REVIEW: Craftsman V20 CORDLESS BRAD NAILER - CMCN618C1

[@NYVET48TFW]

Just bought one today, I love it! It IS heavy, but manageable, and works great! All my cordless tools are DeWalt, but I couldn't find a nailer so bought this, my only Craftsman cordless tool. I'm impressed.

[@-SLEAZY-]

Dude I have all dewalt battery tools and I'm debating on buying this one because it's only 99 dollars but dewalt costs about 300 dollars. So dumb. Turns out they are owned by same company. I should of just bought craftsman tools instead of dewalt. Saves alot of money plus it's cooler in red lol.

[@LogHouseFarm]

I have a pneumatic nailer or two - but I would love to skip the air hose - sometimes you just need a nail or two and setting up the air compressor takes longer than the actual nailing.

[@davidsmalley9336]

I bought mine about 2 years ago, still working great, good build quality, love it..

[@Samcraftcom]

Right on! Same here, love this tool!

[@asilzednanreh309]

Thanks for this video! Just purchased this yesterday on a whim an was reluctant to open the box. Now after watching your video, I'm excited to get started on some home improvement projects.

[@endymionchiba3975]

Thank you so much for making a video without all the extra talking and explaining of how to unpack and etc. (you know the kind of video where it takes 30 minutes just to get to the product review) I just bought this nailgun last night and I've never used one and the instructions are not that great. So I was a little weary of what I was doing. But I feel completely confident after watching your video and I really, really appreciate you demonstrating the depth adjuster as well. Thanks so much.

[@Samcraftcom]

Glad it was helpful! We used this gun during a shed-to-office conversion for all the wood paneling and it was great! I've probably put 2,000 brads through it and only had one jam... no bad!

[@jamesc2212]

i had just bought the big box of craftsman tools with two batteries so I bought the nailer without the battery was 99 vs 200 love it....

[@Samcraftcom]

It's a great brad nailer! I still use it to this day!

[@lcarmen100]

I’m looking at this at Lowe’s and it is the tool only. Where did you find the tool plus the battery and charger?

[@duncanmcleod4459]

That cordless nailer is awesome we use it at work every day almost it hasn't let us down yet. Being cordless is awesome.

[@littlecajun2241]

Thanks Brad 👊🏼 I too am a Craftsman guy. Now to determine if I should buy with or with another battery?

[@BEEPbaMBOP46]

I have to bring my dewalt nailer after years of nailing tens of thousands of brad nails. However, cannot have downtime. Will this be a good replacement while I get my dewalt nailer serviced?

[@NewYorkMetalDetecting]

I just bought this exact model. I saw all the positive reviews it was getting for it so I decided to get one. I now have 20V Max Dewalt, 20V Craftsman, and 24V Kobalt battery operated tools. Yes I am the real tool for buying all these different battery operated brands. I may get the Craftsman 20V framing nailer next as I would love to have that one for building my shed.

[@Samcraftcom]

I've easily put 1,000 nails through it without any jams or issues. I'm very very pleased with the nail gun! Hope yours works just as well!

[@bkproductions3569]

What about nail strength? They look thinner than convientional hammered in nails. Is this good for 2x4 framing? Finish carpentry? Basic DIY home repairs? Thanks

[@user-justbeingme]

I have COPD (a lung disease) and I use to have corded lawn items such as a hedge trimmer & weed wacker. I replaced them with 20v units, each came with a battery and charger and are interchangeable which makes it so I never run out of power. It is hard enough to drag an oxygen hose around but when you add a cord, it makes it next to impossible.

[@debbiemorgan-thompson5369]

i just bought this nailer. Unfortunately, it didnt come with a charger or battery. Im not one to read the instructions but i would rather see it being used. Thanks so much Sam, I really do appreciate it!!

[@kalegallarde6369]

I finally bought one today i got tired of air hoses and compressors especially for smaller jobs i think its awesome

[@Samcraftcom]

I've used it a TON over the years and still enjoy it!

