Senco has long been a leading maker of air-powered fastening systems but has rarely offered tools outside this line, so when we heard they were coming out with a professional-grade cordless screw gun, we were eager to take a look. The first thing we noticed about the DuraSpin is that there really isn't anything quite like it. Designed for drywalling, floor sheathing, and underlayment applications, the DuraSpin is a lightweight, 2,300 rpm, 14.4-volt cordless tool that drives collated, Phillips-head, or square-drive screws, 1 inch to 2 inches long, rapidly and repeatedly. To operate this gun, you hold the trigger down and get the drive up to speed (takes just a second), then drive screws by depressing the nosepiece against your material. The screws automatically advance along a track up the front of the gun. The trick is to not let up on the trigger after driving each screw, but to back off and press the nosepiece on the next spot while the drive continues spinning.
The gun features a reliable depth-of-drive adjustment that allows drywallers to get a correct depression every time without tearing the paper. We drove an entire clip in rapid succession and, using consistent pressure, achieved a uniform countersink every time. The depth-of-drive and screw-size adjustments are both toolless, as is the bit changing, which is done with a no-chuck, pop-in-type system. Changing screw strips takes only a few seconds, and the strips themselves are a nice size for conveniently carrying in a tool belt. All in all, the DuraSpin impressed us with how easy it is to use. It's lighter and more portable than competing collated screw guns, and strikes us as a must-have in a drywaller's tool kit. It isn't designed for use with an extension kit, however, so if you're going to lay floor sheathing, you'll need your kneepads.
Senco claims the 14.4-volt battery will drive 650 1-1/4-inch screws, 450 1-5/8-inch screws, or 300 2-inch screws into wood in a single charge, and while we weren't counting screws, that sounds about right. Of course, these numbers will vary depending on the material being fastened. Each tool comes with two batteries, a charger, two spare bits, and a rugged carrying case. The batteries recharge in about an hour. --Brian Trinen