Going cord-free with trim nailers is the way to go, and the Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer makes this easy to do. This nailer is best suited for the pro that focuses on remodeling and trim work. With an excellent line of sight and an angled nail magazine, getting fasteners into difficult-to-reach places is easy and can be done with great precision. The idea of not having to drag around a compressor, cords and hoses is a very compelling argument for going cordless. Not to mention, this Paslode is lightweight, compact, comes with a built-in hanging hook and is incredibly easy to use. This nailer makes our list of must-have tools!
Editor’s note: Check out the Paslode IM250A 16-gauge cordless angled finish nailer for an updated model.
Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer Features
The Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer arrived in a very sturdy blow molded carry case that provides space for the included nailer, battery, charger, fuel cell and even a pack of nails. Beyond these items, there is additional space for another battery or two and spare fuel cells. This nailer weighs in at just under 5 pounds when completely loaded with the battery, fuel and nails. That’s super light, particularly when you remember that you’re not dragging a hose. At the heart of this nailer is Paslode’s patented fuel and battery system which gives some pretty impressive results since the Ni-cad rechargeable battery will drive 4,000 nails on one charge and one of the Short Yellow Trim Fuel Cells will drive a total of 1,200 nails. The main body of the nailer is mostly made of a durable plastic with metal parts in critical areas like the magazine, the internals, and where the nails come out. The grip angle is comfortable to hold and there is a reversible belt hook that comes in very handy when going up and down ladders. The nailer drives 1-1/4″ to 2-1/2″ 16-gauge 20 degree angled nails and the magazine holds up to 100 nails (two strips). To prevent blank firing which can damage the internal mechanism, there is a 10-nail lockout and the tip comes with a quick-latch cover that makes clearing jams a tool-free and almost instant process. The tip of the nailer is designed to offer a very open line of sight and it includes two no-mar tip covers. Depth of drive is also tool-free and the nailer operates in a single fire mode only which is actually safer (and for all the guys out there that think that they need a trim nailer that works in bump mode, how often do you really use that anyways?)
Testing and Use
We had the perfect project to try out the Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer to show off why you want one of these (come on, we know you want one!) It was a bathroom renovation project where we found ourselves in extremely tight quarters and had a window to trim out and crown to install. It is one thing to work in a large open space, but when in a cramped area, with limited access, less clutter and things to drag around all of a sudden become serious considerations. In this particular case, we also had to squeeze in a 6 ft step ladder to reach the 10ft high ceilings for the crown trim. Before we even attempted using the nailer, we threw the battery on the included charger to make sure that we were operating the tool at its peak potential. Loading the fuel cell was pretty easy in that it only required a little bit of careful attention to the orientation of the fuel cell discharge and manipulation of the latch on the back of the tool. The battery slips neatly into a cavity that is at the bottom of the magazine. Loading the 2” long nails was easy as well. They enter the magazine from the back and, once the nails are inserted, all that was required was to pull back the nail tensioner to force them forward. In a spare piece of wood, we set the depth of drive which was done by turning the thumb wheel just behind the tip. Now we were ready to work and we started with the crown trim. For those that might not be familiar with fuel/battery powered nailers, there is a pretty loud pop when the nail is fired which is a little different than some of the other cordless nailers on the market.
One thing that quickly became evident was that this nailer does not have a problem with driving nails to the proper depth when dealing with different materials. The reason I mention this is that in this particular 1920’s home that we were working on, the walls are made of up multiple layers of materials that included rock hard fir 2×4’s, lath, plaster and drywall. Never once in hanging the crown did we have to go back through and set any nails by hand. We had the same results with the window that we trimmed out as well. What we also like about this nailer is that the 16 gauge nails are a perfect compromise between the larger 15 gauge finish nailer and a 18 gauge brad nailer. The 16 gauge nails have a slight head which made it easy to “suck” the trim in when it was against uneven walls and hold it in place once nailed. The nail heads are small, though, which made it very easy to putty and patch before we painted. Something else that we quickly found ourselves using was the belt hook which was very handy when working up on the ladder. We were able to hang the nailer on the ladder and keep it within easy reach without fear of it falling. In the batch of nailing that we did, there were no misfires or jams to report.
Conclusion
When selecting a cordless nailer, there are a few things to look for, like size, weight, power and ease-of-use. With Paslode’s 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer, we think that they did a great job in all these areas. On the surface it might seem that this tool might cost more than corded nailing solutions. If you take into account the cost of a compressor, a nailer, cords and hoses, you might be surprised to find that the Paslode is actually a truly viable solution. This is not to mention the space that is saved in your truck or job site trailer and the convenience of not having to drag all those other things with you. For our Performance rating, we gave this nailer a near perfect 9/10 since it performs well, weighs little and is easy to use. Our Value rating gave this tool a very high score of 8/10 since we think that its worth is really contingent on the new level of convenience that is found. Cordless is the way to go and the Paslode 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer is a great choice.
