We’ve been talking about the Senco Fusion for eons now, mainly because we think it’s pretty revolutionary technology in the cordless nailer universe. First there were the Senco Fusion pre-release demos, then the Fusion release date rumors, then our hands-on review of the first Senco Fusion Nailer to hit the market, the F-15. If we mention much more about Fusion on HomeFixated, we run the risk of solving global energy needs. In case you didn’t read any of our earlier Senco Fusion coverage, the Fusion is cordless nailer technology that uses a closed loop compressed Nitrogen system. No flywheel to wait for, no fuel cartridge fumes or expense, and of course, no air compressor or hose to deal with. Best of all, Senco not only sent us an F-18 for this review, they’re also sponsoring this month’s (September, 2011) Free Stuff Giveaway with a Free Senco Fusion F-18 for one lucky Home Fixated winner!
Let’s dive right into the Fusion F-18! Back when we reviewed the F-15, we were not ecstatic about the case. In fact, ours sustained some damage which we attributed to internal plastic that wasn’t particularly heavy duty (and probably some over-“enthusiastic” UPS or FedEx guys during shipping). Senco opted to go with a soft sided case this time around, and I’m afraid we’re still not wowed by the case. It’s a little to0 big to describe as a man-purse, but a little to soft to describe as a serious heavy-duty case either. On the plus side, the case comes with a shoulder strap, a bunch of exterior pockets for nails, candy bars, that iPhone 5 you picked up at a bar in San Francisco, and more. The bag has a heavy zipper that got stuck a couple times when we first started using it (maybe it needed a break-in period). I just don’t see this bag giving serious impact protection for guys on the job. If you’re DIY’er or use the Fusion in a shop, the soft bag should work out fine. If you’re a contractor, I might suggest not flinging the F-18 and it’s case into your truck bed. Velcro straps and interior pockets help keep the charger, batteries and the F-18 in place, but we could still imagine them knocking around against each other despite the restraints.
The included manual has the usual array of about 10 pages of safety tips. When it comes to shooting metal projectiles, you never can be too safe. So make sure you wear eye protection and read up on all those tips, one of them might save you from an unpleasant trip to the ER with awkward explanations of how you wound up with a nail through your hand. For those of you that are so incredibly pro and knowledgeable as to not need a full manual, Senco also included a handy quick tips guide to get you started with the basics on the tool. Since you’re reading this, you probably won’t need the quick start guide either.
Like its F-15 counterpart, the F-18 has a small LED light that’s recessed into the nose-piece area. Very useful for those of you that like to do their nailing in the dark, ninja style. Or, the LED is also handy for nailing in a dark corner or inside a cabinet. There’s also a reload window so that you can see when you’re about to run out of ammo. The F-18 can accept 18 gauge 5/8″ to 2-1/8″ nails. There’s also a removable and adjustable belt hook that’s swappable to either side. I was happy to see that the F-18 stands up nicely on its battery, something the Fusion F-15 didn’t do quite as naturally. For some projects, just standing the tool up is easier than a belt hook.
However, you really have to be almost straight on with pressure on the tool and not have much of an angle in order for the nails to sink flush or below flush. The Senco Fusion F-18 seems to have plenty of power. I drove 2 inch nails and 1 inch brads through some scrap White Oak with no problems.
You can check out all the nitty-gritty details, view competing product comparisons and even watch a sweet video on the Fusion mechanism by visiting the Senco Fusion site. If you’re ready to go hose-less, you can pick up the F-18 for $389 from our sponsor Tyler Tool:
I’ve never tried a cordless nailer.This one looks promising,could end up on my xmas list
Looks good. A game changer if the technology works well.
Keep up the good designs Senco! Love it.
I had to pull off the shoe moulding in my kitchen before refinishing my kitchen cabinets. I’ll need to re-install it, and haven’t been able to find any nails that seem narrow or long enough for the reinstallation. I’m afraid that if I try to hammer in the nails I have found, it might split the shoe moulding. Do I have to use a nail gun instead, and if so, would this particular product be appropriate, or would it likely be overkill? It’s not real likely I’m going to need a nail gun for much of anything else in future… Thanks! Maggie
That’s a lot of money to spend on one shoe molding job. If you really feel like you need to use a nailer instead of hand nailing I would try renting a compressor and an 18g nailer.
If you do decide to hand nail and want to avoid splitting you can pre-drill a bit. But don’t over do it. You should also pre-drill and then use trim screws. The heads are larger so you’d need to fill the holes for sure but you can get them in longer lengths.
But the fastest option would definitely be the 18g nailer.
I’ve been waiting for an 18ga cordless nailer for a while, let’s hope it can hold it’s own over time. It seems like the perfect tool for punch list items and the like!
Looks like a great gun. I’ve had problems with the Paslode butane powered guns at 6000 feet elevation. I hope that won’t be a problem with this technology. Has anyone tested these guns at higher elevations?
Hey Kimber. We’re not much above sea level here so unfortunately I can’t answer that one. Hopefully someone will chime in with a response.
Great review, Marc. Thanks! It’s nice to see someone reviewing tools with a keen eye for even the smallest detail like the depth gauge icons. Overall, this gun looks sweet and I’d love to own one.
Thanks Anthony, good to hear from you! Glad you appreciated the detail. . . we’re anal that way (or we’re just bad at reading icons)!
; )
I’m sick of lugging my 70lb compressor around every time I need to nail something. With one of these, it would be much more convenient and I would look like a badass every time I pull it out.
Looks sweet!!!
Both of these guns look like they belong in a Sci-Fi movie or a video game killing aliens in the future.
Senco should totally talk to some first-person-shooter video game makers about getting the Fusion in as a weapon option. Then again, Senco probably doesn’t really want to endorse the concept of Nailer = Projectile Firing Weapon. They do still look cool though!
Movies and video games? I’m adding one to my zombie kit. It will slot in nicely next to the chainsaw that fits over my hand.
Nice! I think we may need to do an article on the ultimate zombie kit. Thanks for the inspiration Jeff.
If you do… the Fubar III has GOT to be in there. I actually used that for a post zombiepocalypse costume I did a few years ago.