Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This kit is my first exposure to air tools, so this review is aimed at fellow novices. Here's some information that's not included in the Amazon.com product description or the product manuals.
There's no manual for the combo kit. There is a manual for the air compressor and for each of the two included nailers. The serial number for the compressor is what you'll use when you register the kit, which you can do either by mail or at Porter-Cable's web site.
The air compressor has a standard 120V 3-prong grounded power cord. Many larger compressors use a non-standard 3-phase cord in either 120V or 240V. But you'll need a full 15A circuit, so find one that's got no other devices drawing current, or a lightly-loaded 20A circuit.
The compressor's drain valve isn't as depicted in the manual. The manual shows an extension "T" handle. The drain valve on my compressor is just a knurled brass barrel. Turn it counterclockwise by hand to open it.
Included with the compressor are a 25' hose, a male 1/4" quick connector end, a female (brass) quick connector end, and a spool of Teflon plumber's tape. There are no extra parts; you'll need all of these to get started. Wrap a couple of turns of Teflon tape around the threads and screw the female quick connector end on one extreme of the hose, and the male quick connector end at the other extreme. There's no instruction about how much pressure you need; I used a 6" crescent wrench on the connector and held the hose by hand. (That seemed to work fine, as I didn't damage anything or have any air leaks when I hooked it up.) Insert the male quick connector end of the assembled hose into the female quick connector on the air compressor. You'll need to pull back the barrel of the female quick connector to make the connection. Repeat on the other end, inserting the male quick connector end that's already attached on the nailer into the female quick connector end you attached to the hose.
Each of the two nailers includes a box of 1000 nails. These are of middling size (2") for the finish nailer and maximum size (1 1/4") for the brad nailer. Both nailers include 1/4" male quick connectors (attached) but their manuals mention that you'll get better performance with 3/8" connectors (not included). The connectors come with dust covers to keep them clean when not attached to your hose. The safety features work well, requiring you to depress the safety shoe against the nailing surface before the nailer will fire. The nailers also won't fire when there's inadequate air pressure; with the small compressor included you may need to wait a few seconds after firing a dozen nails in quick succession.
Each nailer comes with a "single sequential actuation" trigger; you can also get a "contact activation" trigger, at no additional charge, by calling Porter-Cable's toll-free (in the U.S. and Canada) phone number and reading the serial numbers off your nailers. Estimate 10 days for the alternate triggers to arrive.
The two nailers worked just fine for me right out of the box. The nails seated to just the right depth without any fiddling when the nailer was held perpendicular to the softwood I was working with. They're quieter than I was expecting, too -- just a quick hiss when wearing good hearing protection.
I found the compressor to be shockingly loud compared to the deep rumblings of larger compressors. I went to the other end of the house to get away from the noise during the REQUIRED 15-minute compressor break-in cycle. Even wearing hearing protection when using the finish nailer (as instructed by the nailer manual; eye protection is a must, too) I was startled when the compressor started up. This is a SMALL compressor. It has a maximum 135 PSI pressure, which is enough for most any air tool. But the flow rate is below that required by many tools: only 2.6 CFM at 90 PSI. It's enough for the nailers but you'll need to upgrade if you want to expand your air tool collection beyond these nailers. On the plus side, there's no maintenance required other than to open the drain valve when you're done with the compressor.
Summary: Very good nailers, and an adequate compressor to run these nailers. A really good starter set if you want to spiff up the trim in your house. Just be mindful that the compressor is going to be the limiting factor if your air tool aspirations grow.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Porter-Cable CFFN250N 16-Gauge Finish Nailer 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Compressor Combo Kit
