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Whatever you're working on, you'll appreciate the small details that separate this intuitively designed tool from similar nailers. Integrated LED lights make it simple to ensure accuracy. An simple-to-operate contract trip lock-off disables the trigger when the tool is not in use for improved safety. The nosepiece is simple to access and clear tool-free if a nail jam occurs. And a six-position dial makes it simple to go between several applications without stopping to re-buy exact depth settings, saving you time. Additionally, the 20-degree angled, rear-load magazine is simple to handle for quick refills, and it will accept up to 120 DeWalt or Pas lode 20-degree nails. Included in this kit is a one-hour charger, an 18-volt XRP battery, a reversible belt hook that accommodates right- and left-handed workers, a no-mar tip, safety glasses, and a kit box for simple storage. This DeWalt high-performance industrial tool is backed by a 3-year limited warranty. ....read more
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December 13th, 2009 at 12:00 am
quality tool, even from dewalt
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a trim carpenter, and custom cabinet installer, so I use this gun on a regular basis. My company bought the gun to avoid the whole compressor and hose situation. Its alot quicker especially when you only need to install a couple pieces of molding. At first I was skeptical, especially because I’ve given up on buying yellow tools! But, this gun has been in excellent working condition for over 1 year, and thats heavy use all year. The battery is still holding up, and I rarely have to charge it. I have’nt had a problem with nails not setting…ever. It has jammed a couple times, but usually if you hit a screw or nail in the wood. The weight is probably the only drawback, but it beats using passlode gas cartridges and much less problematic. Certainly worth the money!
December 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Worth every penny!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the greatest thing since sliced bread. No more lugging around a compressor and hose. We have done two rooms of crown molding and the battery shows no sign of slowing down. It has a power setting that allows you to find the sweet spot for the wood you are working with. We had now issues driving 2.5in nails. The unit is huge compared to an air version but never was an issue in corners. Heavy?? A small, but my wife had no problems nailing up our crown molding. I recommend this nailer to everyone.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Like this nailer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Faced with a major overhaul of a 120 year ancient house, I wasn’t looking forward to doing all the trim with a hammer and nailset, so I bought a end nailer. I wanted the ease of use of a cordless, which pretty much narrowed it down to DeWalt or Paslode. Not having to deal with both batteries and gas tilted me in favor of the DeWalt. It uses the same nails as the Paslode (in fact, that’s all I use since none of my local stores carry the DeWalt nails).
Other reviewers has mentioned the DeWalt is heavy. Well, it sure isn’t light, although I find it comfortable to hold and simple to use, even standing on a step ladder putting up crown molding over my head. My 26 year ancient daughter has no problems using it in any position either (it’s her house). With all the wainscoting, beadboard, crown, baseboard, chair rail and every other imaginable kind of trim in this ancient victorian, the nailer functioned flawlessly. We shot many, many boxes of nails and wore out two rubber noseguards without a single jam.
The only issue is shooting thin nails into hard word. While most of the wood is pine, it’s ancient first growth southern yellow pine that’s nearly as hard a oak. If you don’t pay attention to the direction of the chisel point of the nails relative to the grain, the nail will follow the grain. Sometimes it’ll even make a u-turn, so you need to reckon about where you place your hands when using this tool!! Same for knots or other defects in the wood. This is all covered in the manual, although I don’t recall it making a point of thinking about the positioning of the chisel point. Sometimes you need to turn the nailer so the long edge of the chisel point is across the grain so it cut through it instead of following it.
The angled magazine makes it surprisiningly simple to get into small locations. Really better than my straight magazine brad nailer, which is much smaller overall.
Pay attention to which model you’re looking at when comparing prices – the 618K has one battery while the 618KA comes with two, and batteries are expensive. I have the KA, and when we were doing trim we never had a problem running out of battery – in fact, many days we didn’t have to switch at all. I never counted how many nails you could do on a charge – we never ran it down. On days when we used it heavily, we’d just swap batteries every few hours when we took a break.
The bottom line? I like it. The only negative is the weight, but that never really bothered us when we were really using it. If I had one complaint, it’s that there’s no excellent position to place it down, other than standing on the battery. In that position, it’s top heavy, so you sure don’t want to place it on the top of your step ladder while you’re fiddling some piece of crown molding into position. And while the weight didn’t bother us using it, it’s a lot when it’s hanging on your belt by the hook!
I like it so much a bought a DeWalt brad nailer when they came out. Unfortunately, I’m not nearly as pleased with the brad nailer, but that will be a different review.
