Customer Reviews

Senco FP25XP 18-Gauge 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch Brad Nailer

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought the Senco 25 brad nailer last week. The decision between the Porter Cable and the Senco was difficult, I finally based the purchased on the wider range of brad lengths for the Senco and the oil less design . I have used them both and operation between the two is very similar. The Senco is [$] more and can't shoot into tight spots like the Porter Cable can due to the location of the safety nose.I did like the better construction of the Porter Cable, its part steel and part fiber resin, it appeared to be more durable, the no-mar tip is especially nice,and its very easy to see where you are shooting . The Senco is constructed almost totally of fiber resin materials and I wonder how well it will hold up to being dropped.The Senco power boast it awkward to use,the no-mar tip is too flexible and line of sight for shooting takes some getting use to. Either gun is good, the oil less feature is nice if you tend to to over oil your tools like I do.If your on a budget go with the Porter Cable.

I've been waiting years for this nailer to come out. While waiting I have bought and used several other 2" brad nailers. Not one compared very well against Senco's brad nailer, The SLP 20. It operates so much more smoothly , it isn't even funny. The oil-less design was revolutionary. Not only is it more convenient, it saves your work from oil stains. Still, I knew that Senco would one day produce a 2" brad nailer of their own. I also knew it would be the very best. I have to say ,it was worth the wait. Everything about it says quality. It carries all the best from the SLP 20 and improves on it. From the first brad you drive you will know just how good it is. Sooo smooth. No kick back like the other guns. Sooo powerful. You will never wonder if it's going to sink the nail. The adjustable depth of drive and exhaust are the icing on the cake. I also like the rubbery grip. It's very nice to hold. I have had no jams but if you ever do , they are easy to clear. Top it off with a hard to lose no mar tip and the ability to drive 2 1/8" brads and you have the best brad nailer at any price , bar none. Plus it's made in the U.S.A. all for just a few more dollars than the "cheapies". My imports are now for sale.

I have used other brands that were borrowed or rented. When it came time to buy, I picked the Senco above all the rest (toolpig's review was very helpful, thanks!).

The main frame (gray part) is heavy aluminum which keeps the weight to a minimum, lowering fatigue. The top head is carbon fiber, like the stuff they built the Beech "Starship" out of, very durable and strong. The adjustable exhaust vent lets you rotate the blast of air 360° to a convenient direction. The nail magazine opens with a large, easy to operate latch, loading the nails from the side. There are grooves for each size nail head to keep them on track and prevent jams.

I found this very easy to operate and adjust. You do need to keep firm, but not heavy, pressure on the foot to prevent recoil and keep your results consistent. The countersink function is clearly labeled and adjusts easily with a few test shots. The no-mar foot is soft but tough plastic that does its job well - I have never left a dimple after thousands of nails. The oiless design means no drips or spray on your projects, and no maintenance other than blowing the dust off once in a while. If it ever needs an overhaul, they make a kit which is about a half-hour job to install.

The only near complaints I have are: it is tough or impossible to use inside tight casework due to its over 8" height and the 18 gauge nails tend to deflect easily if they hit knots or other dense bodies in wood. I have found that extra diligence pays off when nailing into plywood edges; be sure the gun is absolutely perpendicular to the work, a hard glue layer will deflect these nails!

It comes in a nice plastic case that also has room for one box of nails. You will have to add your own 1/4" male coupler plug - I use Milton "M-Type" ... Overall, this is another fantastic product from an industry leader - your tool and the U.S.A. company that made it should be around for a long, long time.

I am one willing to pay the extra buck, but in this category, I don't know if it is necessary. I owned the Porter-Cable 2" brad for a week and I replaced it because I wanted the best so I bought the FP25. The week that I used the PC it did everything i asked it to do- it will do the job. Where the FP25 earned points above and beyond the others is the oil-less design, the turbo setting, the largest nail range available, the handy belt hanger, and priceless USA construction. I have fired the largest 2 1/8" brad into oak at 95psi WITHOUT the turbo setting. Impressive. It is so smooth you can't believe it. I would buy this gun over the PC any day because the above features are important enough to me to pay more, although for most applications the PC will satisfy. The PC represents a great value, but really, I would expect to pay a lot more for the FP25 than we're being charged. It's that impressive. Buy this over all other brad nailers if you want the finest. If you want to spend as little as possible and still get a good nailer, the PC will satisfy.

