Popular Woodworking 2001-08 № 123, страница 13

Endurance Test

Two Accuset Nailers That Have Endured

In February 1998, Senco asked us to look at its new line of light-duty brad nailers and staplers and make any recommendations. Later that year we received some of the first tools in the Accuset fastener line. Three years later, two of those tools still see daily use in our shop. And that's saying something when you consider the number of tools at our disposal.

The A200BN brad nailer is the workhorse, driving brad nails from to 2" lengths (sinking the heads even in oak) without a hitch. The A100MP micro pinner is a specialty tool that fires very thin headless pins ranging from V2" to 1" lengths. It fills a need that's not an everyday occurrence, but when you need a quick fastener that leaves a nearly invisible hole, it's just right.

It's not supposed to matter to a woodworker, but the look of the Accuset line is attractive, and the tools have a very smooth and dramatic form. They seem to invite you to grip them. When you do, the feel is comfortable and balanced.

Features shared by these two Taiwanese tools are rear-exhaust ports to direct any potentially oily air away from the work surface and a visible reload indicator on the magazine. Both require routine oiling of the chamber, but that isn't unusual in this price category. The A200BN also offers a mechanical depth-of-drive adjustment for setting the nail head to suit your needs.

While we know these tools were designed for the home woodworker, we haven't seen anything that wouldn't recommend these tools to even the most diehard woodworker or small commercial shop. Reportedly tested through more than 400,000 firings, these tools would be able to fire 100 brads a day for the next 10 years.

That is, by most measures, a lot of woodworking.

There are very few recommendations for changes we can make on these tools. The safety device on the

Accuset Model A200BN Brad Nailer

Street price: $115 - $140 Brad sizes: 18 gauge, ⁵/b" - 2" Safety device: restrictive nose guard Depth-of-drive adjustment? Yes PSI operating range: 70 - 100 Weight: 3.4 lbs

Accuset Model A100MP Micro pinner

Street price: $120 Brad sizes: 23 gauge, !^/2",⁵/8",³/4", 1" Safety device: lock-out switch Depth-of-drive adjustment? No PSI operating range: 70 - 100 Weight: 2.4 lbs

Nice Features:

• Reliable, comfortable to use and well-priced

Recommended Modifications:

• A more positive safety on the Micro pinner

Senco: 888-222-8144 or www.accuset.com

micro pinner is a simple lock-out

button, which is effective if you're just picking the gun up, but we'd prefer to see some type of more restrictive safety, though it's not required by law for this size fastener.

While some reviewers have noted the lack of a jam-clearing nose door, we have yet to run into a jam that couldn't be easily cleared through the rear of the mech-

anism. In fact, we've encountered very few jams at all in three years.

The A200BN is a versatile and reliable tool for any woodworker ready to go pneumatic. The micro pinner fills a unique niche that grows larger every time we take it out of the tool cabinet. PW

— David Thiel

ABOUT OUR ENDURANCE TESTS

It's nice to know how a new tool performs, but most woodworkers also want to know how long the tool will last. Each issue we tell you about tools that have stood up to regular use in our shop for at least a year.We tell you how the tools have fared,any recommendations we have and if the tools have passed the Popular Woodworking Endurance Test. —David Thiel, senior editor

13 Popular Woodworking August 2001