The Woodworker & Woodturner – August 2019

ON TEST

22 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking August 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com

DeWalt DCN680D2-GB 18V XR 2.0Ah brushless finish nailer kit

DEWALT DCN680D2-GB

XR 2.0AH BRUSHLESS

FINISH NAILER KIT

Jamie Smith of Atelier Cabinet Makers looks

at the latest generation 18V XR Li-ion brushless

18Ga finish nailer from DeWalt, which offers

the cutting edge in nailing technology

Firing depth adjustment wheel and adjustment

indication

The T-Stak case provides protective organisation

of the tool, batteries and charger

T-Stak stackable carry case

Headlights and firing mode switch

Ergonomic, comfortable DeWalt grip handle

50mm brad nails evenly sunk into solid oak

Fully mechanical firing mechanism – this means

no gas is needed

The DCN680D2-GB is the latest generation

18V Li-ion brushless 18Ga nailer from DeWalt,

forming part of their XR range – an ever-

expanding collection of cordless power tools

that run on the DeWalt 18V XR Li-ion batteries.

There are over 140 different tools in the XR range,

offering a huge variety of cordless options all

on the same battery platform. This is great for

tradesmen and hobbyists looking to buy into

a cordless tool platform, as once you have a

couple of batteries, you can purchase other

tools as body-only versions.

What’s in the box

I was sent the DCN680D2-GB for review, which

is supplied in a DeWalt T-Stak VI heavy-duty

kit box, along with a Multi-Volt XR charger and

two 2.0Ah XR Li-ion battery packs with state of

charge indicator. The nailer can also be purchased

as the body-only option (DCN680N-XJ) for those

already on the XR platform. The T-Stak kit box is a

stackable, lightweight case, which is well

built and lined with thick foam compartments,

so the tool and batteries can be kept protected

and all in place.

Compact & easy to use

The 18Ga nailer weighs 2.6kg and feels quite

evenly balanced when fitted with a battery pack.

The tool looks as though it would be more top

heavy than it actually is, and with the excellent

DeWalt ergonomic grip handle, is very comfortable

to hold. The build of the DCN680D2-GB is

incredibly durable and well suited to the job site.

This nailer has a fully mechanical operation

as opposed to gas, which offers low running costs

and consistent performance at low temperatures.

This means that all you need are your battery

packs to run the tool. I am used to using an air

nailer, which means that when working on site

fitting wardrobes, for example, I would have to

bring my heavy, awkward air compressor from