- Fire brads from 3/4 to 2 inches in length
- Operate at 60 to 100 PSI with a 1/4-inch NPT air inlet fitting
- Lightweight aluminum body weighs in at 3 pounds with rubber-grip handle for maximum comfort
- Hold up to 100 brads in the magazine with a quick-release to make jam clearing a breeze
- Includes oil, two adjustment wrenches and a custom carrying case
Remember when your brad nailer was reliable? The WEN 18-Gauge Brad Nailer effortlessly shoots brads anywhere from 3/4 to 2 inches in size. With a lightweight 3-pound aluminum body and a comfortable rubber-grip handle, this tool is the perfect companion for any job site. Just plug in your favorite air compressor and start nailing. The WEN Brad Nailer operates at anywhere from 60 to 100 PSI with a 1/4 inch NPT air inlet fitting. The spacious magazine carries up to 100 brads while the quick-release design makes jam clearing a breeze. The kit includes oil, adjustment wrenches and a custom carrying case for convenient storage between jobs. And it wouldn’t be a WEN product if it weren’t backed by a one year warranty, a friendly customer help line and a nationwide network of skilled service technicians. The WEN 18-Gauge Brad Nailer: remember when you could get through a job without your nailer constantly jamming up? Remember WEN.
By greg
I had read the reviews so i went ahead and purchased this for about 35.00 shipped. I got it in the mail and opened it up.The case seemed very cheap. Now i pull out the nailer, It seems like WEN didnt pay much attention to the details. Some of the paint looked touched up, the trigger was just a piece of metal and some of the other pieces of the gun looked of questionable quality.This doesnt look even close to the beautiful, yellow, quality DeWalt that my buddy loans me.So nervously i hook it up and put in a stack of 1 3/4" nails, they loaded nicely. I test the gun on a 2x4.I tap a couple in and the nails go so deep i thought it misfired. So i turn the little depth wheel under the tip,(which feels kind of cheap but actually works better than the dewalt) and tap a couple more till perfect. I start laying some base board and the gun has a very smooth and solid yet lighweight feel to it. Not one misfire. Also the gun doesnt jump around. and the tip looks like it would destroy the board but actually did very well. I finished the kitchen and hallway and am very impressed with the gun. I have used a DeWalt to baseboard and trim two entire houses, and comparing the two I actually think the WEN performs better. I have only shot a couple of hundred nails out of the WEN so I will have to see how it holds up. but for 35.00 I could buy a few of these at the cost of the others. It's even starting to look prettier than the DeWalt.
By Charles Seiler
This is a Pneumatic tool meaning you need at least a very tiny air compressor to run this. The tiniest 120 volt portable air compressors will run these, most of the very cheap small air compressors are less than $100. If you don't own an air compressor, I will tell you it's a safe investment. They last for 20 years or more, I bought one 14 years ago, and have never changed the oil or done anything. If you want it to last forever, get an "oil" air compressor not an "oil free." They cost about more, but they last forever. As for the size, just go with the largest one you can afford, and make sure it's portable, and something that you can haul in your vehicle if you need to take it somewhere for a project.
About the 18 gauge brad nailers:
I purchased a Harbor Freight 18 gauge brad nailer. I was very happy with the performance, but I noticed that the rear latch was made of soft plastic. If you dropped it once it would shatter the rear latching mechanism into bits. I returned it and got my $32 back (after tax). I went to all the major websites, Home Depot, Sears, Lowes, but Amazon had lower prices on all the different models of air nailers. I have been a mechanic and carpenter for 16 years. I built my own air compressor when I was a kid, so I have a very good understanding of air tools, and tools in general. I have not tried the WEN yet, as I just ordered it. But here are some selling points.
1.) The Dewalt has a lot of bad reviews about it jamming
2.) The Harbor Freight nailer spits a lot of oil out and can be messy, and had no power adjustment. It is also made of soft cheap plastic.
3.) The NuMax looks good, and will work fine, although it has no power adjustment, and no quick release to take the front apart to clear out jams. If you get a jam, it will take 5 minutes to fix it, instead of 1 minute.
4.) The Hitachi looks poorly made, the rear latch mechanism doesn't look like it's made out of metal, and the tool is ugly! But this is just my opinion, more research is needed to see if the rear latch is made of soft plastic.
5.) The other brands, Porter Cable, Campbell Hausfield, etc, are too expensive.
6.) The WEN has
A.) Depth adjustment. This is important because a normal brad nailer set at full power at 120 psi will blast a nail so far into the wood that you won't ever see it again. You need either to regulate the pressure down to 70 psi or maybe even lower for some very soft woods, or some type of power adjustment on the tool. The Wen has this adjustment capability so you can use it without turning your pressure way down at the air compressor. Most air compressors come with a factory air regulator, so it's not the end of the world if your air tool has no adjustments. It will still work fine without them. But I wanted the convenience of not adjusting the air pressure all the time.
