WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Review

Nail guns exist in a very crowded market and there’s pretty much a nail gun to suit every single scenario. At the end of the day though, most hobbyists and home-improvement enthusiasts will want to choose just one nail gun and that means they’re going to want something that easy to operate and that is versatile.

Is the WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer the nail gun that you’re looking for? It’s certainly a very affordable option, very light and convenient and not too hard on the eyes. We spent some time testing the product for the review and here’s what we found…

Product Description: Super Light and Breezy

One of the most important things when looking for a nail gun is the lightness and the ergonomic. Many applications will involve using these tools for long periods, whether you’re looking at roofing or you’re building your own furniture. That means you need something that you can use for long stretches without getting exhausted.

The good news is that the WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer is a small, light and colourful device that you’ll be happy to use for extended periods. The color is a nice bright blue and yellow which we enjoy but it’s actually surprisingly powerful accounting for its small size.

This is pneumatic tool, which means you’re going to need an air compressor to run it. The good news is that these can be found very cheaply these days and you can get some very small ones too. Air compressors last a long time and will be useful for a range of applications, so it’s a worthy addition to your tool set.

This is still entry level though and won’t be incredibly powerful. Still though, the WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer should be suitable for fireing 18-gauge brads.

It also has a good capacity with a 100-brad capacity. In our tests it performed very well with only the occasional jam. The good news is that a quick-release magazine provides you with easy access to the head, which means you can unjam your jams. You also get a depth adjustment feature, soft nose (to avoid damaging the material you’re nailing) and a carry case.

Pros and Cons: Amazing for the Price

This is an entry level nail gun, make no mistake. It’s not going to be up to the most demanding tasks and if you’re a professional, then you might want something more powerful to ensure that there is no job too big to handle.

But we’ve still a lot of positive to say about this nail gun and in particular, we’re really impressed with just how powerful it is considering the price. The WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer is remarkably cheap. It’s still very well made though, surprisingly powerful and with all the features you could need. The quick release magazine is a particularly well-thought-out addition and wins this model some more brownie points.

Finally, the design is the other pro. It’s so light, so easy to use and so ergonomic that you can happily spend all day nailing down the backs of wardrobes without getting wrist strain.

As mentioned, one con is that you may experience the occasional jam, but this is pretty par for the course with a small, entry level nail gun. The other con is that you’ll need an air compressor. This is normal but it does add to the price if you don’t have one already.

The other downside of course is that this is limited in terms of its maximum power. That means you’re going to struggle nailing into some materials and you may want to upgrade in future. But for hobbyists and a little home improvement, it should be up to most jobs. And more to the point, at this price it hardly matters!

Conclusion: More Than Meets the Eye

To look at, this is a rather unassuming nail gun that is somewhat plastic – although it looks nice with it. And that is what you’re getting too – there are no advanced features here and it certainly isn’t the most powerful in the world.

But in terms of entry level nail guns, this is one of the best. The only caveat is that air compressor – you may want to consider a battery operated tool if you want to save the additional expense or avoid having to carry an extra gizmo.

source http://www.toolerant.com/wen-61720-34-inch-to-2-inch-18-gauge-brad-nailer-review/

Black & Decker BDCCS20B: A cordless circular saw worth the money?

Black and Decker tools have come a long way in the last 20 years or so, and are no longer regarded as strictly “homeowner only” tools but are instead finding themselves used more and more prominently in workshops and on job sites in the professional realm.

The Black & Decker BDCCS20B cordless circular saw is a prime example of a more professional version of the Black and Decker tool line up, the kind of tool that carpenters, woodworkers, and other experts can turn to in a pinch but certainly the kind of tool that DIYers, weekend warriors, and woodworking enthusiasts can rely on whenever they tackle a new project.

Certainly not the very best cordless circular saw available, but perhaps the very best cordless circular saw at this price point, the Black & Decker BDCCS20B is definitely well worth looking at least a little bit further into.

Check out this quick review for more inside information about this circular saw!