[@russjordan243]

I got this brad nailer a couple of weeks ago and have been using it for putting up lap board and trim. It’s great so far. It is a bit chunky but like Sam says, you don’t have to mess with air hoses. It’s easy to load and operate and doesn’t take too long to “wind up”. You have to reset the tip each time but that only really makes sense given you don’t need to drive one brad in atop another anyway. If you have other 20v craftsman tools it’s a no brainer for finish work. I do wish all the companies would get together and create a universal battery type, but I guess that’ll never happen.

[@Samcraftcom]

Well said!

[@DATDUDEJT09]

Be the one who makes an adapter 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@BrandonBigB956]

Just ordered the bare tool off Lowe's website for $99. Got the adapter to run Dewalt batteries on it since I will only use it here and there for projects around the house. Own nothing else Craftsman so didn't want that additional battery type so the adaptor works good for me. Dewalt wanted $300 and I won't use it enough to spend that on it as I probably use my air one 1-2 times a year.

[@Masterlist-b6f]

I got one the other day and tried it out today and really like it so far. Mine did not come with a battery or charger or starter nails.

[@knpstrr]

These things are really slick, and this is the first video I found showing the Craftsman version, thanks for taking the time to show us this

[@Samcraftcom]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@chestrockwell7306]

I’m on my second one today!! First one wouldn’t fire a nail but would move ..second one won’t even light up!! So far bad experience!!!I think battery may be broke as well!!

[@TheJanicetunes]

Great video. I got one and just started using it. But when i switched to 2" nails from the 1" nails, the 2" doesnt go into the wood all the way. The 1" is going deeper than the 2". Any idea why? I cleaned out any jams and its not shooting any nails

[@jeannemiller306]

What is the difference in a finishing nailer and a brad nailer? I found this channel in this video because I bought one of those and I wanted to find out how you get the nails put in and every other thing

[@TransplantHelper]

I wanted one so bad but after getting to hold on in a store it seemed very heavy

[@FrancisAquino-q9i]

I have the craftsman pneumatic 18 and 16 gauge nailer and having to log the a/c and the noise for small projects pushed me to look this route and I found the sales that justify the purchase. Jigsaw/nailers/2 batteries plus charger for less than $300. For small projects (cabinetry/ window/door trim) etc….

[@nbarry2346]

Good demonstration. I have some dewalt tools but their nailer is 429 Canadian here without the battery. This seems better and has a battery. Plus I am just a regular person for household things not business. Thanks.

[@ryanjewell9832]

So, no bump firing?

[@GeorgeNadaYT]

Now this will come in handy. I really need one of these.

[@richardorona4674]

Does it matter what end of nail clip?

[@avalent5533]

Great review. I bought for the same reasons. It’s a nice tool if you already have other craftsman battery tools.

[@joedelgado922]

Can I load crown staples into this nailer? It would be great if I could use several types of nails.

[@Samcraftcom]

This model is only compatible with brad nails

[@michaelwhite7160]

Have you tried the Metabo nail gun

[@jimhagler3716]

like you I'm a craftsman guy. got a trade stack and love it. can't wait for them to expand the line.

[@Samcraftcom]

I'm probably stuck with them forever. Too committed to the battery lineup now. LOL I've added several since this video too. :)

[@diyfferent]

Awesome. I think I'm going to be the only one left without a battery powered nailer!

[@kwarts]

Come need, you. might buy one yourself. Kind regards Christiaan

[@Samcraftcom]

What's the hold up??? LOL I've been using it for a few projects and gone through about 300 brad nails so far. I am very happy with it. It's much more approachable than pneumatic too.

[@davidleecastro5308]

Which is better the 16g or the 18g ? Need to do a floor replacement for mobile home.

[@Samcraftcom]

Depends on usage which gauge is better, but neither of these would be recommended for flooring. These are more like trim and molding nail guns.

[@Unheardfrog69]

Question not sure if its a good one but would a cordless be good for putting in roof shingles.

[@Samcraftcom]

Not unless you find a cordless coil nailer made for roofing. Shingles take special nails.

[@anthonyllah8390]

I just got my 20 volt nailer that does 16 gauge but it won't push the nails up any ideas

[@jamesbinns8528]

Do Craftsman holdup to use? Do they last? I've always been hesitant to buy any craftsman product that has a motor. Wrenches and hammers and screw-drivers are great.

