If you've never seen a hand nailer, you'll be delighted! Prepare for spontaneous giggles the first time you use it. It's loud as hell, but you hooked it up to an air compressor, so expect some noise now. It has a magnet in the nozzle to hold the nail and it is activated by applying pressure to the other end of the nail. That is, charge it up, place it on something that needs a nail, and it'll pound that nail with a jackhammer. This model has performed brilliantly when driving HD galvanized nails into treated lumber for my deck. It was perfect for getting into tight spaces where I couldn't swing a hammer. I've even used it to drive other nails into joist shoes just for a smile. My dad is getting one of these for Christmas!