B.) The WEN has a quick release to remove the front piece to clear out jammed nails.
C.) The WEN has a METAL latch on the back, and it's on the side of the tool, not sticking straight out the back like some. This means you would have to try really hard to damage the rear latch mechanism, and it looks about 10 times stronger than the Harbor Freight tool I returned which was only $13 less.
D.) Good reviews, no jams.
Now if you purchase the Wen and want to use 2" brads, use Bostich brand only, as they are the correct length.
I will post more after I've received and used the tool for a few months.
March 24, 2013
I've now owned the tool for 1 year. I have built many things with it, I have never had a single jam. My original review still stands. I have used the longest nails you can possibly use in this tool, the 2 inch nails, and it drives them in with power to spare and leaves a tiny pin head print, without damaging the surrounding wood, unlike the cheap staple/brad nail combo guns which leave the very large chunk out of the wood from the staple driver head, this WEN only leaves a tiny, tiny dent in the wood, which is not really noticeable, so it is good for finish work, and the adjustment for depth does work perfect, so you can protect "over driving" the head into the work piece for fine finish work, but it will take a couple test shots to see how much depth you want.
I noticed when driving the 2" nails, it has more than enough power, and doesn't jam, although using such a long nail is much stronger, it is difficult to drive them straight because any angle at all will be amplified when attaching two thin 1/2" pieces of plywood together using an excessively long brad nail (2 inches), which doesn't leave much room for error. I still enjoy using the 2" brad nails that I bought from Harbor Freight which work perfect in this gun, because they are stronger than the shorter ones, although I don't feel that it's necessary.
Notes:
1.) Oil can shoot out of this gun from the top vent onto your work piece. That's the only disadvantage I've seen so far. However, you can turn the vent to the side and it will blow away from your work piece, rather than on top of it, so that's something that is up to the user to control. Also you could very easily put a small rag on top of this WEN brad nailer to cover the exhaust port when doing ultra fine finish work to protect 100% from oil. However, I built several boxes with fine oak veneer plywood and during that time with 60 brad nails I only had oil fall on the wood 1 time (and it easily sanded off) because I wasn't paying attention to the direction of the vent on top.
2.) I love love this brad nailer. The handle is super comfortable. I've never owned a nailer, although I've owned over 30 air tools, this one has a quality feel to it, it's not very heavy, but not plastic and cheap either.
3.) Pressure does need to be reduced below 120-90 psi for ideal results, because you don't need full pressure, even with 2" inch brad nails this gun has more than adequate power to get the job done, so either use the limiter on the tool for depth, or reduce the pressure. I found that reducing the pressure down to about 60 psi was all that I needed to do to get perfect depth control without changing any settings on the tool. Your results will vary. Most air compressors have a small black control knob near the tank, with an output pressure gauge, this is so you can reduce the pressure for nail guns, and paint gun.
The case is not very well made, but the tool its self is very high quality. Overall, after 1 year I'm extremely happy and would never trade this tool for anything. Well worth the investment.
About the 18 gauge brad nailers:
I purchased a Harbor Freight 18 gauge brad nailer. I was very happy with the performance, but I noticed that the rear latch was made of soft plastic. If you dropped it once it would shatter the rear latching mechanism into bits. I returned it and got my $32 back (after tax). I went to all the major websites, Home Depot, Sears, Lowes, but Amazon had lower prices on all the different models of air nailers. I have been a mechanic and carpenter for 16 years. I built my own air compressor when I was a kid, so I have a very good understanding of air tools, and tools in general. I have not tried the WEN yet, as I just ordered it. But here are some selling points.
1.) The Dewalt has a lot of bad reviews about it jamming
2.) The Harbor Freight nailer spits a lot of oil out and can be messy, and had no power adjustment. It is also made of soft cheap plastic.
3.) The NuMax looks good, and will work fine, although it has no power adjustment, and no quick release to take the front apart to clear out jams. If you get a jam, it will take 5 minutes to fix it, instead of 1 minute.
4.) The Hitachi looks poorly made, the rear latch mechanism doesn't look like it's made out of metal, and the tool is ugly! But this is just my opinion, more research is needed to see if the rear latch is made of soft plastic.
5.) The other brands, Porter Cable, Campbell Hausfield, etc, are too expensive.
