These Makita Finds Can Help You Complete Your Workshop Pneumatic Setup

Assembling a personal DIY workshop for your hobbies and projects is an incredibly fun experience. Shopping for shiny new tools and then organizing them to suit your work style is a great way to kill a weekend. Nothing beats that feeling of satisfaction and pride you get when showing off your collection to neighbors and friends. However, choosing between the major brands of power tools and determining what best meets your needs can be challenging. Pneumatic tools, in particular, can be confusing due to their varied uses and the fact that you can't just use a pneumatic tool on its own — you'll need an air compressor to power it!

Fortunately, Makita has a long history of building tools suited to both casual DIYers and diehard home improvement enthusiasts. The tool manufacturer offers an extensive lineup of products for various applications and industries, and each tool comes with a solid warranty to protect it from failure and defects. While Makita's pneumatic lineup is less comprehensive than its family of battery-powered devices, each tool on this list is a solid option for anyone building a home toolkit. From an air compressor to a nail gun and stapler, here are three Makita finds to help you complete your workshop pneumatic setup.

Anyone who plans to run a pneumatic setup in their home workshop should have an affordable air compressor from a major brand like Makita. In addition to powering all your other pneumatic devices, compressors are vital tools in their own right, with a variety of useful applications.

Makita's 3 HP* Big Bore™ Air Compressor is a perfect addition to any home garage or DIY workshop. The three-horsepower compressor is capable of handling workloads for hobbyists or professionals. It can support two tools at once and features a 5.2-gallon tank capable of 140 PSI, with output of 40 PSI at 6.9 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and 90 PSI at 6.5 CFM. The engine is built with a cast iron cylinder and has a big bore size, which translates to quieter running and enhanced compression. The compressor comes with tool hangers for added convenience, large casters, and a dolly-style handle for mobility, plus built-in storage compartments for air fittings and smaller tools.

When people think of nail guns, they often envision professional contractors on a large-scale job site. While nail guns do have their professional-level applications, they're also handy tools for DIYers and hobbyists. The most important consideration when picking out brad nailers, finish nailers, and other fastening tools is the job you have in mind. For professional framers and roofers, bigger and more powerful nail guns, like large-gauge coil nailers and framing nailers, are ideal. However, for hobbyists and DIYers, a smaller tool will often do the trick.

The Makita 16 Gauge 2-½" Straight Finish Nailer is a versatile tool suited to all sorts of applications. The gun supports 16-gauge finish nails from one inch to 2-½ inches in length, making it ideal for projects ranging from carpentry to upholstery work and even minor construction or home improvement. It weighs just 3.8 pounds, making it easy to carry during lengthy projects. The gun features a "tool-less" depth adjustment mechanism that makes countersinking nails and leaving them flush with the material a breeze. It includes a reversible belt hook for convenient carrying when not in use and comfortable rubber grips for all-day use.

Many people may think of staplers as office tools used to play with paper. In fact, staplers are a much larger group of tools with various applications. Pneumatic staplers, in particular, are used for everything from installing insulation and roofing fabric to laying down flooring and building fences. The main differences between an office and pneumatic stapler are the source of power — in this case, air power — and the size of the staples.

Makita's 7/16" Medium Crown Stapler makes a wonderful addition to any toolbox, be it professional or DIY. It features an aluminum body, cylinder, and staple magazine, making it tough but lightweight and easy to use. The top-loading magazine works with 16-gauge staples between one and two inches in length, allowing users to complete projects ranging from custom decks to basement remodels. Weighing only 4.9 pounds and featuring a reversible belt hook, the gun is highly mobile and built for all-day use that won't leave you exhausted. It features rubber bumpers to protect both the tool itself and the material you're working on, as well as a magazine capacity of up to 140 staples for fast-paced work with minimal reloading.

Each tool on this list was chosen for a few reasons. When composing this article, we considered user reviews, price, and practicality for non-professional DIYers. Every item on this list has received glowing reviews from real customers at retailers like Home Depot and Acme Tools and all are highly rated for multiple tasks and applications. As for price, pneumatic tools are always expensive, but this list takes cost into account. Every device here retails for less than $500, putting them in the mid-range of comparable pneumatic brands. Finally, each tool on this list provides practical uses for homeowners and DIYers. While Makita offers professional-level tools, like high-level roofing nailers, we chose to include items that average hobbyists would find useful. That means the tools on this list may not provide enough power for a commercial construction site, but they should handle just about any home improvement or casual DIY project you can imagine.