For many years I've used a senco brad nailer with 1/2" brads. I just use bar clamps. Tighten and nail. Remove and assemble another one. This has always worked well and quickly for me. My old 18ga nailer is having issues so it's time to replace it. It's hard to find one that shoots 1/2" x 18 ga. I see many are using pins. Will 23 ga hold the joints tight untill dry the way I do it or should I stick to 18 ga? I shoot 2 per joint on back side ofcourse.

Buy more clamps. 4 minutes per door assembly time so you'll need 30 clamps. No nail holes to deal with, no pins to buy, no compressor to run. And once you buy the clamps they'll last a lifetime.

23ga should work.

We've used 23 gauge pins for about 20 years. You should leave them in the clamps for at least a few minutes. I typically use 3 sets of clamps and pin. It's not like it takes a ton of time to assemble a door. Do not underestimate the strength of a 23mm pin. Do some testing with some long ones. We nail all of our cabinet crown, mouldings with 23. Good luck taking it off.

I have always seen tons of shops running pins. I personally have experienced the pins not holding the joints as tight as a door left in the clamps for a few minutes as Leo states. It could well be the joint fit but I have personally seen door joints open ever so slightly on unclamping immediately with 23ga pins so we let them sit for a bit unless they are low end/paint.

I personally cant see how a compressed, super tight, joint, or even the hydraulic pressure of the clamps/glue, could avoid overwhelming a 23 gauge pin even just slightly and even moreso in soft woods given the tenon of the rail is letting the small diameter of the pin act on long grain.

We are more cautious on higher end stain/clear to let them sit in the clamps to avoid a glue line. It would be just as critical in paint grade thats expected to stay crack free on the joint.

Mark B. Thanks for your experience. I will stick with brads since I've never had a joint relax on me for the way I do it.

How many doors do you make a day? Do you putty and sand the pin hole or just ignore it? I agree with more clamps or different clamps. I never cared to duplicate mass produced contractor grade cabinets, so it was no holes/pins for me.

Putty and sand pin holes? WHAAA?? I dont even have "putty" in the shop.. Isnt the point of pins to not have to putty and sand unless your pin nailer leave them a high/shiner?

I would have zero issue with leaving a clean pin nail on the rear of a door on commodity cabs. By the time its sanded, stained, cleared, primed, painted.. the pin is vapor.

The brad on the other hand.. not so much. It just depends on how much holding your tooling/clamping/assembly process requires.

If I ever find myself needing to putty pin nails on commodity work the pin nailer will go in the dumpster. Its sole presence in the shop is to be the invisible fastener.

I clamp for 12-15 minutes. Rotary door clamp.
I still nail them with a 5/8 18ga nail.