6.) The WEN has
A.) Depth adjustment. This is important because a normal brad nailer set at full power at 120 psi will blast a nail so far into the wood that you won't ever see it again. You need either to regulate the pressure down to 70 psi or maybe even lower for some very soft woods, or some type of power adjustment on the tool. The Wen has this adjustment capability so you can use it without turning your pressure way down at the air compressor. Most air compressors come with a factory air regulator, so it's not the end of the world if your air tool has no adjustments. It will still work fine without them. But I wanted the convenience of not adjusting the air pressure all the time.
B.) The WEN has a quick release to remove the front piece to clear out jammed nails.
C.) The WEN has a METAL latch on the back, and it's on the side of the tool, not sticking straight out the back like some. This means you would have to try really hard to damage the rear latch mechanism, and it looks about 10 times stronger than the Harbor Freight tool I returned which was only $13 less.
D.) Good reviews, no jams.
Now if you purchase the Wen and want to use 2" brads, use Bostich brand only, as they are the correct length.
I will post more after I've received and used the tool for a few months.
March 24, 2013
I've now owned the tool for 1 year. I have built many things with it, I have never had a single jam. My original review still stands. I have used the longest nails you can possibly use in this tool, the 2 inch nails, and it drives them in with power to spare and leaves a tiny pin head print, without damaging the surrounding wood, unlike the cheap staple/brad nail combo guns which leave the very large chunk out of the wood from the staple driver head, this WEN only leaves a tiny, tiny dent in the wood, which is not really noticeable, so it is good for finish work, and the adjustment for depth does work perfect, so you can protect "over driving" the head into the work piece for fine finish work, but it will take a couple test shots to see how much depth you want.
I noticed when driving the 2" nails, it has more than enough power, and doesn't jam, although using such a long nail is much stronger, it is difficult to drive them straight because any angle at all will be amplified when attaching two thin 1/2" pieces of plywood together using an excessively long brad nail (2 inches), which doesn't leave much room for error. I still enjoy using the 2" brad nails that I bought from Harbor Freight which work perfect in this gun, because they are stronger than the shorter ones, although I don't feel that it's necessary.
Notes:
1.) Oil can shoot out of this gun from the top vent onto your work piece. That's the only disadvantage I've seen so far. However, you can turn the vent to the side and it will blow away from your work piece, rather than on top of it, so that's something that is up to the user to control. Also you could very easily put a small rag on top of this WEN brad nailer to cover the exhaust port when doing ultra fine finish work to protect 100% from oil. However, I built several boxes with fine oak veneer plywood and during that time with 60 brad nails I only had oil fall on the wood 1 time (and it easily sanded off) because I wasn't paying attention to the direction of the vent on top.
2.) I love love this brad nailer. The handle is super comfortable. I've never owned a nailer, although I've owned over 30 air tools, this one has a quality feel to it, it's not very heavy, but not plastic and cheap either.
3.) Pressure does need to be reduced below 120-90 psi for ideal results, because you don't need full pressure, even with 2" inch brad nails this gun has more than adequate power to get the job done, so either use the limiter on the tool for depth, or reduce the pressure. I found that reducing the pressure down to about 60 psi was all that I needed to do to get perfect depth control without changing any settings on the tool. Your results will vary. Most air compressors have a small black control knob near the tank, with an output pressure gauge, this is so you can reduce the pressure for nail guns, and paint gun.
The case is not very well made, but the tool its self is very high quality. Overall, after 1 year I'm extremely happy and would never trade this tool for anything. Well worth the investment.
By QuantumJoe83
This brad nailer works very well. The tip can mark your surface, so be careful. No problems with jamming. Feels and performs like an expensive nailer. Would recommend to anyone who needs a brad nailer.
By TH
You can't beat the price with this, but you'd be hard pressed to beat the product itself. Gets the job done! I purchased to hand plywood strips for a faux plank wall, and have run over 1,000 brads through it with no problems whatsoever.
By Seaberg
I can't even begin to describe how pleasantly surprised I was by this brad nailer. As a home improvement DIY'er it was the latest tool in my arsenal, and I was apprehensive about purchasing a brand that I hadn't heard of before. But relying on the reviews of my fellow Amazon purchasers, I went ahead and bought this nailer because I couldn't pass up the price! I have used this nail gun on multiple projects since then, and I haven't once had to deal with a jam. This is a great little nailer and I'm so happy that I listened to the reviews - which is why I wanted to add my own! Just make sure you read the instructions. Most of the problems people are having are probably a result of not reading through the instructions completely!
By Haywood
I have a Bostitch Trim Nailer that i love to use. For my latest project I needed an 18 Gauge Brad nailer. I searched the local big box stores and was sort of blown away at how much money these 18 gauge nailers were going for. I then hit Amazon (which is usually my first choice) and searched around. I found this WEN and decided to take a shot. I am using it to install 5 1/4" deluxe colonial base boards and finishing them off with 3/4" qtr round for shoe. I am also installing fluted casing moldings with rosettes around all my windows and doors.
