Senco’s Fusion nailers are cordless, hoseless, fuel-less and lag-free. The innovation and quality of these nailers was enough to elevate it to the top spot of our recent Top 5 Kick-Ass Tools roundup. The Fusion looks phenomenal on paper, but how well does it perform?
I first tested the Senco Fusion finish nailer a few months ago and then used it for a few recent projects. In between my own evaluations, I passed the Fusion to a few nailer-wielding colleagues to see what they thought about it.
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So How Does it Work?
The source of the Senco Fusion’s nail-driving power is its self-contained pressurized chamber, which is filled with nitrogen. When the nailer’s trigger is pulled, the enclosed piston is unlatched, lunging forward to drive in nails. When the trigger is released, an electric motor resets the piston position, priming the tool for the next nail.
Build Quality
Senco cut no corners with the Fusion’s construction – it’s as solid a nailer as they come. I would even go so far to call it one of the most robust and well built power tools that I’ve ever used. Senco’s product literature describes the Fusion as tough as nails, a claim I can’t really argue with. The nailer comes with a 2-year tool warranty and 1-year battery warranty, which is also reassuring.
I was particularly impressed with the Fusion’s thumbwheel depth of drive adjustment, which was smooth to adjust and provided repeatable results. I also paid a bit of extra attention to the easy-clear magazine. It looks like jams are extremely easy to clear, but I did not happen to encounter any for the chance to test this feature out.
Performance
The hardest part about lending out the Fusion nailer for second, third, and fourth opinions was asking for the tool back. “One more week”, “one last project”, “nailer, what nailer”. None of my friends and colleagues that helped out with the review wanted to give the nailer back!
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The Fusion operates extremely well and is an absolute pleasure to use. I had my doubts, but it operates with zero lag as a traditional pneumatic nailer would. The sample kit we received only included a single battery, but it provided a heck of a long runtime. According to Senco, the finish nailer can drive in 500 nails per charge. Even if the battery is drained mid-project, a 15 minute charge brings it back to 80% capacity.
Upon first picking up the Fusion F-15 finish nailer, its size and extra weight, compared to ordinary nailers, are definitely obvious. However, the extra bit of heft is soon easily forgotten about once you start sinking in some nails. The combination of power and hoseless freedom more than makes up for the additional weight.
I ordinarily only use the single-fire setting on finish and brad nailers, so that’s the mode I kept the Fusion in. Of my colleagues that had a chance to use the Fusion nailer, all but one used the single-fire mode exclusively as well. The one that used the bump mode on occasion commented that there was a slight delay between nail firings. Even so, I can’t really imagine why anyone would want to bump-fire a finish nailer.
Conclusion
Quite simply put, Senco’s Fusion finish nailer kicks major butt. As long as the battery is charged and nails loaded in the magazine, the Fusion is setup and ready to go. It requires no compressor or hoses to drag around, no smelly exhaust fumes, and delivers impressive driving power.
The F-15 finish nailer kit is a bit expensive at $400, but it’s worth remembering that the kit also includes a high capacity Lithium ion battery and charger.
We feel that the F-15 nailer provides an unparalleled combination of performance and freedom, and highly recommend it.
Buy Now: Senco Fusion F-15 Finish Nailer via Amazon
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Eric
How will it not run out of the nitrogen ?
DJ
Just saw a review saying that Senco expects the cartridge to lose pressure eventually, but they don’t have a firm idea. They’ve fired 200,000 nails without a problem, so it’s far from an impending replacement worry. Replacement cartridge is currently $170.
Ed
That’s a lie, I have owned 3 of them and not one has lasted a year
Thompson
On my first. Bought Sep. 4 2015. Died Aug 4 2016. Is in process of being sent off now. Only used as a backup to my air gun.Probably not 500 nails though it. My first and last.
Stuart
The nitrogen is in a sealed cartridge and is not lost during normal operation of the tool.
kent
when will the 16g senco fusion be released to the public for purchase?
Stuart
The Senco F16 nailers are available now, but still a bit difficult to find. The straight version is available via Amazon, but I haven’t seen the angled version pop up there yet.
John fieser
The idea sounds good but there have been trouble personally in the past with the drivers going to shit prematurely. Have there been any upgrades in that department
Canadian Stig
The Senco nailer is absolutely brilliant. No gas, no hoses to cart about is brilliant. I have tried it on soft and hard wood, 99% of the time the nail is counter sunk. When it’s not it is most likely me not holding the nailer as firmly as needed.
Too bad DeWalt hasn’t come out with a 18/20v max; 98% of my tools are DeWalt and buying another brand was hard. Senco didn’t disappoint, the Senco fusion will compliment my DeWalt DCN690 framing nailer.
Both nailers have no gas, no hoses, no compressors. This is definitely the way of the future! I couldn’t be more thrilled with the Senco nailer.
Steven
Hi. Just wondering how your senco fusion is traveling. I’m in Australia and looking at a cordless DA nailer. I’ve had unbelievable contradictory info on this. One tool shop says I have to wait a week because they’ve sold out, while another repair guy from another tool shop says that “they’re absolute junk”. It’s doing my head in. Regards Steve
Alan Turnquist
The batteries are the worst beyond bad to the point I can’t use the gun anymore what a waste of money!!!!!!
Alan mcdermid
Have own 3 of these nail guns nothing but junk
Good at the start no gas smell and a lot quieter than paslose but the battery is worse than hopeless . I am a professional carpenter of 41 years in the trade
Talked a mate into getting one because I had a good run with them for a couple of months . In the end he said I could have the gun for free and he was going back to the paslose
benny
I have owned the 18 gauge nailer and the 16 gauge angled nailer for about 3 years. Both were just recently stolen.the 16 gauge did not sink the nails more than half the time. The 18 gauge was excellent. The 16 gauge has the same size power cell as the 18 gauge that is why I think the 16 gauge did not set the nails very well. I think the 15 gauge nailer has a bigger power cell that should be used on the 16 gauge. Then maybe the 16 will set nails. No problem with any batteries at all. I always waited for the batteries to full drain before charging. Not sure if that was why they lasted so long.
tomas churizoe
My Senco F-15XP was 3 months old and I loved it until I got a nail jam that I could not repair. The driver shaft wouldn’t retract back into the tool. I depressurized the gun and still no luck. Under warranty it would be approximately 6 months for Senco to fix it. I couldn’t re-pressurize the gun (w/ nitrogen) without purchasing an adapter for $80 and I still need to find someone with nitrogen to refill. A motorcycle suspension shop said they could do it but haven’t heard back from them. $600 for the gun $80 for adapter and the driver is still stuck 3 months after purchasing tool. I’ve been carrying around the compressor and hose every day since.