January 1st, 2010 at 12:00 am
weak
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Complete waste of $350. Motor failed after 2000 nails. Don’t buy a dewalt cordless nailer. Many problems still exist with Dewalts design as of July 2008. My 15 ga nailer has problems as well — doesn’t advance the nails. I have to manually advance the nails. Plenty of jambs with the 15 and 16. Look at the Dewalt website. It’s impossible to contact the company. Your left high and dry after the tools fail. Call the local repair dealer and they tell you they can fix the tool for the price of a new one. Get a “cumbersome” pneumatic nailer – at least they work.
January 9th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Paul C
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I just bought my second DeWalt DC618 nailer. I do a honest amount of remodeling with my two sons. This nailer has been fantastic. It’s nice not having to lug around a compressor and being able to nail without cords or hoses. This nailer has plenty of power, even with hard woods like oak. The reason I needed a second nailer is because my son will not give back the nailer he “borrowed” for a very large house rebuild that he is doing. I reckon a third nailer is probably in our future.
It has become an indispensable tool.
January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Now I’m a Believer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had my Dewalt cordless nailer for about eight months. I’m a “former” carpenter, and still do projects at home and for others.
I have some pretty clean tools, but I must say, this nailer is my favorite. I have trimmed out four houses, done a score of other smaller jobs, and the gun ALWAYS works! I’m not sure how many boxes of nails I’ve gone through……and the gun has jammed FOUR TIMES! That’s it! When it did jam, the nail (last one in the run) was easily removed. The batteries just last forever. If you keep one on the charger while using the other, you’d be hard-pressed to run out of battery life. OK, as you can tell, I like this nailer. Don’t worry about the weight; it’s well balanced. This gun helps me do better work, simpler work, quicker work. That’s enough for me.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Brilliant Nail Gun
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I first tried the Black and Decker BDBN1202 (it was cheaper), the first one I received was DOA, the second one nailed inconsistently. I returned it and bought the DEWALT DC618K. All I can say this nailer blows away the Black and Decker, it may cost a small more but it is worth it. Save yourself the distress buy the DEWALT first.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Home Depot has it for 50.00 less
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
To terrible amazon won`t let you price match,Home depot has it for 300.00 50.00 less than amazon.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
better than Paslode
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
two other carpenters at my company own the Paslode end gun. They always complain about the price of the fuel cells and how it needs to be disassembled and cleaned periodically. I chose to buy this to eliminate the need for the fuel cells. So far I have no beef with it. It’s a bit larger and heavier than the Paslode but still lighter than carrying a compressor around. Also, the LED lights have been indispensable in more than one situation.
excellent deal!
February 19th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Brilliant nail gun (but still waiting on “free tool” rebate…)
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking for a cordless nail gun, you will not be disappointed. I have used this on several occassions over the past few months and I have yet to use more than one battery in a single use. It lasts a long time and it hasn’t yet jammed. It is perfect if you have no electricity available and it beats the whole compressor and hose set-up if you do have electricity. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that it appears they have blown me off on the “free tool” deal that was going on when I bought it.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:00 am
owner
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am satisfied with the nailer. It does everything which I expected of it.
February 28th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Would not reckon twice about buying again
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am a DIY guy. One of my buddies had one and I used it to trim a house. Well, I bought my own to do my house and an 3 flat. The only thing that takes getting used to is the extra weigth from the battery. On the positive side there is no more pan cake compressor or hose. I consider it well worth it. I have yet to run down one battery.
March 5th, 2010 at 12:00 am
At last, free of hoses…..
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
A must for base, crown, casing, etc. Have not been able to run down a battery yet, but I’m not a production end guy. Nails shoot straight every time. Accurate depth adjustment. Accepts DeWalt & Paslode brads. Nice trigger operated “headlight” feature for darker areas. Integrated belt hook another nice feature. Selectable one-at-a-time or sequential “bump” modes. Naturally heavier than traditional air-operated nailers, but alot lighter than carrying my pancake compressor & hose from room to room. Not for tight places, so hold on to your pin nailer.
