Craftsman C3 19.2v Brad Nailer

I have a number of Craftsman 19.2V Li-ion battery tools and this was a great find. Avoided adopting another system and having to replace existing system.If I had another chance, I would start investing in another system since Craftsman is no longer the tool manufacturer they were.

Great product, great result.

No more pulling out the compressor and hoses for small jobs. Works great and I already have the batteries.

Though I have a couple of nits to pick, I would buy the Craftsman C3 brad nailer again without hesitation. I bought this brad nailer after my compressor powered nailer pooped out on me. I started to buy a replacement for it but decided to try a cordless nailer because of the convenience of no longer having to bother with hoses and lugging around a compressor. I'm glad I took the chance. The Craftsman C3 is very easy to use, has reasonably good power, and has the great advantage of using the C3 battery which is a big plus since I have three other tools that use that same battery. My first use of the Craftsman C3 was on the installation of some quarter round, and it did an excellent job. Another reviewer mentioned a problem with the nailer leaving noticeable dents when used on soft woods. And indeed that can be a problem, but it can also be remedied with a little practice. I found when installing the quarter round that I did see minor dents when I pressed down with a lot of force. I did so out of concern that without a lot of pressure the nailer wouldn't drive the brad all the way into the wood. What I soon learned is that with practice you will discover the sweet spot that ensures the brad is driven flush with the wood surface but avoids leaving a dent. It didn't take long to find the sweet spot and from then on the Craftsman C3 worked like a charm. Now for the nits. The Craftsman C3 nailer is both heavy and bulky and those two factors can make it difficult to use in tight corners and narrow spaces that wouldn't have been a problem at all with my much lighter and slimmer compressor powered brad nailer. The second nit is a minor one that is more of a nuisance than a serious shortcoming. It is the delay before the nailer fires after the trigger is squeezed. While the firing is virtually instantaneous when using a compressor powered nailer, the cordless nailer delay is noticeable and takes some getting used to. However, I can certainly live with the delay in order to benefit from the convenience of simply going into my tool cabinet, taking out the Craftsman C3 and immediately starting to nail without having to do all the compressor-related setting up. In spite of my minor nit pickings, I highly recommend the Craftsman C3 19.2 Brad Nailer.

worked like a charm, very easy

My dad has a ton of 19.2v Craftsman tools and batteries so I didn't want to get him a tool with a different battery system. I might pick up one for myself with the Milwaukee battery adapter, it's almost 1/3 the price and as much as I'd use it I just can't justify the price tag of the Milwaukee.

At one point I had a pneumatic brad nailer and compressor. When I moved to a smaller house I realized that was a lot of bulk to carry around for simple nailing jobs. This nailer takes care of all the things I used the old one for and takes up much less space, especially because I already had other C3 tools and could share the battery. I've used it with 1, 1.5, and 2 inch 18-gauge brad nails for several projects already and it's been great. There are so many nice features including the work light, the depth and power adjustment, and the quick-release flip for clearing jams. I've given away my old compressor and pneumatic tools because this takes care of what I need 90 percent of the time.

This nailer broke the first time I used it. I was using it to build a small shelf unit for my shop and before 50 nails it stopped working with a steady flashing failure code. I let it cool down with no remedy. Amazon provided a refund which improved this experience.I have tried to contact the third party seller with no luck. Craftsman wanted nothing to do with it and basically laughed in my face! The Craftsman representative on the phone was extremely rude and pretty much said “good luck with that”. Don’t buy crappy Craftsman!!!