This is the brad nailer against which all others are measured. The only "compromise" on this tool is the price, which, as one reviewer stated, "you could probably get two competitors for the price of one of these."

I shot some 1-1/4" brads in quartersawn white oak. Now... by anybody's standards, that's tough, 'cause the brads are so small, and they're really not designed to be used in hard, thick wood like that. But... this nailer sunk them in (in the "turbo" setting) with no problem.

In softer wood, there's never any problem (even with the longest brads), and it's not hard to set the drive depth to control how much countersink you achieve.

For anyone considering this as a first-time brad nailer, I'd highly recommend it. The light recoil and light-weight frame make it a dream to use... even for the faint of heart who have shyed-away from pneumatic nailers before.

Please read your warning labels and follow the instructions, though... If you've never used a pneumatic nailer, there are a lot of "gotchas," and when they "get ya," it hurts.

Drive safely!

Have been through lots of nailers. Grizzly, Airy, Dewalt, Porter Cable, Bostitch. I've been using an Airy 1 9/16 brad nailer for years, and it worked flawlessly, but I find that the extra 7/16 really helps with certain kind of trim, so I decided that a 2" gun was in order. I use the Senco SFN40 angle finish nailer and figured that this gun was of the same quality. I was not disappointed. I looked at the Paslode, but it was so light and packed with little plastic pieces that I was afraid it would break in no time. Plus their warranty was not as good as Senco's. Plus, Senco customer support is AWESOME! Worth the extra price of their gear. I've installed a couple of thousand feet of molding so far with this gun and would recommend it highly!!

Great job Senco. You have a customer for life

Senco FP25XP 18-Gauge 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch Brad Nailer

The only thing I can fault this tool on is it's a bit tall. (Physics dictates that powerful air nailers have a taller piston section.) If it wasn't for that, my smaller brad nailer could be retired. I almost didn't buy the Senco because the photo showed a tool front that didn't quickly open to clear jams. Every time you open the tool to add/remove brads, the entire area where a brad could jam is completely accessible. This negates the need for the tool front to open. I've used this nailer with probably 20,000 nails, and haven't had a jam. Countersink depth is easily controlled via a turn-screw on the trigger. The pliable clear plastic tip protects fragile trim, but is removable for rough work. The nails will go through at least 1.5" of oak. The tool is comfortable to hold, lightweight, has a selectable direction air exhaust, loads quickly, and you can easily see when the brad supply is getting low. Plus, the oil-less design keeps your work clean, and there is no recoil. I have a half dozen air nailers & staplers of various brands and would have to say this tool is first rate quality & design. This is one of the best.

I got this nailer as a Christmas gift. It is my first brad nailer so I cannot compare it to other brands. It is extremely well made and very smooth. The adjustable power feature gives you that extra oomph when sinking those long brads into harder woods. Very comfortable to handle. Easy to load. Adjustable exhaust works well. If you want a nailer that's well made (and in the USA no less)and are willing to fork over an extra $50-75, then this is for you.

I bought this nailer and have used it for about a month now. I've used the max length brad into oak and so far this gun has not jammed. I give it a four stars since I think the price was a little on the high side. The thing that I liked about this gun is that it does not need oil and seems to be well made. The loading mechanism is little awkward and it took a while to get used to for me. I wish they'd packaged this gun with some sample of brads like Porter-cable or others.

My first though when I took this out of the case was that it was too light to work well. I was wrong, it sinks nail after nail and since I'm building furniture the oil-less feature is wonderful. The power boost works as advertised and has come in handy for me when changing from nailing pine to oak. I have been using craftsman 1 1/4" brads and have not had a single jam.

This is very easy to use and my only complaint is the manual. The manual covers several models and instead of having a section in the manual for each model, the instructions are all jumbled together and you have to first figure out the lay out and then scan each page to find the information about your model. This is a small complaint but I do think Senco should rework their manuals.