The Cordless Orange Nailer - The Paslode Impulse
There were the pneumatic nailers. And then there was the Impulse.
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Starting out, the crew had a couple of these nailers. They weren’t used much. Most times, we were dragging hoses out. But on a roof or crawl space, the Impulse always followed along.
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It was the convince of not getting tangled up. It wasn’t a replacement for pneumatics. It was a tool with a specific purpose.
A couple years later, I had stumbled on a deal for a cordless battery framer. Thinking I had lucked out. But over time, I found out that it was also for a specific time and day. It never could replace the pneumatics in pounding out nails.
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Last December, I had given up on that cordless nailer. It had a tendency to jam more than I preferred.
Not wanting to completely switch battery platforms, I decided to put my money into the platform dedicated to nailers. And purchased the Impulse.
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Having tried multiple cordless nailers now, I can attest that this is the lightest cordless nailer on the market. This was the biggest consideration for the switch. Until you realize how much weight a tradesperson carries daily, every reduction in weight is worth it. More so when working in risky areas, and the fatigue that can set in when lifting above chest height.
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Small things I like, are the hook. It comes off as a well thought out piece, that when placed as a joist hanger or a belt hanger, will stay in place, and not move.
And the tip of the nailer. Other brands have slightly rounded tips. This isn’t real noticeable on a direct fire. But when toenailing, having a point that grabs the wood and helps guide the user is nice. Even if you can accidentally stab yourself.
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Now for the downsides:
The one everyone touches on that I won’t go into depth is the gas canisters. If this is the sacrifice for weight, then I’ll gladly pay it.
No bump fire. Every cordless competitor offers this option, but it is missing. It’s not the end of the world. You can find a nice rhythm, but it’s also nice to not have to make that rhythm a habit.
The new depth adjustment. Its neat to be able to pinch the tip to adjust. It is ‘faster’. But I prefer a dial to really micro adjust the depth. Something I think is important for fastener performance. The one reason I can see from getting away from the dial, is that if the dial gets gunked up, then its more difficult to move.
Misfires are more common. I don’t know how trades people can sink a nail one after another on the Impluse, but I find that this nailer misfires often. Quick research shows that it could be from not cleaning it. I’ve had it for over six months now, so I wouldn’t believe it needs cleaning this soon. But I may be finding out soon if thats the reason.
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In the end, I am happy I have this.
My older cordless would jam once every job. Requiring me to disassemble the nailer, which was a pain and waste of time. So I’ll take the misfires over that.
And since I work a lot at heights, I really… and I mean, I REALLY… like not having the additional weight.
Is it a game changer? No. It reminds me a lot of the older Impulses I started out with.
It still has its place. And at the end of the day, as someone who doesn’t frame as much as I use to, it preforms just fine for my needs.
But I don’t find it to be a pneumatic replacement. I’ll still reach for my Powermaster, if throwing material up is what is needed.