[@Samcraftcom]

So far so good for me. :) I've had another v20 cordless kit that is about a year and half old that's held up great for me.

[@lonewolftech]

They’re actually great just don’t buy anything but their brushless tools. Otherwise you’ll burn the brushes up.

[@abedankiest6204]

Bought the Craftsman nail gun. Tossed the manual aside. Looked up video on KZbin. 😃 Thanks for the review!

[@Samcraftcom]

Awesome, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, I sure have!

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

💥 Great review. I was almost sold until I saw the comment here about no dry fire lockout. Being someone who does some involved projects at times the thought of shooting for a while without realizing that I’m shooting blanks is not good. Is this the Porter Cable gun that is just rebranded as a Craftsman.??

[@larry40]

Just a heads up they make 2 versions of this nailgun one has charger and battery and one is gun only ,,guess which one I bought lol,,if you go to buy 2 batts and a charger separate its $179.00 but they sell the impact driver 2 batts and charger for $129.00 Lowes has no idea why its like that they said,, just a heads up..But yeah its alittle heavy and bulky but it works pretty good I like it..

[@KLNYC]

how many times you get jammed in a 100 round?? i want to get this tho. IDK

[@Samcraftcom]

Honestly, jams are very very rare in my experiences. I still us it to this day!

[@TheWoodHaven]

I've had the Ryobi version for about 3 years now and love it. It does jam up about once every 100 or so nails though. Having that jam clear feature would be nice, but mine is devoid. You are going to love using that tool. Bonus Comment: I wish my wife would "make" me buy a new tool :/

[@Samcraftcom]

Cool to hear! I've put about 200 brads through it so far with (knock on wood) no issues. Fingers crossed that pattern continues! LOL Don't feel too bad... these tools are always attached to massive honey-do lists apparently! LOL

[@chestergordon9388]

Thanks bud , just picked up one myself getting ready to do some crown molding.. great job on getting me up to speed with the does and don’t.

[@Samcraftcom]

Glad I could help. I still use this nailer to this day! It's been worked hard over the last few years, but still going strong.

[@carljacobus2036]

Only here because I just ordered on and am anxious to use it. :) Thanks for the vid!

[@Samcraftcom]

Awesome!!! I have really enjoyed mine since getting it. Have put about 400 brads through it building some shop projects and had zero jams or issues. Congrats on the new tool!

[@farmermike9262]

Carl what do you think? Considering the ryobi

[@carljacobus2036]

@@farmermike9262 So far, I've used it to lay 1/8" plywood atop pallets as a basement substrate. I also used it to hang laminated masonite along my stairwell into the basement. I really like it. No misfeeds, no problems....

[@gauldenj1]

Is this nailer still holding up? Any issues with it?

[@Samcraftcom]

I still use it to this day! I've put thousands of brad nails through it and had maybe 3 jams total. This has been a great purchase and one that I would do over again and again.

[@danielboguse4249]

My concern is the nose tip on the bottom seams to stick out pretty far and could be prone to getting bent if it gets bumped against something.

[@Soulernaunt]

the trigger on mine is completely jammed. brand new, no nail, tried 3 batteries. so loaded, pressed down and ready to go and no the trigger is jammed. am i missing something?

[@lortimahat8637]

It is super good but you have to buy it with an extra battery if the project is large, it locks with 2-inch nails but with one-inch nails it works super well and does not give me any problem

[@loridones9752]

I just bought one however having trouble with loading the nails, followed the directions and still not working

[@rhdmoscowchapstyleusa8966]

Thanks for the review man! Me and my partner have small handyman business, and we have Chrysler town country van, which has not much space, and a pneumatic gun kit takes lots of space. Hopefully this one will replace our pneumatic one in most projects!

[@Samcraftcom]

I still use it to this day and it's been great! Probably only 10 jams in its lifetime of heavy usage.

[@dharcrow61]

I bought one and charged the battery but it showed no signs of life. I read the trouble shooting portion of the manual, which gave me no help at all. I watched your video and when you said it won't fire without the tip depressed, I said to myself, "Damn it!" Guess what! The gun works perfectly!

