Senco F 18

[Nippychippy]

Well we're do I start. I would like to thank warren from toolfest for the kind gesture of lending me the senco f18  to try before I buy and give a little review.There is not that many honest reviews out there in  my eyes.

I will give a little info on me I started my apprenticeship at 16 I am 30 next month [scared] weres the time going lol. Thru my time I have used many nail guns and I still haven't found the right one for me. I used the paslode for years can't fault the design but I think the it's been left behind by not developing there guns away from gas canisters.And they are so temperamental so many miss fires and the are so loud the amount to times I have scared the crap out of people I can't even count the amount  and the gas stinks if you are indoors  it starts to effect you.

As an apprentice my boss got  the dewalt brad nailer from America when it first came out and it was great to use I never got it to jam. The only down side to that nailer was the Amber light and the weight of the gun with the old nicad battery's it was abit comber some

Then my journeyman had compressors and nail guns which made me get that system  they were very good aswell but you have hoses going every were and were to you store them plus the noise of the compressor.  I had a 100ltr compressor I could never the get the settings right on it it was always filling up that constant noise got to me very quickly  [mad] the nail dept wasn't consistant so all that got sold

Then I had the dewalt again thru new employer  for four years  never a problem  just the weight issue

So back to the senco f18 it is a great design well balanced in your hand the tec in this nail gun is very ingenuis it uses a sealed canister full of compressed nitrogen which doesn't need to be serviced (or the gas replaced) till after 700,000 nails or maybe longer which will save you money not having to buy spare gas and servicing . It comes with an 18v li-ion battery with a fuel gauge built into it and a led light built into the nose. I would say it's not as noise as the dewalt and there is not waiting for a pendulum to build up speed. It's got a single shot and a bump fire settings and an of switch.

Now for the upsetting bit I am trying to be far with this nail gun thru my research the nail gun I got a chance to use is the older model the newer one has been updated its got a new and better battery a led toggle for the the on/off and bump fire instead of a switch.With the depth adjusted to max I only got two nails out of two strips to go below the surface the nail lenght were 38mm going thru soft mahogany into redwood and Mdf beading which ment having to stop and punch each head which is no use. I haven't tryed it on any hardwoods yet but it's not looking good for the nailer. 

This gun felt like it could have been the one I have been looking for its got great potential I don't know weather to put it down to it being and older model that has sat about for a while. I can't thank Warren enough for the offer of trying it if I have missed anything please let me now and I can try help this is my first review of a tool put online hopefully it makes sense I have never done any thing like this.

Thanks Robert

Thanks

 

[Stephen B]

[size=14pt]
Great and honest review.

Senco not selling well in Hardware/TY where  I work PT.

Paslode rules and there have been great deals 'down under' lately.

In a rural area, word soon gets around the trades regarding which tool is better or value for money. Also now no significant price advantage.

 

[joiner1970]

You can't beat a good old air nailer . I too have used the dewalt for years when working for contractors. I've always owned air powered nailers for my own work but have also got fed up with hoses and noisy compressors. I recently bought the small senco and a bostitch 16g and both are great.

Also ordered a polyurethane hose from the states which will make a difference

Warren sells the small compressors ,have a look

 

[wow]

Nice, honest review. I don't like it - because I wanted the fusion to replace my older air-powered Senco - but I appreciate the honest reporting.

Hopefully the new Fusion that is coming out this year will fix these shortcomings...

 

[DB10]

When my old Paselode finally gave up, it was an old nicad UK model, I took a punt and switched to the new Dewalt 18v framer, hardly anyone uses them where I am in Aus, they are all pre programmed, nailer has to be Paselode. And maybe if your using it every day that's fine, but I don't and can go two months and not need to use a framer but when I do, I pull the Dewalt out the box works straight away no messing with gas.

 

[toolfest.co.uk]

Thanks for the review Robert.

It confirms the experiences we have had here, although fine in softwood, present it with a real world application and it just isn't quite performing. This is a shame as the design is great and the ongoing costs would be minimal. I will be reporting back to Senco when I see them next and if I can get a newer version of the machine would you be interested in trying again, at no cost to you, and for the benefit of all of us?

Best regards

Warren

 

[joiner1970]

When my old Paselode finally gave up, it was an old nicad UK model, I took a punt and switched to the new Dewalt 18v framer, hardly anyone uses them where I am in Aus, they are all pre programmed, nailer has to be Paselode. And maybe if your using it every day that's fine, but I don't and can go two months and not need to use a framer but when I do, I pull the Dewalt out the box works straight away no messing with gas.

