfect results.Another great use for the pinner is holding the returns on small pieces of trim while the glue sets up. Things that you cannot clamp together can be pinned and you'll probably never see the tiny hole. Plus, no problems with splitting the end grains either! Saves me hours of hole-filling and irritation.This pinner has the dual trigger, and it works well. One safety note, don't get complacent about holding the safety trigger down and waving the gun around at the same time (away from the workpiece). There is no safety tip to depress, so it will fire away. It's all too easy to slide one hand a little too close to the tip while you're positioning and give yourself a new body piercing. Didn't do it personally, but it can be done...One thing this gun doesn't do as well as a finish nailer is shoot at shallow angle. There's no deep countersink to push the angled nails in, and the pins are so fine that the grain of hard wood will sometimes curve your angled shots and turn them out the side. If you're shooting near the joint between two pieces of wood, it will very easily just follow the joint instead of angling through them. Just take some care in lining it up before you pull the trigger and that issue goes away.A minor gripe: it is difficult to load a new clip of pins when there are a few still left on the old clip. The spring mechanism pushes the two clips together pretty hard when you close the magazine, and the clips can get doubled up, jamming the magazine. I was unable to prevent this, so I just made sure I only refilled when it was completely empty.***Update 12/16/2012***I like this more than when I wrote the original review, and though I've used it less this past two years than before, it still performs as well as the first day I used it. Also, it is amusing to have a tool that even some of the experienced cabinet guys don't have. When I show them there's no hole to fill in on that tiny trim stip, they do a double-take. "Wait, let me see that thing again..."They don't respect it when I take it out of the box at first, but all it takes is one or two shots, and they're in love with it...

This gun can save the day. You don't need glue to secure wood. The nails hold very well. This is high quality brand. Buy with confidence. An investment for serious DIY enthusiasts.

Very quick, freaking awesome pin nailer, I'll be getting the 21guage as well

Was just as described & very fast shipping. Husband pleased with item.