[@freda2758]

Thank you. I'm more confident about using my brad nailer now. Awesome tutorial!

[@Samcraftcom]

Great to hear! This has been a great brad nailer for me and I still use it to this day!

[@VICRAM809]

Bought this about 2 months ago and it was working perfectly; nails ran out and when I loaded the next clip, now it does not release the nail. Does anybody knows why?

[@nathanmitchell4196]

I have this nailer. Iv had it just over a year with semi daily use. For the price its great if your in the platform. My only real complaints is the lack of a dry fire lockout and no bump fire option. That said, my numatic nailer of the same size dosent have eather of thoes ether.

[@clgriffis56]

Sam if you need a little more speed just hold the trigger up. You will still have to lift and press the safety each time but you won't have to press then Squeez. It took me a bit to figure it out lol

[@darynharvey3103]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago and it’s great...when it actually shoots nails. I make wooden signs and I need to nail through pine wood. My gun shoots about 3 to 4 nails before it stops shooting nails into the wood. It still fires, but no nails come out. I have to open the top to remove the stuck nail every time it stops shooting nails. This ends up making my projects take longer to complete because I have to unjam a nail every 3 or 4 times I fire the gun. Any suggestions? Thank you

[@Samcraftcom]

Wow... I've not had any of those issues and have probably shot about 1,000 brads since buying this. Used it to finish in a home office for all paneling and trim work. I used a mixture of Bostitch and Paslode 18ga brad nails, too. Ranging from 1.5" to 1.25". Any chance you can return yours or exchange it??

[@LucasPalYT.Official]

This nailer is awesome. The only recommendation is getting a bigger battery on amazon.

[@woodpecked3D]

Great review bud. Rupert the woodpecker agrees with me

[@chadhero37]

I have both the 16 and 18 gauge and I have one 1 complaint. There is no "dry fire" stop. If you didnt look at the nails, you would just keep shooting blanks into the wood. It still leaves the holes where the air blew. So outside of that, theyre great!

[@Samcraftcom]

I've only had two nail guns to date, but neither had a dry fire prevention feature. I didn't know something like that existed!

[@scottbabien4395]

How were you able to fix that I bought this yesterday and it's dry firing already?

[@chadhero37]

@@scottbabien4395 there is no fix, you just have to look and re load when your getting close. I have all Milwaukee stuff now and do yourself a favor, never try the Milwaukee nailer. If you use it, you will never touch the Craftsman again

[@JimDockrellWatertone]

Cool tool. If you are into one battery system it's nice to have a wide range of tools in that system. You're getting a nice collection of them.

[@ikhit7]

thanks. this helped me a lot. my 1st buying an automatic chargeable nailer. i’m afraid to use the one with the air compressor. afraid to have it go off😳👉🏾😅

[@robertbragg2380]

I bought one of those about 2 months ago and one thing that I find that I have a lot of problems with is that about every fourth shot I get a couple dead loads or no shots and then the thing seems to jam up and I'm constantly having to open the face of it and clear nails and I'm not buying the cheap nails from harbor freight I'm getting the ones like Hitachi or higher prices ones at Lowe's. no matter what nail I use it just constantly seems around the third or fourth shot maybe the 5th if I'm lucky. Then I get a no shot. Any ideas?

[@Samcraftcom]

That sounds like a tool issue. I'd try to get it warranty replaced. I've used Bostitch, Hitachi, and Paslode brand brad nails in mine with no issues. Good luck, hopefully you can get it swapped out. I'm very happy with mine!

