Q: Brad, what do you want for your birthday? A: A nail gun of some sort.

[Bill Wilson]

And, like routers, I'll probably end up with a variety of them.

I started with one and a pancake compressor, thinking that would serve my needs.  I now have the 3 nailers and a narrow crown stapler.  Would have been more to my benefit to have bought one of those multi gun kits, when they put them on sale around Christmas.

[stilinsm]

I just recently picked up the Dewalt DCN220 20v cordless finish nailer and DCN681 20v narrow crown stapler.  So much nicer not having to worry about air compressors and hoses.  
Definitely something to consider.

[Bob Vaughan]

The nice thing about air tools is they are getting less expensive (or relatively so).  My first was an 18 gauge pin tacker, a Senco LS-II.  About $200.00 in 1976.  Adjust that for inflation and you'll see what I mean.  Still have the little tacker and it still works perfectly.  Back in the day, all air fastening tools were expensive and generally used by the pros and industry.  Now, so many years later, I've got twenty tools of various sizes and shapes.  The 1/4" crown 18 gauge staplers are the ones I use the most often.  I've got four that I keep various length staples in.

Air driven staples hold far better than air driven nails.  Yes, there's the wide signature of a staple, so that has to be dealt with.  The outside of finished work these days shouldn't show any evidence of mechanical fasteners, but it often has to when expediency prevails over craftsmanship.

I'll often buy surplus pieces of casework just to get the good plywood.  When I see air nail tracks, I'm delighted because the makers used the philosophy, "Let the nails hold the part until the glue dries".  I bust that stuff apart easily with a hammer because the glue never got a good bite like it would if it were pressure glued.  In cases of applied ornamentation, it usually doesn't make a difference unless the applied moldings are in an area subject to human activity.

I'm a great believer in air driven fastener tools, but I'm also experienced enough to know when not to use them.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Update:

I didn't get the nail gun for my birth day but DID get the DeWalt 18g brad nailer for Christmas. It's the pneumatic model, not the cordless.

Oh my goodness, I love this thing. I'm building some merry-go-round horse props by sandwiching two sheets of 1/2" ply around strips of 2x4 for the core. The first one I built by gluing and clamping. Took several days.

With this nailer I built the three final pieces in three days.

I have nothing else to compare it to, and it'll probably only see use with jigs, shop cabinets, and other rough work, but I love it.

[KyleD]

Update:

I didn't get the nail gun for my birth day but DID get the DeWalt 18g brad nailer for Christmas.  It's the pneumatic model, not the cordless.

Oh my goodness, I love this thing.  I'm building some merry-go-round horse props by sandwiching two sheets of 1/2" ply around strips of 2x4 for the core.  The first one I built by gluing and clamping.  Took several days.

With this nailer I built the three final pieces in three days.

I have nothing else to compare it to, and it'll probably only see use with jigs, shop cabinets, and other rough work, but I love it.

You made the right choice. I started with an 18 gauge nailer and it is still my most used one. Great for trim and jig making. My next most used nailer is a narrow crown that works great when working with thinner plywood like dust covers and back panels in cabinets. If you make a lot of items with small trim and such a 23 gauge pin nailer is a real time saver over other methods of getting things to stay in place while the glue dries. The divots left behind are easy to fill and just disappear under a finish. I have found no filling is needed on open grain woods like oak. I would recommend getting a 23 gauge nailer that shoots at least 1 3/16 pins so it can be used on 3/4" projects. As someone already alluded too, watch where your fingers are when working with longer brads. Personal experience says they can come out in unintended places once in a while. There is nothing like looking at an 18 gauge pin sticking out the top of your finger nail and knowing you have to pull your finger off it.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Already had a close call with a few blowouts!

[Admiral]

Already had a close call with a few blowouts!

I second the pin nailer, great for small moldings.

[Stwood_]

Already had a close call with a few blowouts!

Yes. Nails can and will follow the rough grains, especially in pine I've noticed.

Just watchum where fingers are....

I've had them draw blood a couple of times.

My wife had a 16ga to go through the side of her pointer finger. She held it up....*what do I do?????* in a frantic tone.
I said pull it out, and let it bleed for a bit to clean the hole out.