There’s a new cordless nailer coming out soon from Grex, a new 18 gauge nailer model GC1850. This nailer has a few tricks up it’s sleeve with a lightweight and compact body and no compromise in power. It’s roughly similar in size to a regular pneumatic nailer and they did this by employing a fuel cell system. The fuel cells go inside the handle to keep the size compact and electric power is fed by 2 small AAA batteries. What’s great about going with off the shelf batteries is that you don’t have to worry about recharging batteries and don’t have to mess with being tied to yet another battery platform. As performance goes it can shoot 18ga brads up to 2″ and can fire them as quickly as you can pull the trigger, although there is no bump fire mode for increased production speed.
The manufacture claims it has all metal construction although the piston chamber is enclosed in plastic housing. This is said to protect the user from the heat generated from the piston chamber. They also claim the fuel exhaust is nearly odorless making it easier to deal with when working indoors. Personally, I’ve never tried a cordless fuel powered nailer but I have heard negative comments about odor from fuel exhaust on other models so hopefully the low odor claim stands up.
My thoughts are that it looks promising and I appreciate it’s compact body based on pictures alone. That’s one of the thing that’s a negative at the moment with cordless nailers is that they’re on the big and heavy side and it looks as though this model addresses those common issues. It looks to be around the size of a similar pneumatic nailer although possibly a tad “heftier” around the piston chamber. A few things to note are that this model doesn’t come cheap. I did a quick internet search and found this model retailing at around $440 and that’s definitely not inexpensive. I suppose one could easily get a compressor and nailer set or battery only powered nailers with battery and charger (think Senco, Ryobi, Ridgid, Dewalt) at a much lower price but this nailer is a self sufficient unit without the need for a hose and compressor and is said to be similar in size and weight to pneumatic nailers which are much smaller and lighter than battery powered nailers. This reduces start up time, reduces the amount of tools you need to carry on and off the jobsite and in the end makes life much easier. Another thing to note is that it requires consumables to operate in the form of fuel cells and AAA batteries so you’re looking at the large up front price plus additional money for consumables over the lifetime of the tool. Replacement fuel cells will run you $25 for a 4 pack and luckily bulk batteries aren’t expensive but it will add to the overall cost of operating and materials which you don’t have to worry about with battery powered nailers.
The Grex GC1850 cordless 18 gauge nailer is expected to hit stores by the end of September with a retail price of $440.
Features from the Manufacturer
“The Grex GC1850 Cordless Brad Nailer is the ONLY cordless finish nailer as small as a traditional air operated finish nailer that:
has the lightest weight, best balanced design
has an all-metal robust construction
has the power to sink 2″ 18-gauge brad nails into 2″-thick red oak
uses only 2 AAA alkaline batteries that last at least 50,000 shots
has the lowest cost of fuel per shot
requires minimal maintenance and has the lowest cost of ownership
Features:
Operates at high altitudes without the need for special fuel cartridges
Adjustable power to accommodate a range of nail lengths and wood hardness
A nearly odorless fuel makes working in enclosed areas more pleasant
No need for expensive rechargeable batteries; no down-time from battery charging
Super fine narrow nose and safety design that allow driving nails at any angle
Removable no-mar rubber tip protects workpiece and precisely locates nailing position
Posit-Lock™ Nose Cover dramatically reduces jamming
Auto trigger lockout prevents empty (dry) firing and alerts user to reload
Fastener indicator window shows when fasteners are low
Rubber non-slip handgrip for a firm comfortable tool grip
Minimal hole size in workpiece; the smallest mark possible for minimal puttying
Stepped magazine allows tool to access corners
Allen key storage for quick convenient access ”
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