Dewalt has come out with a new 20V Max cordless brushless framing nailer, DCN692, which is said to be the world’s first gas-free dual-speed cordless framing nailer.
The new XR cordless nailer is powered by Dewalt’s 20V Li-ion battery platform, and is engineered with a high efficiency brushless motor for extended runtime.
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Dewalt DCN692 Nailer Features
Dewalt designed the DCN692 cordless nailer with two user-selectable speed settings.
Speed Setting 1 is optimized for driving shorter nailers (2″ to 3″ long), while Speed Setting 2 should be used when driving longer nails (3-1/4″ to 3-1/2″ long).
By using the lower speed/power setting, users will benefit from lower vibration (and thus lower fatigue), increased application speed, and an increase in the number of nails that can be fired per battery charge. The second speed setting should be used when maximum power is needed.
Dewalt says that, in speed two, the DCN692 cordless nailer delivers the speed and power to drive nails consistently, similar to a pneumatic nailer.
When paired with Dewalt’s 20V Max 4.0Ah Li-ion battery, the DCN692 nailer can drive up to 700 nails per charge.
The nailer can be used with 30° to 34° clipped and round offset head paper tape collated nails from a variety of brands.
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Users can choose between sequential and bump-fire driving modes, and of course there is also nail depth adjustment control. Additional features include low battery and stall indicator lights, a stall release lever, and jam-clearing lever.
In addition to not needing to ever change motor brushless (the nailer is built with a brushless motor), and not needing to mess around with fuel cartridges, the DCN692 requires no user-applied lubrication of any kind.
Specifications
(Note: these specs were taken from the DCN692’s user manual (PDF) and might not be up to date or fully accurate.)
- Firing Mode: Bump or Sequential, (user selective)
- Height: 13.5″ (346 mm)
- Width: 4″ (104 mm)
- Length: 13.25″ (335 mm)
- Weight: 7.80 lbs. (3.538 kg)
- Magazine Angle: 33˚
- Capacity: Up to 55 nails
Nail Specifications (Clipped Head)
- Nail Lengths: 2″– 3-1/2″ (50 mm – 90 mm)
- Shank Diameters: .113″–.131″ (2.8 mm – 3.3 mm)
- Nail Stick Angles: 30˚– 34˚
- Shank Types: Smooth and Ring
DCN692 Options and Pricing
At launch there will be two options – a bare tool nailer (DCN692B) and 1-battery nailer kit (DCN692M1). The kit will come with (1) 20V 4.0Ah Li-ion battery, a charger, and presumably a carrying case.
DCN692B: $400
DCN692M1: $500
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(Kit via Home Depot)
First Impression
The new DCN692 nailer looks to be quite similar to the 20V DCN690 cordless brushless framing nailer Dewalt recently started marketing in the USA. But while the DCN690 is a single-speed, or rather single-power nailer, the new DCN692 has two user-selectable power and speed settings.
Dewalt’s press materials for the DCN692 mention three benefits of using the first speed/power setting when possible: lower tool vibration, increased runtime, increased application speed.
Press materials emphasize how the new cordless nailer is gas-free, meaning it requires minimal maintenance and can perform under conditions where gas cartridges can fail or are otherwise less than ideal.
Contractors, heavy duty carpenters, builders, remodelers, deck and fencing installers, and other heavy framing nailer users will probably show great interest in the new cordless nailer, despite its seemingly high price.
For the $500 price of the 1-battery kit, you could instead purchase a gas cartridge nailer (e.g. Paslode CD325LI at $350 via Amazon) and a whole lot of ~$12 consumable gas cartridges. It looks like gas-cartridge nailers will only be more economical for the first 15,000 nails or so, and that there is a crossover point at which where the Dewalt DCN692 becomes more economical to use.
Economics aside, compared to gas-cartridge nailers, the main benefit of the DCN692 is its independence from smelly and temperature-sensitive gas cartridges. In cold environments, the fuel in gas cartridges lose their propellant force, which means more care and attention to tool and cartridge maintenance and handling.
Overall, Dewalt’s new DCN692 cordless brushless nailer looks to be an appealing new product. Its predecessor, the DCN690, wasn’t widely released in the USA, and now we know why.
It is easy to focus on how this is the second cordless nailer on the market to be engineered with a more powerful and higher efficiency brushless motor, but the subtleties built into the nailer intrigue me more. Using the nailer in its lower speed/power option results in lower vibrations, greater runtime/nails per charge, and increased application speed. To me this indicates the direction things are heading for cordless tools – smart tools with subtle performance-enhancing electronics.
Right now, brushless tools are what turn heads, but pretty soon brands will openly compete with each other based on who has the smartest tools and most optimized user experiences.
This new nailer features a lower power/speed mode that enhances tool performance, Bosch’s new drills feature anti-kickback mechanisms, 909’s Touch drill features touch-sensitive controls, Bosch’s new laser measuring tool can talk to your smartphone, Dewalt’s 8V screwdriver and Black & Decker’s Gyro feature gyroscopic controls, and Black & Decker’s new drill has an automatic clutch.
