The Bottom Line
The Duo-Fast FloorMaster 250BN Finish Nailer is a 16-gauge angled finish nailer specifically designed for installing hardwood flooring. The nailer includes a 45-degree angled no-mar tip for fast, precise blind nailing into tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring. The unit includes a more standard flat tip, so the nailer can be used as a common 16-gauge finish nailer, but where this nailer really shines is in toenailing. With both bump and sequential triggers included, the Duo-Fast FloorMaster 250BN Finish Nailer makes toenailing T and G flooring a breeze.
Pros
- 45-degree angled tips for precision and fast blind nailing into hardwood flooring
- Tool-less depth of drive feature reduces tongue splitting
- Comparatively small footprint weighing less than four pounds
Cons
- Doesn't include a belt clip, which some users may miss
Description
- Rear-load magazine holds up to 100 16-gauge angled finish nails from 1-1/4" to 2-1/2" in length.
- Requires a 1/4" N.P.T. mail plug for connecting to pneumatic hose (not included).
- Includes both sequential and bounce triggers.
- Well-written documentation and schematic that includes recommended air pressure for common wood species.
Guide Review - Duo-Fast FloorMaster 250BN Finish Nailer Review
The FloorMaster 250BN has a relatively small footprint, measuring 11-1/4" inches high by 10.8" long, and weighing in at a mere 3.8 pounds. It uses 16-gauge angled finish nails, accommodating nails from 1-1/4" to 2-1/2" in length, and operating at a range of 80-120 PSI.
The 250BN has a number of other features you'd expect to find on a quality finish nailer, such as an adjustable air cap to deflect air flow, a tool-less depth of drive adjustment to reduce tongue splitting, and a lock-out feature that prevents blank firing when the magazine is out of nails. Additionally, Duo-Fast thoughtfully added protective, no-mar rubber pads on both sides of the motor housing, to prevent damaging the wood (or the nailer, for that matter) when the unit is laid down on its side.
Jam clearing on the 250BN is as simple as lifting the latch on the front of the nose and releasing the front nose guard. Any jammed nails can be easily removed before closing the latch and continuing work.
One quick note from testing. When inserting two racks of nails into the magazine, I noticed that the second rack didn't seem to line up with the first. An uneven gap appeared in between the two racks of nails (which can be seen in the thumbnail image above), which made it appear as if the spring-loaded bypass follower was putting upward pressure on the rear rack of nails. This gave me pause, wondering if the first nail of the second rack might jam as a result of what appeared to be a mis-alignment, but I didn't encounter any such problems in testing.
The 250BN has a number of other features you'd expect to find on a quality finish nailer, such as an adjustable air cap to deflect air flow, a tool-less depth of drive adjustment to reduce tongue splitting, and a lock-out feature that prevents blank firing when the magazine is out of nails. Additionally, Duo-Fast thoughtfully added protective, no-mar rubber pads on both sides of the motor housing, to prevent damaging the wood (or the nailer, for that matter) when the unit is laid down on its side.
Jam clearing on the 250BN is as simple as lifting the latch on the front of the nose and releasing the front nose guard. Any jammed nails can be easily removed before closing the latch and continuing work.
One quick note from testing. When inserting two racks of nails into the magazine, I noticed that the second rack didn't seem to line up with the first. An uneven gap appeared in between the two racks of nails (which can be seen in the thumbnail image above), which made it appear as if the spring-loaded bypass follower was putting upward pressure on the rear rack of nails. This gave me pause, wondering if the first nail of the second rack might jam as a result of what appeared to be a mis-alignment, but I didn't encounter any such problems in testing.
