 |
The DeWalt D51238K 5/8-inch-to-2-inch 18-gauge Brad Nailer comes with tool-free depth adjustment assists for easily locating the ideal depth setting. Features include a side low-nail indicator window to quickly and easily see when it's time to reload, and an overmolded no-mar pad for greater visibility and durability. A tool-free jam clearing eliminates downtime from bent nails caught in the nosepiece, and a tool-free 360-degree exhaust channels air and dust away from user. Also included with this nailer is a trigger lock-off that allows the trigger to be disabled when not in use. Backed by a manufacturer's 3-year warranty, this brad nailer comes with a pair of DeWalt safety glasses, an Allen wrench, and a heavy-duty kit box. ....read more
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
December 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Dependable
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this brad nailer for about 5 years now and it works just as excellent as the first time I used it. I always place a drop of oil in the inlet every time before I use it and it has never given me any problems. Simple to load, simple to use…no complaints here.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Unreliable
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
When I use this product it requires more time to clear feed jams than I spend really setting brads. I have used a variety of 18 guage brads including Spenco and Bostitch – no difference. I have tried lubing and not lubing – no difference. I have adjusted pressure at the (DeWalt) compressor from low end of the recommended range to the top end – no difference. I have used the depth setting up and down – no difference. I have had a couple of days when misfeeds have been rare and others when it takes clearing a misfeed five times for each brad that is set. Amazon was no help. By the time I finished trying different brands of brads and adjusting everything it was more than 30 days from date of buy – no help from Amazon at all. I have a cheapo HF model – been using 10 years with only rare misfeed – but it only shoots 1 1/2 inch brad not 2″. DeWalt could take some lessons in reliability from the maker of that one. I would not buy again.
December 29th, 2009 at 12:00 am
nice tool
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is my first nail gun. I’ve used some, many years ago, but never owned or used one with any regularity, so I don’t have any info for the pros out there. My review is more for the homeowner, weekend warrior like me. I’m currently involved in a significant demolition and reconstruction project, part of which includes the installation of a wooden privacy fence. I already have most of the fence installed, but this tool would have been very handy for nailing the slats, saving me a ton of work and I intend to end the project with the gun. I’m also going to install a lot of paneling, where this gun should prove to be very useful, although I’m now thinking that I should have gotten a 15 or 16 gauge end nailer, like this Dewalt DEWALT D51257K 1-inch to 2-1/2-inch 16 Gauge End Nailer, even though it’s quite a bit more expensive. The 18 gauge nails are pretty small and will probably hold small loads well, perhaps even medium loads with lots of nails installed. But, I reckon that I’d have gotten more utility from a heavier gauge end nailer.
But, I already have this nailer and don’t really need an arsenal of nail guns, so this one should fill my needs as an avid homeowner DIY type. I would suggest to anyone like me, that you buy at least 1 palm nailer to use with this gun. I bought both a standard, full size Ridgid palm nailer and a Senco mini-palm nailerSenco PC1195 Mini Palm Nailer. Amazon sells several full size palm nailers, like the Bostitch Bostitch PN100K Impact Nailer Kitand Dewalt DEWALT D51180 Heavy-Duty Palm Naileralong with the mini palm nailers like the Senco and Grip-RiteGrip-Rite GRTMP16 16d Mini Air Nailer. These nailers are fantastic for using normal boxed nails, up to 3 1/2 inches.
Getting back to the Dewalt brad nailer, I’m very pleased with the tool and so far it has worked flawlessly. It’s not too heavy and is simple to use in most situations. The only real limitations are the size of the nailer and the attached air hose that can sometimes be an issue where you’re trying to place a nail. Most of the time, you can position the gun and hose quite easily to install the fastener. As I intimated above, the size of the nails are the limiting factor, which certainly isn’t the fault of the gun. Just make sure that all of the nails you buy for the nailer are 18 gauge, which is clearly marked on all of the packages that I’ve seen, like these from BostitchBostitch BT1350B-1M 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brads, 1000 per Box. I bought a couple of different lengths here on Amazon.
