The folks at Duo-Fast Construction sent me their Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer last month to evaluate. Since then I’ve used it on a few small roof repair jobs and a window installation project.
Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer, Model DFCR175C
First Impression:
I first saw a version this nailer at the 2010 Baltimore Remodeling show so I knew what to expect.
The Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer System, Model DFCR175C, comes with a backpack storage bag with one Roofer’s Choice™ Fuel + Nail Pack, as well as a safety tether, rechargeable battery and charger, and safety glasses. The backpack easily slings over your shoulder so you can safely climb a ladder.
The nailer was light and comfortable to hold. It looks and feels well made with a heavy duty plastic housing. The battery, fuel cell and nails were all super easy to load. I was told that the there are enough nails for a one-square [10′ x 10′ area] roof repair.
The Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer features an adjustable depth of drive which reduces and often eliminates shingle blow-through. Adjusting this depth of drive is accomplished with a provided hex wrench. The nailer fires sequentially which eliminates excessive and erroneous nail placement, such as low or high nailing.
The DFCR175C nailer was comfortable in my hand and easy to use. It weighs 7.44 lbs. I found it extremely easy to load the 6 volt battery, fuel cartridge and coil nails.
The fuel cartridge is rated for 900 fasteners, which equates to 7.5 coils of 1-1/4″ to 1-3/4″ nails. The battery takes 2 hours to fully charge and will handle 2200 nails.
Using The Duo-Fast cordless Nailer:
The Duo-Fast DFCR175C worked flawlessly! It was easy to use and was precise. I used it on a few small roof repair jobs, ins
Each window takes a minimum or 16 to 20 nails, the Duo-Fast DFCR175C saved a tone of time and energy. Looks like I have a new window installation tool!
This nailer is much faster than hand nailing and I was able to shoot a nail as fast as I was able to set the nose and pull the trigger.
The Duo-Fast DFCR175C was easy to adjust and load with new nails. I did not use the teather but I can see myself using it in some high elevation settings.
Capacity:
The Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer drives two nails per second and hold 120 nails per coil and can drive 2,200 nails per battery charge, and 950 nails per fuel cell.
Loading Nails:
This roofing nailer has a single door magazine for easy loading of 15-degree Wire Weld Roofing Nails. The nailer also has skid guards and a belt hook. It comes with an adjustable shingle guide for precise nail placement and has a soft grip handle for greater control.
Duo-Fast recommends using their spline nail, coated for better depth of drive. However, this nailer will handle any standard roofing nail.
Roofer’s Choice™ Fuel + Nail Packs with PowerBoost™ Nails:
The Duo-Fast Cordless Roofing Nailer uses Roofer’s Choice™ Fuel + Nail packs, which maximizes the tool’s performance and means you never run out of fuel before you run out of nails. Each pack comes with one quicklode™ fuel cell and six coils of nails (720 nails per box).
The nails feature the PowerBoost™ Black Tip Coating for superior ease of drive and a unique vertical groove design for better holding power than standard roofing nails. Each Fuel + Nail pack is enough nails to do two squares or 
SPECIFICATIONS:
1. Model Number: DFCR175C
2. Weight: 7.5 lbs.
3. Collation Media: 15-degree Wire Weld Roofing Nails
4. Capacity: 120 nails (1 coil)
5. Nail Length: 1-1/4″ to 1-3/4″
6. Fasteners: Roofer’s Choice™ Fuel +Nail Pack
7. Cycle Rate: Up to 2 nails per second
8. Fuel Cell Life: Drives up to 900 nails per fuel cell
9. Battery Life: Drives 2200 per charge
10. Warranty: 1-year full warranty, 5-year limited
11. Other Features: Adjustable Depth of Drive
12. Quick Clear Nose
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
I really enjoyed reviewing the Duo-Fast DFCR175C and highly recommend it. This nailer is going to be a huge time saver for me. It is faster than hand nailing and is perfect for a wide range of roofing jobs, including, leaks and shingle repair, ridge and hip replacement, skylight installations, steep slope roof work, flashing and vent installation, drip edge and other roof repairs and punch list repairs.
Having the convenience or cordless and efficiency of fuel powered cordless ensures roofers and exterior contractors a powerful, lightweight and compact tool that helps increase productivity, reduce job site clutter and project downtime, and increase profits.
Having this nailer for small repairs or small jobs that require staging or ladder access will also make the project run smoother and safer. Not having to deal with the tangled web of a pneumatic hose precariously trailing across the ladder rungs or staging planks will make the folks at OSHA smile! Plus you will not have to o set up a compressor and hose.
Being able to consistently drive 2 nails per second with no compressor or hose is a time savings. that could save up to 30 minutes per day. I’ve said this before; time saved is money earned.
I would like to see Duo-Fast offer this nailer with two batteries as well as consider the lithium-ion battery technology. Other than that I found nothing negative to report. This is one hell of a cordless nailer!
It also features a one year full coverage warranty and five year limited warranty. For more information, go to the Duo-Fast website
This review contains my opinion of a product. I take pride in providing my readers with an honest and objective information as well as a practical approach to using a product. I never accept payment in exchange for a positive review. Many of the tools and products are provided to for free by a manufacturer for review.
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