[@mlm7598]

Love tools, so I was glad to see your new addition. My favourite store or one of them is Harbor freight....used to be sears tool shop but ours and I guess all or most all are gone now. Seems sad as I always enjoyed going to Sears and checking all the stuff out. Glad you are enjoying that new brad nailer and I am sure with all your projects you have going on it is going to be just the ticket. Also with the soap shed maybe Angela would be more comfortable using that than the other and hauling around a air hose with it. But I think you said your pneumatic one bit the dust? I love the framing gun and the brad nailer. It worked like a snap for baseboard and ceiling trims. Love that stuff. Enjoy your new machine and glad to see your shop.........looks updated there a bit. Blessings

[@fishsquishguy1833]

I was never the type of person that liked to go shopping. That said, every so often going to Sears and browsing the tool department was really enjoyable for me. Back when their mechanics tools were made in the US and their great no hassle lifetime guarantee. Always thought Sears in general was cool as you could buy anything from a battery for your car, decent clothes, home appliances and tools and they were all great quality. Harbor Freight is nice and I’ve still got a few tools from when they were mail order only in my area anyway (late 80s early 90s) Their quality wasn’t the greatest but if you were only going to use the tool sparingly as a homeowner, you couldn’t beat the price. Their tool quality has been going up along with the prices in some of their professional series tool lines lately. The only thing is I’m trying to avoid buying anything made in China if I can. Still, Harbor Freight is almost as enjoyable a store to browse as Sears used to be. Did you buy this cordless nailer? Thinking of picking one up.

[@glennanderson8783]

Congrats on the new tool! I have shy'd away from craftsman for several years now and now that they belong to Stanley tool co. I am skeptical so keep us up to date on how it holds up.

[@Samcraftcom]

Will do! I've been pleased with my other cordless tools so far. :)

[@Gaba-oo4qb]

I bought this to do the first row of 3/8” hardwood planks near walls. I have pneumatic flooring nail gun that shoots cleats which works great for open areas away from the wall. However, I don’t have access to the first row of planks near the wall with that gun so I bought this

[@Gaba-oo4qb]

Update: This brad nailer had big problems driving nails into 3/8” hardwood floor to the point where the nails were bending all to hell and never even penetrated thru into sub floor! Will be returning back and getting a 16gage finish nailer like I had before. I think this particular gun and gage size is meant for light duty projects

[@jesusislord2457]

Yay you on the new toy! It'll come in handy when you install the panelling in Angela's Soap Shack! It beats the heck out of my awl and brick hackjob.

[@LucasPalYT.Official]

Nailed about 500 pickets in place with this nailer. I did have a 6mah battery and it only used half the battery life.

[@CazaMigras]

Thank you amigo, great video!

[@Samcraftcom]

Glad you liked it!

[@Moey519]

My nail is fully stuck inside: I don’t know what to do, does anyone have any advice?

[@MakinSawdust]

Thumbs UP!!

[@jesusislord2457]

4 days ago? Say whu!

[@MakinSawdust]

@@jesusislord2457 ummmmmm. I had a free pass for viewing LOL 😆

[@Dutchshedwoodshop]

awesome video bud, funny thing is here in europe we have exactly the same tools als craftsman. but sold as Stanley Fatmax v20

[@Samcraftcom]

Oh wow, that's cool!! I'm always interested in seeing how tools from around the world look!

[@dalesworld1308]

Looks identical to the Porter Cable - I've never had a misfire. Bought mine refurbished at CPO. Can't get refurbished Craftsman anywhere, so.....

[@I_Can_Do_That]

They sell it at Lowe’s for on sale for Black Friday

[@bradhugo8973]

I see you getting a few new tools, you know for the soap shed!!

[@Samcraftcom]

You're exactly right there! LOL She's found the way to pay me for labor. Hahaha :)

[@dclinks]

Just used mine. Awesome.

[@Samcraftcom]

Nice 👍 Mine is still going strong through many projects since buying it. I am 100% pleased with it! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine!

[@williamcone7325]

Just bought this tool. Your presentation was really good, since I've never used a Brad nailer. I'm going to use for putting up ship lap wall. Thanks!

[@canocano5480]

use the belt loop for storing. hang it on some type of rail

[@JV_DC]

You skipped over unlocking the trigger. It comes locked out of the box. Took me a couple of minutes to figure out why it wasn't firing.