The nailer comes in a very nice storage case and includes a decent pair of Dewalt safety glasses and an allen wrench. I was rather surprised to see that they didn’t include a small bottle of air tool oil. If this is your first air tool, be sure to buy and use some air tool oil like the Campbell Hausfeld linked here.Campbell Hausfeld G2820 Tool Oil, 8 oz.
My only aggravation with the tool was that it didn’t come with a hose attachment. I bought and installed a quick connect ball swivel industrial air hose fitting, like this Air Locker AFM44PMS 1/4 Inch Male Swivel Plug which helps a small with the hose positioning issues. The largest problem though, was removing the protective plastic plug that they had installed to protect the tool’s air hose connector threads. I had a heck of a time getting that thing out of there, finally getting it out by tearing it into several pieces with a pair of needle nose pliers. I don’t know why Dewalt didn’t install an industry standard connector. Both of my palm nailers came with connectors already installed and you can buy 4 brass male and a female industrial quick connectors by CMT here on Amazon for under $5, linked here 5-Piece Quick-Connect Air Coupler Set – Solid Brass. So, the added cost of having a excellent connector already installed on this tool, would have been a price I’d have happily paid. As it is, it is certainly not ready to go, out of the box.
January 10th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Goodbye Hammer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first air tool and I bought it to install some quarter round. Instead of drilling a hole, hammering in a finishing nail and then sinking it with a punch I just pulled the trigger on the nailer and in went a brad with a barely visible result. This is quite the time saver and does an brilliant job. Wish I had tried this years ago but better late than never, as the saying goes.
January 14th, 2010 at 12:00 am
fantastic gun for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had mine for over a year now with no problems. We also have one at work that has trimmed at least 100 doors and three times that many windows with small sign of wear. Being able to shoot 5/8″ all the way up to 2″ nails is a huge advantage this gun has over many of the other guns in the same price range.
January 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
DeWalt D51238K 5/8-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After banging away at finishing nails and punches for years and years, and after bending nails and denting the surrounding wood, I finally gave in and bought the DeWalt Nail gun. It’s like dying and going to heaven.
The thing works like magic – just push the gun against the molding, pull the trigger and the nail imbeds itself perfectly. I should have bought the thing 15 years ago.
So far, the gun has worked flawlessly.
One note: The hardness of the wood determines how far the nail will go into the molding – fiberboard seems to be harder than natural wood, so use the depth adjustment knob to add some extra power when nailing into a composite material. There’s not much more to say. Buy it.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Super Duper Nail Gun
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It was and is awesome. Makes life a small simpler and is simple to control.
It has never jammed and, well it looks nice too.
Long Live the DeWalt company.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Dewalt Brad Driver
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic tool. I have never used one before and it is very simple to use and works perfect.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Pleased but not very ….
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this Brad Nailer for a few months. I seldom use it and estimate that I have fired assorted length nails somewhere in the 250 or so count till now.
I did not encounter any misfires or dry fires whatsoever but sometimes the plunger won’t recycle. I don’t know if it’s the angle that I shoot the nails but somehow if I shoot it real straight and press the nose a bit harder then this problem does not happen.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Pass on this one…
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this gun a few months ago at Lowes. Most of my experience with this gun is with using 2″ nails. I can report to all that this gun frequently mis-fires (dry fire). Also, the gun doesn’t always ‘reset’ back into the proper firing position. DeWalt has missed the mark with this gun and I would not recommend it to anyone. In my opinion this gun should be recalled. Don’t be lured by the excellent looks and light weight – the substance is not behing the style. Thank goodness Lowes took this product back – I told the customer service person that it’s a RTV (return to vendor)…
March 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Be Warned
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this P.O.S. in June ’04, so this review is a testament to my cheapness and masochism (I have suffered this gun for years). Before buying I saw some reviews that talked about problems with jams and misfires. But I already had the DeWalt angled 15 ga. 2 1/2″ and loved it (still do — never one problem and my tools get heavy use), so I bought the small 18 ga. gun thinking those other guys’ problems were flukes. I got several months of excellent use before I starting having problems too: 1st shot after connecting to air – dry fire; jams – nail gets bent over inside the magazine; nail clip will overlap itself and jam; plunger won’t recycle; random dry fires – several in sequence…. believe me, the frustration of having dry fires after clearing a jam and then once again going through complex alignment of the trim only to have another misfire. AAAARRRGGHHH!!!! Really, it is stupidity on my part that I have place up with this. I have easily spent enough time clearing jams and dealing with the problems of this gun to pay for another gun many times over. Problem was that there would be periods when there were no problems (rat psychology says that intermittent reinforcement is the most powerful). So I endured it. But when I end this review I am ordering the Milwaukee 18 ga. gun. Hopefully my self-imposed suffering will come to an end.