It looks like the DCN692 is a smart tool, and we can’t wait to see how well it performs.
fred
The economics might be more attractive compared to the Fuel-Gas alternative. Our experience with them was that we had to have spares to insure that we had a ready-to-go tool, that one or more of the fleet was typically undergoing a PM / Cleaning session at any one time. Rotating fuel canister stock was also something needing attention (crews always grabbed the newer stock first – sort of like buying milk at the supermarket).
To be fair – the cost comparison may also need to add in a spare battery for the Dewalt – if user experience says that one is needed (not sure how many nails one battery will drive in actual practice .)
While I’m not sure I’d be throwing away the air hose quite yet – I’d say that this new crop of nailers will be giving ITW a run for the money.
matt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwdhfTMXias
mikeh
YYYAAAAYYYYY – I help my boss out with projects around his house occasionally so for christmas he gave me an amazon gift card to cover the cost of purchasing this new Dewalt nailer…I have been excitedly waiting for it. I have used Paslodes for years and they are very handy but can be frustrating, this will be a welcome change…and yes, he’s a great boss
Carmelo
I bought into the Dewalt 20V line, specifically for this nailer. But the cost is way too much now. Hopefully they’ll go down in price (or I get one one eBay for a decent price) during the year.
Maybe on the 12v line they can make some pin, brad, and crown stapler nailers.
mnoswad1
The trick here would be to buy this as a “tool only”. I think it would be rare to buy this specific tool unless one already had bought into the platform with other tools that have batteries and chargers to share.
Matthew Fant
I’m glad I waited, and didn’t buy the dcn690. I’d be pissed. That being said, nice upgrades, looking forward to it.
James Steele
I’ve been looking forward to the dcn692m1 for a while now and all of what I have been hearing about it is good so how many jams and incomplete sinker’s do you get compared to the pneumatic or paslode don’t get me wrong I like the 20 v idea? But before I buy it how many times I am likely to use my hammer!?
Nolan
I’d skip it.
I have taken a full school year of shop class as a sophomore in high school. We build a lot of stage props for our theatre club, and when we do so, we demand power, speed, and performance just like professional framers do.
This Dewalt nail gun did exactly what the other reviews, both here in the States, and in the UK, state. I had a few 3 inch nails to try it out in some scrap wood that I had. It would on setting one leave each nail about a quarter of an inch out of the wood. I then switched it to function 2 even though it says you don’t have to for a nail of that size. After I did that they still stuck out about ¼ or so above the wood. I then grabbed some other scrap and a 2-½” nail and it was still sticking out of the wood on setting 1. I switched it to setting 2 and it would then with the shorter nail still put it about ¼” above the surface. If you are working on a project you can’t be confined to use short nails or have to worry about going back afterwards to nail all the longer ones down. Needs to be much more powerful. And yes, we did let the motor rev up before we drove each nail, so the gun should have had enough power to drive.
It won’t drive any nail flush, whether it is 1” or 3”. And yes, we did play with its other adjustments, still no joy.
This cordless was nothing but frustration for us.
Anyway, I can see where Dewalt was going with this idea, but pneumatic is 10 times faster for 1,000% of all applications. Yes, it does take time to set up, you do have a hose, and the noise, and all the maintenance, but then once you take the time to set it up it will fly. No depth adjustments. Toe nailing, sheeting, framing, engineered lumber, LVL, no problem, just go.
Mark
Iv had my Dewalt framer for over 4 years now & built over 60 homes using it, & can say that it has out performed any other nailgun on site, this is the best tool I own by far!
brian
Great review. They are good if you’re framing up a wall inside or something small. They arent gonna make it building a whole house. It is a nice, convenient tool. The XR is cool. I wouldnt mind trying it.
Richy
Disappointed with this nailer.can’t drive the 90mm nails properly.finding myself really having to stab the gun into the timber.not ideal for a contractor
Justin couper
I’m on my second gun in less then 5 months and the second one has now broken. I’m not hard on my tools this gun just doesn’t like a lot of work. Also the spring loaded magazine rubs plastic on plastic and it wears and sticks after time. I find myself constantly flicking the lever on the top when the gun decides it wants to take break on me. Not a good purchase for everyday use
Thomas J Corbett
I have a similar problem, I purchased the gun and regardless of whether it is in position one or two it wont drive the nails home. They are left sticking have way out. I even purchased the 20/60 battery with 6 amps and the exact problem persisted. I am using Dewalts nails. Has anyone else had this problem?
Clay
Same thing happenned with me as happenned with you. I am so tempted to keep buying larger expensive batteries and returning them after a couple days of finding out they make no difference. I’ll probably just sell it. I have 3 paslodes and a bunch of framing guns,.. This one is at the bottom of the barrel………..and costed more than all of them.