This WEN 18 Gauge brad nailer has been every bit as reliable as my Bostitch trim nailer. I am using 2" Bostitch brads in the WEN. I have shot close to 1000 brads through the WEN without a single issue. I am using between 85 and 90 PSI out of my tank and that's the right number for my current job. I am so happy I decided to try this WEN nailer. I saved money and ended up with a darn nice nailer. It even came with its own plastic case. Big props to WEN and Team Amazon for yet another GREAT deal on a really nice item. Don't let the small price fool you, this tool is every bit as good as the big boy names. One slight drawback, it doesn't have a plastic ring trim around the nailer head. If you're not careful, you may make a larger than desired indentation in your molding, when powering a brad in. Hasn't been an issue for me, but I see where it could be a problem on more delicate tasks. Two thumbs Up
This WEN 18 Gauge brad nailer has been every bit as reliable as my Bostitch trim nailer. I am using 2" Bostitch brads in the WEN. I have shot close to 1000 brads through the WEN without a single issue. I am using between 85 and 90 PSI out of my tank and that's the right number for my current job. I am so happy I decided to try this WEN nailer. I saved money and ended up with a darn nice nailer. It even came with its own plastic case. Big props to WEN and Team Amazon for yet another GREAT deal on a really nice item. Don't let the small price fool you, this tool is every bit as good as the big boy names. One slight drawback, it doesn't have a plastic ring trim around the nailer head. If you're not careful, you may make a larger than desired indentation in your molding, when powering a brad in. Hasn't been an issue for me, but I see where it could be a problem on more delicate tasks. Two thumbs Up
By D. Brown
A few months ago I bought a Wen air stapler from Amazon and it worked perfectly. A few weeks ago I was in one of our local stores and they had a, DIFFERENT BRAND, air 2" brad nailer and compressor combo on sale. I just couldn't resist the price and bought it. After reading the instructions and loading the brads that came with the tool, I tested it on some pine scraps. The second brad jammed and I had to disassemble the front end to clear it. This tool worked intermitently and would fail to load a brad half of the time. After messing with it for a short time I decided it was not worth the bother and will just throw it away. A week ago I bought a Wen air 2" brad nailer from Amazon and, Just like the Wen air stapler, it works perfectly. After reading the instructions I loaded it with the brads that I also bought from Amazon and gave it a good workout. The first and last brad were driven straight and just below flush. Wen is not an expensive brand, but so far both Wen air tools have exceeded my expectations and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Wen product.
By Josh Peters
Reading some of the reviews for the WEN Brad nailer, I was a little bit iffy. There are multiple reviews that call it cheaply made and some plastic parts. This nail gun is amazing. Opened the box and I can't find a single plastic piece on mine. The whole outer case is metal, trigger is metal, heavy duty all the way around. I've used this for every nail in it's range so far and it's not had a single jam at 60-90 psi or any depth setting. I wanted to do a test run of the capabilities, so I hit as many nails as possible in a short of time as possible. My air compressor ran out of air and had to turn on and the nail gun was still going strong. I've put a good couple hundred of nails through this thing so far and not had a single issue. If this thing ever breaks, I'll have no problem coming and buying another one that day.
By M. Robinson
I have had this for over a year and have put up alot of mouldings and installed windows. Works great and for the price cant be beat.
By Kevin Nicholls
I picked this up in a Lightning Deal, and I've been delighted with it.
I had planned on getting a cheapest-you-can-get-me nailer from Harbor Freight, and was apprehensive about paying even less money here. After a couple of nails though, my concerns totally disappeared.
Just recently, a friend of mine was over with his Porter Cable nailer, and we were working on a project at my house. Comparing side-by-side, it seemed like my WEN was driving nails much straighter, and without jamming. (In fairness, take that with a huge grain of salt -- mine was fresh from the box, his had seen years of service).
Would I want to go to a construction site with this? Probably not. But for putting a deck up, or projects of that scale, I can't see why you'd spend more money on something else.
I had planned on getting a cheapest-you-can-get-me nailer from Harbor Freight, and was apprehensive about paying even less money here. After a couple of nails though, my concerns totally disappeared.
Just recently, a friend of mine was over with his Porter Cable nailer, and we were working on a project at my house. Comparing side-by-side, it seemed like my WEN was driving nails much straighter, and without jamming. (In fairness, take that with a huge grain of salt -- mine was fresh from the box, his had seen years of service).
Would I want to go to a construction site with this? Probably not. But for putting a deck up, or projects of that scale, I can't see why you'd spend more money on something else.
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