Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer Features
When we heard about the new Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer, we knew we had to get our hands on one. Upon opening the box, we were pleasantly surprised at the shrunken down size of the tool. Overall it is about half the size of most framing nailers. Actually, it is more on par with a typical 15 gauge trim nailer’s body. Don’t let the pint size make you think it is not for heavy-duty work, however. This nailer has a decent heft to it, weighing in at a tad over six pounds. It should be mentioned that this is a 1-1/2″ only nailer. While there other sizes of nails that get used in certain applications, by far the most common size called for by different residential building codes is the 1-1/2” length. Thanks to the decision to run with the single nail size, the width of the nail magazine was minimized, as was the overall length of the magazine, making it easy to squeeze this nailer in even the tightest spaces. Depending on the exact nail being used, up to 33 can fit in at once, which basically equates to one strip if you are getting the TICO nails from Duo-Fast. Nails are loaded though the end of the magazine and there is a handy (and dare we say now, almost expected) nail lockout that prevents the driving blade from excessive wear due to dry fires.
The ergonomics of the tool is pretty good. With a small main body, the balance is great. More manufacturers should take note of the included rafter hook too. It makes it so easy to keep the tool within reach without having to set it down or balance it on top of a ladder. What makes the Duo-Fast TICO nailer different than other similar tools on the market is how they help pinpoint the location of the nail hole. With many other brands, this is done with the tip of the nail sticking out of the nose, but with the Duo-Fast, it is done with a little movable metal probe tip. Just press the tip where you want the nail and pull the trigger. What this does is it protects the nails, eliminates jams and actually helps you find the nail holes faster. There are a number of other nice touches on the nailer like the rear exhaust that can be positioned in any direction and the large overmolded rubber grip area on the handle.
A quick word on the nails: The DF150S-TC is designed to drive Duo-Fast TICO nails, which are head marked for easy nail identification by building inspectors. These nails are 30 degree paper collated, smooth shank, heat treated and come in 1-1/2″ x .131 and 1-1/2″ x .148 bright or mechanically galvanized. They are fully code compliant when used with the proper hangers. From what we can tell, the TICO name is a brand that Duo-Fast calls these types of nails.
Testing and Use
Since our company is located in a coastal area in the southeastern United States, there are plenty of opportunities to try out nailers like the Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer. Our local residential building codes seem to dictate that if there is a place for a strap, hanger or tie of some kind, that it is required. And if in doubt, just go ahead and add some more straps because the code official will probably make you anyway. Anyone that has had to install straps and hangers knows that many times, they are in tight spaces like between joists and up in rafters. Equipped with the new Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer we have yet to have a single instance where we had to break out our palm nailer (or regular hammer for that matter) because we could not fit this nailer into the space or drive a nail totally home.
The relative lightweight and overall compact size are two biggest things that stuck out to us as we used it on a few projects. The other thing that we noticed was how hard the nailer drives the fasteners into the strap. It was a rare instance when we needed to hand hammer a nail tight after it had been set by the Duo-Fast. It hits so hard, in fact, that in a few cases, when we missed the hole in the strapping, it simply shot a nail right though the metal. (We don’t recommend doing this since there is always the risk of a ricochet.) The one thing that we are on the fence about is the small magazine size. It just seems that as we were getting in a groove of installing hangers, we needed to reload again. A larger magazine option would be a great idea.
Conclusion
The Duo-Fast DF150S-TC TICO Nailer has a great feel and it can really take daily job site use. While many homeowners probably will not need this tool for their deck projects, most professional contractors should quickly see the value of a tool like this. For our Value rating we gave this nailer a 7/10 because, while on the surface it might seem a little pricey, in the long run the amount of time that is saved and the ease at which strapping and joist hangers can be installed will quickly make this tool pay for itself. Thanks to its compact body, hard hitting driver, and super ease-of-use, we also gave this nailer a 7/10 for our Performance rating.
