The new Grex GCP650 pinner is a perfect fit for the work I do. At under 4 pounds and cordless, this pinner is great for the shop or the jobsite. Don’t be fooled by its size, though; this gun packs a punch. I used it in hardwood (white oak) and softwood, and it didn’t flinch.
For trim work or to assemble glue-ups, it performed extremely well. I used it for tasks like fastening dentil molding, for instance, and temporarily fastening patterns to pieces I scroll cut with a router. Running off two AAA batteries and a fuel cell keeps it lightweight and compact. There’s minimal maintenance: Both the battery and the fuel cell are in the handle and easy to change. Of course, there is no compressor or hose to deal with, so time saved. Seeing the fasteners is easy through the window at the nose of the gun. Also, with the dry-fire lockout, there’s no need to backtrack to see where the gun stopped shooting.
The tool—which I used mainly in my shop but also on site building a coffered ceiling and a mantle—shoots from 3/8- to 2-inch fasteners. Setting the depth is as easy as sliding the depth knob.
With the non-mar tip, which is removable, the nose of the tool won’t ding your work. There is a back-up tip stored on the tool as well, opposite the belt hook, which I think is well designed. I also like that the nose assembly is slim for fastening in tight spaces.
With the 23-gauge pin, you rarely need to address holes before finishing. Primer and paint will seal the fastener hole nicely. And for molding and other detail work, these pins hold fast. Add a little glue and paint and those pieces aren’t going anywhere.
At 1,300 shots per fuel cartridge and 5,000 per battery pair, it’s made for performance and never left me hanging. This gun is a joy to use and is comfortable to hold. The black rubber hand grip on the handle keeps the tool from sliding around in your hand.
To sum it up, this is a versatile tool from shop to site. Grex has made just about the most perfect tool for the work I do. It costs about $440. grexusa.com.