I notice that most of the reviews for this gun are (still) excellent, so if you go ahead and buy it I hope you fare better than I did. But if you do buy and get a piece of crap, remember that you too were warned. And if you do get junk, cut your loss quick!
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Fantastic Value
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have used this item for several weeks. Built cabinets, installed molding and trim. Never jammed or misfired. Fired right through double thickness of 3/4″ plywood with 80 psi
Worked fantastic with 5/8″, 1″, 1 1/4″ and 2″ brads. Wished I had bought this years ago.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Worth every penny
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have only done a couple of projects so far, but already know I am going to really delight in having the DeWalt Brad Nailer. The adjustments are simple to change depending on the project. It makes the job nearly fun when it used to be dreaded. The gun is light weight and simple to handle. The directional exhaust is a plus. Brad loading is quick and simple. I can complete jobs quicker and with higher quality than ever before. The price has been reduced since I made my buy which is just my luck. Looking forward to seeing how the product performs over time with additional home projects.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Excellent Tool
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The nailer works well, and I have no complaints about the performace. It is but much larger than a brad nailer needs to be.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Very Excellent!!!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Nailer works fantastic. Recently rebuilt some cheap drawers that were falling apart and nailer was a fantastic help. Takes a bit of getting comfortable with depth adjuster dial but once you get it it is fantastic. Never jammed, always delivered. Very pleased, would recommend.
April 5th, 2010 at 12:00 am
DeWalt Brad Nailer – Fantastic Product!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
DeWalt D51238K 5/8-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer
This was a replacement for my ancient brad nailer, which has been somewhat of a challenge. Not so for this DeWalt nailer. It has the perfect feel, is simple to load and use, and has worked flawlessly. I needed the full 2 inch capacity, as I use it for all types of fastening. I highly recommend this tool for the professional or hobbyist.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Amazingly silent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Brilliant product from DeWalt. After I received this item I quickly bought some brads to check it out. I thought at first that something was incorrect with it because it was so silent. After 5 nails, I finally realized that it countersunk the brads into the board and made only a wisper while doing so. I adjusted the depth adjustment to flush and couldn’t beleive how well this tool handled. As you could tell, this was my first Pneumatic nailer. Did a lot of research before I bought this baby and boy am I glad I did! I have sense bought a framer,finishing, and staple gun.
April 23rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
High quality tool — low priced
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Versatile trim nailer at a very reasonable price. It handles a wide variety of 18 gauge nails. Its light weight and small size allows it to fit into confined areas where it does an invisible job of fastening oak and walnut. Quick to load; I’ve yet to encounter any jams.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Works Fantastic!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first air nailer. I needed it to trim out some remodel work. It is light and simple to handle. I like the fact that the exhaust can be rotated so it doesn’t blow into your face.
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
fantastic nail gun
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought this brad nailer as a replacement for the Senco Accuset that died in the middle of a cabinet job (no replacement parts available for the Accuset). Works fantastic, very light, the adjustable exhaust is mandatory for all air tools – another fantastic DeWalt product.