[@zakattack4274]

I LOVE MINE SUPER HANDY AND VERY MOBILE FOR DOING JUST ABOUT ANY JOB ESPECIALLY IN TIGHT SPACES

[@lynnobrien9429]

Thank you, I have always liked craftsman and mine also went out . we need them to sponsor you, we need a promo discount lol

[@Samcraftcom]

I've been happy with my main cordless tool set for the year + that I've had them, too. There's better tools I'm sure, but their price point and usability are great for me so far! I'd love to have a coupon code for viewers to get deals on for watching. Maybe someday. LOL

[@audreybowles6357]

Great review and recommendations on purchasing other craftsman products using V20 batteries. Go Wife too,

[@Samcraftcom]

She's the best! I've been very happy with all their tools -- would recommend!

[@danielboguse4249]

Craftsman makes a 1.3 amp hour battery that comes with the drill impact driver combo.

[@bryanslittlegarage5724]

Thanks Sam 👍

[@bobnicholas5994]

I was doing trim in my flipper live in house. I owned an elevator and lift company for seven years we did custom trim in the cabs. I bought a Paslode finish and framing nailer. Someone broke in and stole them from my house. My wife tells me I still cry about it 6 years later. I know that you could shoot 3k plus nails per battery and the tube of whatever it took. They were very sweet. But $399 ea they too much if I was only using them in a hobby wood shop. So I was doing trim in my flipper house and I toyed with buying a cordless nail gun. What I didn't like about the craftsman was it was so bulky. It was heavy and awkward in my hand. Although I use my nail guns very regularly with my compressor my engineer wife talked me down from a battery operated one. I wheeled the compressor in and it worked no hassle. I bought the $29 Harbor Freight pin nailer with a coupon. That has turned out to be the greatest tool ever for me. It was an epiphany. I have $150 into 3 nail guns, framing, 16 gauge, 23 guage and pin nailer. The 23 guage is a throw in from a bundle of stuff we bought used. It is a Bostich it is a better quality then the Harbor freight.I have done 9 large privacy fences with the H.F. framing nailer without any problems. It was $75 and has made 2k back. I am writing this because I had to really talk my way through not buying the cordless nail gun.

[@harleyanne3720]

Thank you

[@DragonGateDesign]

Brads better run, Sam's on the hunt to shoot some frat bro Brads

[@GPDIY]

Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@jmike2182]

thanks for the video

[@mikeelmoretalks]

Damn...great video..I was hoping for insight on which way to dial to adjust the depth though...you did that off camera~ ~ ~

[@Samcraftcom]

There’s an image stamped on the gun. + and - direction arrows.

[@theaweggen6805]

Love it

[@eugenew4665]

That body on that is definitely porter cable,, it's huge,,,160$,,at lowes on sale

[@Lau-lp9ri]

I just bought one but had battery don't last ..😔

[@Samcraftcom]

Really??? I'm able to easily get hundreds of nails out of my battery... maybe it's a dud?

[@michaelhodge9902]

That sound you hear is a flywheel spooling up to shoot and drive nails.

[@Samcraftcom]

Ahhh.. cool!

[@kdc300z]

HAH! The way you threw the manual. I have NEVER seen that! I mean... It's like, cool n all! It looked so cool. You bad ass!

[@TheBeerbelly007]

When the wife says to get a new tool--yes you get it--can't bet that Sam--

[@karencatalano4349]

I want one of those

[@PANZERFAUST90]

Craftsman makes a 1.3Ah battery lol Yeah it's small xD

[@tomboyle2776]

Great review.. my guys at work break my balls for having Craftsman tools lol.. Ended up buying a few Dewalt xr 20v . Tools are awesome but battery life sucks on the Dewalt.. Craftsman batteries are way better, longer life. Especially when comparing the 4ah batteries....... more than twice the runtime

[@Therealrichdude]

No they are anot!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@NotJoDaddy]

Pretty spiffy

[@jkurrle1]

Just watch out on the 2" nail packs. The Craftsman nails are 1/32" shorter than a pack from Home Depot. The home depot nails will cause misfires and jams. The Craftsman nails will work just fine.

[@jkurrle1]

The ones that didn't work are Metabo HPK brand (formerly HItachi). Supposedly Bostich and Freeman-BN18 series work well. We'll see...

[@Samcraftcom]

Thanks for the info, John!!

[@paulduffy4585]

Interesting. Saw quite a few bad reviews for this tool, mostly about failure to shoot 2" nails.