March 15th, 2010 at 12:00 am
junk
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
FIRST ONE JAMBED ALOT SO WENT AND GOT ANOTHER SAME THING 500 NAILS PER CHARGE? NO MAYBE 50 BEFORE IT STARTS TO NOT SET THE NAIL THEN IT JAMBS THEN YOU OPEN NOSE AND MANUALLY PUSH DRIVER BACK DOWN THEN YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE BATTERY TO RESET BY THE WAY TAKES A HAMMER TO GET THE BATTERY OUT OF THE GUN THEN MAYBE YOU GET TO FIRE ANOTHER NAIL. I WOULD RETURN IT BUT I HAVE BEAT IT TO MUCH IN FRUSTRATION ANOTHER $400 I MAY AS WELL BURNED.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Incredible tool
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this tool to patch an ancient wood floor and install trim in a house I am remodeling. Although it seems heavy at first, it feels excellent in the hand, and in use you won’t feel the weight. I shot over 1,000 nails into oak strip flooring with not one jam. I did forget several times to check the magazine and refill the nails, but this was no fault of the nailer. And once I recognized the sound of an empty fire, it was no problem. I like this tool. I can’t imagine using a pneuwatic nailer and compressor for trim or light duty work. This thing shoots as quick as you can go it, and with the adjustable depth setting I can place a nail perfectly in anything. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
March 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
no problems with this nailer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After dragging hoses in and out to do trim or tack up work I finally chose to buy this nailer. Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda bought this a long time ago. It saved my butt numerous times in the past two months, making it worth the price I paid for the tool.
Also the Home Depot price was $400.00 plus tax. I paid $ 340.00 with free shipping and no tax from Amazon .com.
Unless you happen to get a defective unit, this tool does the job and does it better than my Porter-Cable air powered unit and leaves smaller nial-set holes as well.
Have not split one piece of trim or moulding no matter how fragile.
Battery lasts an amazingly long time driving nail after nail consistantly.
I’m waiting for DeWalt to come out with a cordless brad nailer to add to my cordless arsenal.
April 1st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Buy It!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This has become one of my favorite tools in the 6 months or so I have owned it. Yes it’s a small heavy, but you get used to that. It does make a weird, unexpected sound when the safety is pressed against your workpiece as the flywheel is engaged. This too you get used to, just warn unsuspecting first time users. It drives the nails just as well as my Bostitch 16g air nailer, just not as light weight. Sure beats having to lug out the compressor and airhose on those smaller jobs or up on a scaffold.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Best nail gun ever
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I work in Palm Beach County, Florida and the company that I work is high end trim company that works on the millionaire estates of the area. The trim work is endless and this gun has not let me down a single day… one battery keep me going for a day and half, setting crown and base board…
It has a very excellent grip, fits in nearly every corner, and never jams or misfire, and the best it doesnt have the terrible smell like the Paslode and doesnt need gas cans…
The terrible part it is a bit heavy…but you’ll get used to it… but not to have to drag the compressor and hose around and now I have much more room in the tool box of my truck this is truelly priceless…
April 20th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Worth the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
very excellent tool, saved me a lot of time, worked perfectly for every need I had around the house such as trimwork, baseboards and molding.
April 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Excellent tool and It makes a lot of sense if you own 18V tools now
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This tool is solid and works as advertised. So it weighs 8.5 lbs… if you are going to be nailing over your head for hours straight then break out the air hose. I did the same when using my Paslode.
This tool replaced my Paslode Impulse End nailer. I’ve not looked back. Ample power and drives nails well with very predictable depth control.
Get the angled nailer, simpler to place and nail in tighter spots. With the size of the gun, you’ll need it.
If you are looking for the possible negatives…
Somewhat costly to buy
It is heavy, but the tool compensates me for this with performance and convenience
I miss being able to sit the tool down on the front face like the Paslode. The Dewalt rolls over sideways if you try. This makes it hard to set it down and retrieve from the floor or a ladder shelf. I glued rubber feet to the front, problem solved.
If doing production, long nails, hard wood… keep batteries ready to go. I find I can run 3 clips of 2 1/2″ if attaching solid oak face trim. For regular use and 1 1/2″ nails I get 5 to 6 clips through it.
Don’t use the belt clip unless you are trying to remove your pants.
High profile theft item, bright yellow, simple to lay about, high dollar value… watch it close or you’ll be buying a second one real soon. (Soap Box – Thieves should have a finger removed for each item they steal until they learn or can’t pick anything up anymore. Seems honest, 10 chances and all.)
Rather large for tight spots, but amazingly it can get places I would have said it couldn’t.
Now, for those that own a selection of 18V tools, consider the kit buy comes with two batteries… buying two batteries is $100. (you get a 3rd if you buy soon) For me, that’s a $100 credit toward the buy of the gun.
Buy it, delight in it.
April 30th, 2010 at 12:00 am
dewalt end nailer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It is everything that was promised and more. The batteries last a long time and the rapid fire setting is awesome. It will shoot as quick as any air gun. It is heavy but seems to be well built.
I have been using the paslode end nailer for the last few years but this gun will easily replace that. No gas cartriges to buy makes it very attractive. The nails don’t leave any plastic things that have to be removed before you putty and paint.
