Review: Bostitch DA1564K Angled Finish Nailer

I was really excited to test out Bostitch’s DA1564K 15-gauge angled finish nailer. It had a couple of interesting features, such as an integrated air blower and user-replaceable LED worklight module, and was built with top-notch materials.

Sadly, I never finished my review of the Bostitch nailer. The sample I was to review had developed an air leak during the first hour of testing. The leak wasn’t at the inlet air fitting, but within the tool.

As mentioned, this nailer has an integrated air blower that helps clear debris for better nail-placement visibility. The air blower is only supposed to be activated when you push a button above the handle, but after the second time I used it, the blower developed an internal leak.

I spoke to a marketing rep for Bostitch about the matter, and he was familiar enough with the issue that he was able to explain the cause of the defect. I was told I would be sent a replacement nailer to test, presumably one that was built after the defect was corrected at the factory. That was back in May 2012.

I just checked a few retailers’ sites, and people were still complaining about the leaky air blower as late as January of this year, 8 months after I discussed the issue with Bostitch. There haven’t been many complaints since then, so I presume the issue has been fixed.

For reference, the DA1564K finish nailer accepts 15GA 34 degree angled finish nails 1-1/4″ to 2-1/2″ in length (DA15 series).

What I Liked

• Comfortable grip, good balance
• Swivel air fitting
• Large comfortable trigger
• Easy-toggle sequential/bump fire selector switch
• Easy nail depth adjustment
• Very quiet rear exhaust
• Standard-shaped and (4) profiled non-mar tips
• High visibility (but not too bright) orange LED worklight module
• Easy jam-clearing mechanism (although I didn’t experience any jams)
• Magnesium housing
• Flip-out 16-inch on-center gauge (as shown in above photo)

What I Didn’t Like

• Constant air leak from the integrated air blower

I would have loved to have given this nailer a glowing review, but couldn’t get past the leaky air blower. In waiting for a replacement, I forgot entirely about the nailer until spotting a used listing for one earlier this morning. This is not the kind of tool I would buy used.

In theory, I probably would have loved every aspect of this nailer. Bostitch did a great job with the design, and I really liked the whole package. The feel and build quality were quite good, except of course for the assembly flaw.

If you’re looking for a fully-featured angled finish nailer, I still believe this Bostitch to be a decent choice. Just make sure you purchase the nailer from a retailer with an easy return policy and remember to test the air blower thoroughly the first one or times you use it.

This is not a nailer to steer clear from, but one to simply be cautious about.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Street Price: $160

Thank you to Bostitch for providing this review sample unconditionally. Review samples are typically given away, donated, or retained for benchmark and comparison purposes.