May 17th, 2010 at 12:00 am
review of nail gun
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
this nail gun is everything they say it is. I like the depth setting and the padded tip. I rec, this gun.
May 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Top of the line
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I recently bought this brad nailer and was very pleased when it arrived. Like most DeWalt tools it came in a heavy duty carrying case that perfectly housed the nailer and had enough room to fit a few small items like a box of nails and eye protection, oil, ect… And speaking of eye protection, DeWalt threw in a sweet pair of them for free! They are adjustable and have the small yellow DeWalt logo on the side. Certainly a nice surprise.
The nailer itself is super light (~2lbs) and so far has worked really well for me. It has a lot fantastic features that make adjusting the drive height and clearing jams super simple. The nailer also has a safety switch that can be easily engaged (and dis-engaged) with the same hand that your holding it with. It’s perfect for when you need it and stays out of the way when you don’t.
I would certainly recommend this quality tool to anyone who is looking for a versatile and simple to maintain nailer for under $100.
May 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am
It does the job most of the time.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned this gun for 6 months and fire around 1000 2″ and 1 1/4″ nails a month for window and door casing. It works most of the time but jambs once or twice a day. The most aggravating feature is that the safety on the nose sticks and does not always return to the firing position so you have to pull the nose piece down to fire the next nail. I have lubed the nose piece but it doesn’t seen to make any difference. We have never figured out how to use the depth gauge. When using the depth gauge as specified on the gun and in the manual it just locks the gun so you can’t fire it. My next end nailer will probably be a senco or porter cable.
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Fantastic Deal on a dependable nailer!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This nailer is exactly what is listed. Works fantastic! We are very pleased.
May 31st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Work’s Perfect Every Time..
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic product work perfect every time.. Easily change nails, hassle free jam clearing and has very small air consumption.
June 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Fantastic performer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I build cabinets for 2 home builders. I bought this gun in the summer of ’06 and have shot numerous boxes of 1 1/4″ brads and the 2″ brads through it. The only time that it has jammed is when I attempted to shoot 1 nail on top of another. I cleared the nail and 5 seconds later was shooting more brads. I have 2 other Porter-Cable 1 1/4″ brad guns. The PC’s are excellent guns but seem to have more kick back than the DeWalt does. I would highly recommend it.
Kevin Putney
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
very pleased
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this nailer at Lowes when laying down Brazilian cherrry hardwood floors. I used it extensively and was very pleased with its performance, especially given the fact how hard that wood is! I used it first and last rows by the wall, on molding, baseboard, and other applications. It misfired twice, though it may have been due to incorrect angle used. When I was deciding between brad nailers at Lowes (I needed one that day, that’s why I didn’t get it at Amazon as I usually do), they had Bostitch and Hitachi models in addition to Dewalt. The yellow one was $10 more, but it appeared to be well designed, light and comfortable in my hand. After months of heavy use, I can only confirm that my initial impression was right. I would encourage you to go to the store and try one, it’s possible one will feel better than the other in your hand. All I can say though is that if you choose to go with this model, you are likely to be pleased as much as I am. Highly recommended tool!
June 29th, 2010 at 12:00 am
missing something!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
As far as the over all product goes… I am very pleased, but I have bought this nail gun before and it came then with a very handy hook that was fastend to the gun near the back of the handle. I was under the assumption that since the product numbers are exactly the same, that the product would be exactly the same. It is not!
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Nice Brad Nailer
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Has never misfired, yet. It’s light and simple to adjust for depth. Have no regrets on buy.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I’m buying one for every guy in my shop
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I received this nail gun as a free gift from DeWalt for purchasing a certain amount of products from them. I had previously used only Spot Nails and Omer nail guns, available only through a supplier, but as soon as I tried the DeWalt, I could tell it was superior even to my Spot Nails gun. I’ve used it for two years now in the cabinet and molding industry, and as my shop has grown, I will be getting a few more of these nail gun for my guys to use. I have recommended this gun to all of my friends in the industry. I do not blindly endorse DeWalt products, but this nail gun really is a excellent product.