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
A wonderful addition to my job box and wood shop
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
First, I’ll start by saying that I already owned a few DeWalt 18v products, and I have been very pleased with them. I was so tired of carrying around a 75 lb compressor and hose for mid-size trim jobs that I started looking cordless. I’m sure the Passlode is a nice tool, but I already own 18v DeWalt batteries, and I didn’t want to deal with the Passlode fuel cells and batteries.
Now, for the performance – this does just as excellent a job as my DeWalt and PC pneumatic end nailers. It can sink nails through 1x oak baseboard, through a sheet of plywood and into a stud, and do in with brilliant depth consistency. It’s not going to replace my pneumatics on a large job, as one battery lasts about 4 clips of nails. It was fantastic for putting up chair rail in the last basement I finished, but if I were trimming an entire house, it would be time to break out the compressor and hoses.
A bonus – I find myself using this for my woodworking projects as well. I can set the depth to leave the nail proud of the surface, and tack items together for gluing. This lets me setup my work without struggling to hold the work and the clamps. Fire a few nails, set down the work and then get the clamps.
I have only two small complaints:
One is battery life. It may not be possible to improve it, given all that this gun has to do (I wouldn’t give up the work lights for battery life!), so it may be a reasonable compromise, but four clips of nails is not a whole lot. Plot on needing 3 batteries for continuous use.
Second is price. I reckon the price of the gun is a small steep. My wife gave it to me as a gift, so I can’t complain too much – I’d been eyeing it for some time, but couldn’t justify the price.
I don’t rate many things with five stars, as there is always room for improvement. Four stars, but, is a rating to me that means I’d spend my own money on it again.
UPDATE:
I replaced my batteries with new XRP’s, replacing some ancient XR+’s. I now rate this as five stars! It’s not the gun eating batteries, mine were worn out. I did a 2000 sq ft house on 2 batteries. Wow.
May 10th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Fantastic tool!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had Home Depot install windows for me and the man who installed them was using this gun for some of the capping work he was doing. Said it was his favorate tool – period. I needed to do some trim work and buy the same gun except I got 20 degree angle. It has worked very well. Lots of nails shot without any missfires and fantastic battery life. Nail sizes from 1.25″ to 2.5″. No hoses. No compressors. No kidding. I like this tool & you will too.
May 15th, 2010 at 12:00 am
It’s NOT that heavy after all
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I read the online reviews. They help me a lot when making up my mind. I was nervous about DeWalt’s nailer because so many people commented on its weight. I own a lot of 18v DeWalt tools so I weighed one of them to better know how much heavier the nailer would be. I found out my drill is nearly as heavy as the nailer. Once I knew that I took a chance on the nailer. I got it yesterday and was pleased that it really doesn’t feel all that heavy.
I’m NOT a professional contractor but I do a LOT of DIY stuff. I’m rebuilding my house from the inside out, tearing out everything right down to the studs and starting over. New windows, new siding, new interior walls, new wiring, new plumbing,… literally everything. I’ve been using DeWalt’s 18v tools a lot and have liked them. That’s what drew me to the nailer. Although I’ve only played with the nailer so far, I like it also. It’s not too heavy at all. Not light. But something that CAN be worked with.
I appreciate professional people and others who have left reviews. They sometimes compare DeWalt’s nailer with the lighter air powered equipment. If that’s what they’re used to then I’m sure the extra weight of the DeWalt is frustrating to deal with. But I’m not holding it all day long and for the ease and convenience of a non-air powered tool, it’s well worth it for ME. Plus, it uses the same batteries as my other DeWalt tools. It made sense for my use.
The only thing that surprised me was the whirring noise that starts as soon as you place the tool head on the wood. I know that it’s getting itself ready to fire, but the noise continues until you press the trigger. It’s a small annoying, but it stops immediately (at lease in non-sequential mode) after you press the trigger. I don’t like the noise, but I can get used to it.
Once I’ve used the tool for a while I’ll update this comment with more insightful details. But for now – I’d certainly recommend the nailer if you’re only worried of its weight.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Dewalt DC618KA 20-Deg nailer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Like this tool. The nails are more costy than the straight unit, but the slant is more versatile. Nice in tight areas to “point and shoot” where a conventional hammer-nail approach is always a major pain in the (…) experience. This thing will sink a nail out of sight in most anything.
May 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
HEAVY and BiG
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The other reviews peg the performance pretty well, yeah it shoots nails and as quick as you want and the battery life is excellent, but this thing is HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY!!!! Not only is it heavy but it is huge and very front heavy even with the 18 volt battery.
