Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer Review

Manufacturer: Duo-Fast
Model: DF150S-TC
Price: $365
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When we
heard about the new Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer, we knew we had to
get our hands on one. Upon opening the box, we were pleasantly
surprised at the shrunken down size of the tool. Overall it is about
half the size of most framing nailers. Actually, it is more on par
with a typical 15 gauge trim nailer’s body. Don’t let the pint size
make you think it is not for heavy-duty work, however. This nailer
has a decent heft to it, weighing in at a tad over six pounds. It
should be mentioned that this is a 1-1/2″ only nailer. While
there other sizes of nails that get used in certain applications, by
far the most common size called for by different residential building
codes is the 1-1/2” length. Thanks to the decision to run with the
single nail size, the width of the nail magazine was minimized, as
was the overall length of the magazine, making it easy to squeeze
this nailer in even the tightest spaces. Depending on the exact nail
being used, up to 33 can fit in at once, which basically equates to
one strip if you are getting the TICO nails from Duo-Fast. Nails are
loaded though the end of the magazine and there is a handy (and dare
we say now, almost expected) nail lockout that prevents the
driving blade from excessive wear due to dry fires.

Probing tip makes it
easy to find the holes in the metal connectors

The ergonomics of the tool is pretty
good. With a small main body, the balance is great. More
manufacturers should take note of the included rafter hook too. It
makes it so easy to keep the tool within reach without having to set
it down or balance it on top of a ladder. What makes the Duo-Fast
TICO nailer different than other similar tools on the market is how
they help pinpoint the location of the nail hole. With many other
brands, this is done with the tip of the nail sticking out of the
nose, but with the Duo-Fast, it is done with a little movable metal
probe tip. Just press the tip where you want the nail and pull the
trigger. What this does is it protects the nails, eliminates jams and
actually helps you find the nail holes faster. There are a number of
other nice touches on the nailer like the rear exhaust that can be
positioned in any direction and the large overmolded rubber grip area
on the handle.

A quick word on the nails: The
DF150S-TC is designed to drive Duo-Fast TICO nails, which are head
marked for easy nail identification by building inspectors. These
nails are 30 degree paper collated, smooth shank, heat treated and
come in 1-1/2″ x .131 and 1-1/2″ x .148 bright or
mechanically galvanized. They are fully code compliant when used with
the proper hangers. From what we can tell, the TICO name is a brand
that Duo-Fast calls these types of nails.

Code approved hardened
nails with head markings

Testing and Use

Since
our company is located in a coastal area in the southeastern United
States, there are plenty of opportunities to try out nailers like the
Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer. Our local residential building codes
seem to dictate that if there is a place for a strap, hanger or tie
of some kind, that it is required. And if in doubt, just go
ahead and add some more straps because the code official will
probably make you anyway. Anyone that has had to install straps and
hangers knows that many times, they are in tight spaces like between
joists and up in rafters. Equipped with the new Duo-Fast DF150S-TC
TICO Nailer we have yet to have a single instance where we had to
break out our palm nailer (or regular hammer for that matter) because
we could not fit this nailer into the space or drive a nail totally
home.

Compact size will fit
almost anywhere

The relative lightweight and overall
compact size are two biggest things that stuck out to us as we used
it on a few projects. The other thing that we noticed was how hard
the nailer drives the fasteners into the strap. It was a rare
instance when we needed to hand hammer a nail tight after it had been
set by the Duo-Fast. It hits so hard, in fact, that in a few cases,
when we missed the hole in the strapping, it simply shot a nail right
though the metal. (We don’t recommend doing this since there is
always the risk of a ricochet.) The one thing that we are on the
fence about is the small magazine size. It just seems that as we were
getting in a groove of installing hangers, we needed to reload again.
A larger magazine option would be a great idea.

Conclusion

The Duo-Fast
DF150S-TC TICO Nailer has a great feel and it can really take daily
job site use. While many homeowners probably will not need this tool
for their deck projects, most professional contractors should quickly
see the value of a tool like this. For our Value rating we gave this
nailer a 7/10 because, while on the surface it might seem a little
pricey, in the long run the amount of time that is saved and the ease
at which strapping and joist hangers can be installed will quickly
make this tool pay for itself. Thanks to its compact body, hard
hitting driver, and super ease-of-use, we also gave this nailer a
7/10 for our Performance rating.

Specs

• Warranty: 90-day limited on wear parts, 6 month limited on magazine parts, 1 year limited on housing and cap parts
• Weight: 6 lbs 5 oz
• Operating Pressure: 90-120 PSI
• Nail Type: Heat-treated, smooth shank, bright, galvanized
• Magazine Angle: 30 degrees
• Nail Range: 1-1/2″ only
• Nail Capacity: Up to 35 nails (1-strip)