Me too I've had one since before they came out in the UK I was a tester and got to keep it . I don't use it often but it hasn't let me down yet.

 

[jools]

I own paslode 2nd fix and have the same issues plus it's 0.0 degrees on site this morning so it's sulking in its box. Have been looking online at the Senco 15G nailer for skirts etc. has any one any thoughts on this model as they are sold here in the UK?

 

[pettyconstruction]

Good review , think my fusion has failed to set a brad about 5 times,but I try to keep the battery up.
I still us my compressor/hosed guns for whole house trim jobs,but the fusion is handy for the small trim jobs: a single room for instance.
Plus I had never trusted it to not fail,so I have the other tool in the truck just In case.

 

[Nippychippy]

You can't beat a good old air nailer . I too have used the dewalt for years when working for contractors. I've always owned air powered nailers for my own work but have also got fed up with hoses and noisy compressors. I recently bought the small senco and a bostitch 16g and both are great.

Also ordered a polyurethane hose from the states which will make a difference

Warren sells the small compressors ,have a look

Well I would be interested in your new setup if it actually fits in a sys 5  if you could give a review of the compressor  how noisie it is how many nailers I fires before filling up and how long it takes to fill up from empty

 

[Nippychippy]

Thanks for the review Robert.

It confirms the experiences we have had here, although fine in softwood, present it with a real world application and it just isn't quite performing. This is a shame as the design is great and the ongoing costs would be minimal. I will be reporting back to Senco when I see them next and if I can get a newer version of the machine would you be interested in trying again, at no cost to you, and for the benefit of all of us?

Best regards

Warren

Thanks again Warren I really appreciate the chance to test out this nailer. And if senco would be willing I would love to test the newer version out because I really want this nailer to work

 

[Nippychippy]

I own paslode 2nd fix and have the same issues plus it's 0.0 degrees on site this morning so it's sulking in its box. Have been looking online at the Senco 15G nailer for skirts etc. has any one any thoughts on this model as they are sold here in the UK?

That's the other problem with  paslode is a 15g nail got a bigger head? What I am trying to do is get away from big nail heads I have done a good few jobs with oak  and the nail heads  stand out way to much for my liking  and with decorators or the customer  finishing it I looks really bad to me

 

[joiner1970]

The pc1010 fits fine in a sys5 just take the rubber feet off and it drops in on its back.

Also Warren sells them in senco systainers

Noisewise it's extremely quiet compared to my usual bostitch ones. It takes awhile to fill up first time but you can always do other stuff while it's doing it anyway.

Other people have done in-depth reviews with details on how many nails you can fire before it refills. I can say I tested it with my new 16g bradder and it fired 6  50mm long nails before it refilled. I think my 18g was around 10 or 12.

 

[Nippychippy]

Thanks joiner it does look good and warren has I nice deal on them  [big grin]

 

[pingvinlakrits]

I am fairly happy with my Senco Fusion F18. It has done great service the past two years though I don't really trust it with Oak trim.

It is powerful enough for most work though head placement and pressure is critical for thicker stock as per the review above.  I very seldom encounter protruding nails but if I slack off a little it happens.

I haven't used my (quiet) compressor and nail gun at all since I got the Senco Fusion but I still have it stored in case. I miss the light weight of the compressor driven nail guns but I don't miss the hose and hauling a compressor.

 

[Nippychippy]

I am fairly happy with my Senco Fusion F18. It has done great service the past two years though I don't really trust it with Oak trim.

It is powerful enough for most work though head placement and pressure is critical for thicker stock as per the review above.  I very seldom encounter protruding nails but if I slack off a little it happens.

Thanks henrik is you fusion the one with the led toggle or the black switch
I haven't used my (quiet) compressor and nail gun at all since I got the Senco Fusion but I still have it stored in case. I miss the light weight of the compressor driven nail guns but I don't miss the hose and hauling a compressor.

 

[pingvinlakrits]

I have the F18 with a single three position switch between bump/off/single shot. I am not sure of what you might call the switch, toggle or not? Mine is an early version so if there are two versions I have the first one.

My main complaint happens to be the switch that is located far from the grip so I can barely switch it on with my pinkie and most of the time I have to use the other hand. If they have changed this I am all for it - though it doesn't help me...  [crying]

 

[Nippychippy]

Yes henrik that's the one I tested the newer one has replace the switch with an led type toggle button but is in the same place from watch I read is that they change something with the battery's aswell

 

[pingvinlakrits]

Ok, that's what I though and that's what I get for being an eary adopter. Hopefully the new version is improved.