Hilti guns are generally used for driving a fastener into concrete - not general carpentry. You can use a "cordless nailer" for anything from driving 16d nails in rough framing, to cabinetry and finish work. As for running out of battery power - with a spare battery and a quick-charger, you'd be hard pressed to go through two batteries before the spare was recharged.

If you're looking for a lightweight drill, a Lithium Ion battery version is best because it's much lighter than the traditional models - however a lot more expensive. If you need just a good basic drill to get jobs done around the house, you'd probably be good with a 12V or 14V Skil or Ryobi drill. Both have some really good features (Skil has a stud finder docked on the drill and Ryobi has a level and magnetic deck to hold screws) - and both are very affordable. My personal favorite is a Makita or a Milwaulkee - like the lightweight of them and the power they have. You can get them online, but I'd recommend going into a local home improvement center to 'test them out'. Pick them up and see how they feel in your hand - you want something that works for you! Good luck, hope you get something that works for you!

An interesting note: Canadian finish carpenters (like me :) ) differ from American carpenters in that we never use 16g. nailers, only 18g as it leaves a smaller, less visible hole for a finer, well, finish. We even get a little picky about which 18g. leave a smaller hole :>. Also becoming exceptionally popular among better finishers (like me :) ) are 23 g. headless nailers, which leave an even smaller, barely visible hole. Bear in mind whatever nail you are using, it's primary function is only to bind the material together until the glue sets...in finish work, that is. So any suggestion that the 16g. provides necessary holding power is questionable in my mind. Even for trimwork, such as baseboard, which will only (typically) be glued at the joints (and certainly should) and have long, unglued spans, 18g. should provide all the holding power necessary, certainly if you hit studs, and otherwise even if "toe-nailed" properly. I actually found this site as I was looking to confirm Makita's soon-to-be-released 18g. 18V Lithium cordless nailer. All I can say is I, and every other Cdn. finisher, will buy one, or two, if the tool isn't a flop in some major way which, with Makita, isn't terribly likely. The Paslodes that Brooke likes so much don't have much longevity. I have used several in the course of my career, and they all start to fail-to-fire with increasing frequency as they get older. In addition, unless something has changed since I last used one (which will never happen again), the propellant Paslode uses is "possibly" carcinogenic. But hoses can be a pain, which is why the electric, non-gas, cordless nailer, is the way of the future. One last item of interest, although rarely seen, is the Jack-Pack, a belt mounted canister that holds roughly 800 shots, with a short 2' or so hose, that adds substantial portability and quick set-up and go to a pneumatic nailer. It costs about C$150, and is refillable for C$2 with its CO2.

to jonathanzeidman i am looking for that Jack Pack and i can not find it anywhere. I was wondering if you could maybe give me some information on that tool and where you found it or where you even bought it at. Can you please write to my e-mail address i check that more on a regular basis. i would really appreciate it. I have been looking for one and i keep comeing to a dead end. untill i found this web site and you started talking about it. Please e-mail me back at Woodrich56@aol.com. Thank you so much and hope to hear from you soon!

I also agree with Brooke and Jonathan. I prefer using the lithium ion drills as well because they tend to be lighter and charge faster.

Thanks! I am going to make a wood box for my flowers. It is the 1st try in my whole life. I think nailer is very useful in this job. May I have some details about your nail gun? 14v or 18v? Thanks Jen