Ok someone is probably calling me a weakling by now but the truth is I am a general contractor who routinely throws double sheets of 5/8 drywall on top of my van solo!
Problem is I own the paslode 16g angle end nailer and the dewalt is a lead ball next to the paslode. The dewalt feels at least twice the weight and twice the size. when up on a ladder
doing crown molding dont expect to set this baby down on the ladder top its to large and will fall. It is also very cumbersome to hang on your tool belt.
Ergonomics are vital to me as I use my tools all day, and this tool is outwright painfull to use for long periods.
On days when I went back and forth from the Dewalt to the Paslode it was like going from holding a paint brush to a sledge hammer. The paslode performs every bit as well as the dewalt and fuel cells are really not an issue. The only plus I can give the Dewalt is that it is far quieter than the paslode which my customers probably appreciate.
Go for the paslode.
May 31st, 2010 at 12:00 am
The best nail gun ever!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
No gas can. No hose! This is the BOMB. I like this nail gun very much. It’s very handy on do-it-yourself projects. I fire whenever i want to. The gun is very silent. I can’t believe how excellent this is. It’s expensive but it’s worth every penny. I am hoping Dewalt will come out with a 15 guage gun or framing guns using the same technology. A best buy if you want a 16 gauge nail gun with no hassle.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Unteathered Delight, & a third hand!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Incredible tool. With no hose or cord I found I could quickly and easily use the DC618 at any angle, and with no struggle. Though it’s not light because of the battery, it is very well balanced. So much, it wins hands down over my air nailer.
I had just a small trim work to complete, and it handled it easily. The 20 degree head fit into every corner I tried. I was so enamored with it that I started inventing additional uses.
My weekend project was to build and roof an 8 ft long, narrow, attached shed to hold my lawn equipment. The 8 ft long support beams were 2 X 6′s, and the rest of the frame was 2 X 4′s. The end walls were fitted out with 1 X 6 cedar slats. I used the DC618 with 2 1/4″ finishing nails to frame the members into place until I could better secure them with 3″ exterior screws. It was like a third hand!
Working alone, I used it to position and hold each joint of the frame, including the diagonal support braces. That would have been a real struggle with my pneumatic nailer. I had a virtual assembly routine going. Measure & cut, then position and fix into place with this nailer. Then come behind with my Dewalt 18V drill and screws. It was a flawless routine. It made me laugh.
I even used it with 1 1/4″ nails to position the underlayment of (used)warped 5/8″ plywood as I prepared the roof for shingles. I used a excellent deal of used materials in this project. Took a number of shots to hold down the bowed plywood, but it held it until I could better secure the plywood with 1 1/4 roofing nails.
I estimate I used over 300 nails and the battery was still strong.
I recommend this 20 degree model. The angled nail media is more limited (brands, store availability), but the head fits into places I doubt the straight model could reach.
I don’t need my pnuematic end nailer any longer!
June 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
This is a fantastic thought.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I recently had a chance to use one of these new DeWalt nailers and thought I would share my observations.
First of all, this nailer is HUGE! I was prepared for the weight of it – everyone mentions that – but I was unprepared for how huge it is. I have large hands and yet this thing makes me feel like a five year ancient lifting his Dad’s framing hammer! Despite all that size, the weight is well balanced and it handles surprisingly well. To be honest though, I was using it at waist level while standing. I am not sure it would be much fun to use overhead while standing on a ladder!
As for nailing performance… This gun can truly fire as quick as you can aim and squeeze. The amusing mechanical noise that another reviewer mentioned is normal – I believe that DeWalt designed this gun with some sort of “flywheel” inside to keep the umph going for rapid fire shooting. In any event, it works and works well. You can shoot one heck of a lot of nails per battery charge and jams are simple to clear. I only used 2″ nails in the gun, so I cannot give an opinion on performance with other lengths, but with the 2″ I was very impressed.
Overall I reckon this gun is a fantastic thought that will be a boon to trim carpenters on the go. For a shop, or wherever I had simple access to a compressor, I reckon I would still prefer to use a standard pneumatic nailer. But, for those instances where you are willing to sacrifice weight/size for portability, this nailer is ideal!
June 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
fantastic tool nearly perfect
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
i must admit i was somewhat skeptical about dropping 400 bucks on a tool that hadnt been out all that long but it has certainly proven its worth. we have two other ones and the only problem i seem to encounter is that it doesnt like to advance when shooting 2 and a half inch nails at times. all three guns seem to act up only when using the large nails but only intermittently. Other than that its a fantastic tool for trim, especially baseboards because it doesnt kick any drywall dust.