Initial Impressions

The first thing that you’ll notice about this Black and Decker tool is that it is a lot heavier and a lot more “premium” feeling the and most every other Black and Decker tool out there in the last 15 years or so.

That’s because the engineers at Black and Decker have definitely started to introduce better and better construction materials, smarter design, and more reliable components into their premium level tools, and the Black & Decker BDCCS20B circular saw is a perfect example of this new forward thinking approach.

Not the heaviest cordless circular saw out there by any stretch of the imagination, this unit is still pretty lightweight, still easy to control, and will not fatigued you quite as much as some of the other more hefty and premium options available on the market.

You shouldn’t have to worry about cruising right through most construction materials (though anything larger than a 2×6 might heat the unit up a little bit), but all in all this is a tremendously impressive unit that won’t let you down – as long as you respect and understand its shortcomings and don’t push the limits of this unit outside of its comfort zone.

Standout Features

The introduction of a 20 V lithium-ion power plant makes this Black and Decker cordless circular saw a bit of a heavy duty unit, though it still isn’t quite as powerful as corded options are (but what cordless tool ever is?).

The lithium-ion battery is going to recharge really, really quickly (we are talking about going from dead to a full charge in about two hours or so), though the you should only really be able to expect between four and five hours of consistent use out of a full battery.

This is quite a bit short of what the professional cordless circular saw options out there bring to the table (with most promising at least eight hours of run time on a single charge), but for hobbyists and enthusiasts this is plenty of juice to get most weekend projects done.

The included multipurpose circular saw blade that this unit comes with is plenty enough to choose through construction materials but also accurate and find enough to help you cut through finish materials, though it isn’t going to produce quite as clean or as consistent a cut as some of the higher quality (and admittedly more expensive) finish blade options out there.

This is a rip saw through and through, but there’s not any shame in that. If you need something that you can kind of beat without feeling bad about putting it through its paces, this is the cordless circular saw you’re going to want to reach for – especially at this price point!

Pros

• Tremendously lightweight, the Black & Decker BDCCS20B isn’t going to fatigued you very much when you are using it for extended amounts of time. The ergonomics with this circular saw are also pretty impressive, giving you complete control for precision cuts.
• You really cannot beat the price point of this particular cordless circular saw from Black and Decker. Comparable units are easily going to cost two, three, and even four times as much as this circular saw. It offers plenty of “bang for your buck”.
• The lithium-ion battery power plant system gives you extra juice for heavy duty cuts but also guarantees a relatively long run time between chargings. You’ll have to invest in a secondary battery for sure, but that’s a no-brainer with any cordless tool.

Cons

• At the end of the day, the Black & Decker BDCCS20B just isn’t going to be able to go toe to toe with some of the more powerful and higher-quality cordless circular saws from companies like DeWalt and Makita. It just doesn’t have that level of quality or those kind of precision components, but it also doesn’t have a considerably higher price tag to make those things possible.
• There is always a risk of this relatively lightweight cordless circular saw binding in the middle of heavier construction materials, so that’s something that you’re going to need to be aware of right off the bat. As mentioned above, definitely don’t try to push this circular saw out of its comfort zones. You’ll almost always regret it with a safety issue.

Who’s going to be able to get the most out of this tool?

Homeowners, weekend warriors, and DIY enthusiasts will be able to make the very most out of this budget focused cordless circular saw. Professionals will definitely want to spend a little bit more to get a higher-quality unit, but this circular saw can still be used for light work without having to blow up your budget.

Final Verdict

Inexpensive, relatively compact, and plenty capable, there are a lot of things to really appreciate about the Black & Decker BDCCS20B cordless circular saw. You’ll want to purchase a second battery (at least one extra), the rapid charging module, and some higher-quality circular saw blades to get the most out of this unit, but it’s a pretty accomplished tool designed for homeowners and amateurs.

source http://www.toolerant.com/black-decker-bdccs20b-a-cordless-circular-saw-worth-the-money/