Customer Reviews

DEWALT D51845 Round Head 2-Inch to 3-1/2-Inch Framing Nailer

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I purchased this unit about six months ago while remodeling a ranch house. I was also using a Hitachi 83 framing nailer side by side. The Hitachi feels a little more bulky but as far as I can tell they both have the same power. The first day I used it I had to frame in maybe 70-80 studs (and other things) and they were all toe nailed. This unit worked every bit as good as the Hitachi in my opinion, no problem with power at all. I have since used it for about everything you can use a framing nailer for and it has worked perfect. The depth setting takes about a second to adjust. The rafter hook is really cool too. I was stick framing a roof and the tool fell to the ground a few times until I realized that thing on the handle was for hanging the tools from rafters. Maybe I should have read the manual. The way the tool loads nails is really neat, you just pull the lever back and it locks in place so you don't have to hold it. Then drop in a couple of strips of nails and pull the laver again and you are ready to roll. I have used this in gluelam's as well without any problems in sinking the nails. To top off everything else, it's cheaper than the Hitachi!

I purchased this nailer because it had some features that my Porter Cable did not. Tools free depth adjustment and the rafter hook. Right out of the box the tool leaked air from the back end. I tested it anyway and it felt pretty good except that the trigger is too far away from the handle and it was unable to really sink toe nails, even with the pressure turned up to 125 psi and the nose fully retracted. The nosepiece was better than the PC for toenailing but did not offer a mar free tip. I decided to send this one back. If it leaks right out of the box, I doubt that the rest of it is assembled properly. The Porter Cable also came with a really nice case, and the Dewalt with just the box it was sent in.

My company consists of over 40 framers. We primarly use Hitachi guns. I purchased a Dewalt framing gun, and it was defective out of the box. My local rep. replaced the gun at no charge. The gun looks nice, however, it is my opinion that the gun is not well balanced, and although it is said to be a light weight tool, I have found it to be heavy, and poorly balance. I will not purchase another DeWalt gun. We currently have over 25 Hitachi guns running daily, and it seams to be a much better gun. The Hitachi is much better balanced than the DeWalt, and feels much lighter.

I purchased this nailer and used it in the majority of the nailing in two residential projects over nine months. Right out of the box the nailer was double firing (two nails in one shot). Although I kept it oiled daily, double firing and misfiring because the norm for this nailer using 3" nails. I also had major problems with jamming... not just minor jams, but jams where two nails would get stuck in the chamber which was very time consuming to remove. With 3-1/2" nails, the problems grew much worse. I bought several different brands of nails over then next couple of months, but had the identical problems with them all. It became a very frustrating tool and was not very dependable. I tried bring it in to a Dewalt dealer for a repair, but I was told that nothing was wrong with it. Finally, after nine months of fighting with this thing, it slid off a rail and the air inlet broke off when it hit the ground.

This is my first Dewalt tool and certainly my last.

We currently run a fleet of six of these guns and we cant keep more than three working at one time. Its either a stuck piston or a bent magazine. These guns just dont shoot very well either. At 120 psi they wont even counter sink 8d's into OSB sheathing, they leave about half the nails protruding a 1/4". They are light wieght but they are poorly balanced. The nose piece is terrible, we have to jam the saftey's to make them shoot decently which is not a good thing to do! Overall these guns just arent up to the demands of jobsite.

I purchased this nailer due to the excellent results I've had with all the other DeWalt products in my arsenal. After reading several reviews referring to this tool as junk, I believe the dissatisfied owners may not be using the tool correctly. I have had zero problems with setting nails in plywood and OSB regardless of the nail size. The nailer has not jammed and only stops after the magazine is reduced to two or three nails. I just reload and go. Time will reveal it's reliability however, after 6 mos I'm still very happy with it.

Out of every nailer I've ever used, this one is by far the best! This gun has a depth adjustment for the nails and so far, I have never had to go back with a hammer and finish the job. In fact, in some cases, it sunk the nails a little too far! If you do any framing or decking, you need this tool. It makes fast easy work out of a normally tediuos and time consuming job. Also, another important tid bit of info. for you. It has never jammed on me yet. The best part is, if it does, you don't need any tools to clear the jam!

I bought two of the DeWalt D51845 Framing Nailers. If you choose to buy this tool, you must buy two and hire two men. It takes two people, one to use the tool and one to get the other tool unjammed. I've had these tools in the Richmond, VA service center time and time again and evidently they can't be repaired to give unaggrevated use. Each time after repair, I'm able to get a couple hours use from the tool and then it gives problems. Sometimes it will shoot two nails at once. Then, it gets to the point where it will not recoil to shoot another nail without unplugging the air hose after shooting each nail. I use the recommended air pressure setting on the compressor, drain the compressor several times daily, take care not to let the tool get contaminated with dirt, and oil it frequently. It doesn't help. Now I use one tool with aggrevation and I have just set aside the other tool as trash. The service center always tells me that they have repaired the tool and of course charges me for it. I'm just tired of not having a nailer on which I can depend. My next purchase will be another brand. By the way, both of these nailers are less than two years old.

I read the previous reviews and I got the impressoin that this nailer "could" do the job. Well I was wrong, this nailer went head to head with a bostitch N88ww nailer and I was crushed. The dewalt lacked the power to countersink 3 1/2 nails into some old pine. The best I could do is get a bearly flush head about 60 percent of the time. I tried adjusting everything I could to get the perfomance I expected from a dewalt tool. This nailer lasted about 30 minutes on site before it was back in the box ready to get shipped back.

I purchased this nailer a couple of years ago because of the name. I own several other DeWalt tools and have always been very happy with them. This nailer has yet to let me down. I have noticed that the selection of full head nails at the local building supply warehouse is less than the clipped head nails. However Amazon seems to carry all I could ever want, so this has not been a problem.
The only times the gun has jammed on me has been operator error. I had left a single nail in the magazine when adding a new stick of nails. The single nail slipped out of place and jammed. However it takes under a minute to remove the magazine, clear the jam, reassemble and reload.
The safety by the trigger is the gun's only flaw. I have small hands and so do not mind it being so small, but someone with larger hands, especially wearing gloves may not be able to turn it. It also doesn't seem very robust. However I rarely use it, I prefer to disconnect the air hose as then I can be certain it will not fire.
When I use 3 1/4" nails, I do find if the nail goes into a knot, I sometimes need to finish it off with a hammer. Other than that, I've not had a problem with the power of the gun