Uses for a 23 Gauge Pin Nailer

Description

• A 23-gauge pin nailer is a small air-powered nail gun. The gun is driven from an air hose, connected to a pressure tank that is filled by a compressor. The nails are fitted into a sliding clip along the front of the gun and feed one at a time through the fastener port at the top and front of the gun. Nails are typically available in up to 1 1/2 inches. The guns are designed with a depressing plunger safety that requires pressure against the nail port tip before the trigger can be pulled to fire a fastener.

Wall Trim

• Wall trim, such as baseboard, window and door casing trim and crown molding can be applied with a 23-gauge nailer. The very thin 23-gauge nails are much less likely to cause splits than their larger counterparts at 18 and 15 gauge. The heads are also considerably smaller, leaving less patchwork at the end of your installation. It is best to use a longer nail that will penetrate through the drywall into the wall frame whenever possible.

Clamp Alternative

• In the shop, 23-gauge nailers are used to support glued joints, rather than applying bulky clamps, using tape or using larger-gauge nails that can cause splits. Align your pieces, then shoot the nail into the joint to hold it in place as the glue dries to prevent the joint from separating. Use multiple nails if needed. The thin gauge of the nails allows them to be fired into the edges of material as thin as 5/16 of an inch when in the hands of an experienced carpenter.

Small Projects

• Other projects built from thin or lightweight wood materials can also benefit from a 23-gauge nailer. Set your air pressure to the bottom end of the acceptable range to prevent nails from blowing through, and use the nailer as you would use a larger gauge on bigger projects. In most cases, glue and nails are all that are needed to make joints in small pieces, avoiding clamps altogether. Set your nailer's depth setting, typically on a small wheel underneath the nail port, or barrel of the gun so that the nail heads set just barely below the surface.