Central Pneumatic 68021 Installation manual

2” 18 GAUGE
BRAD NAILER
Model 68021
SET UP AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
Read and understand tool labels and
manual. Failure to follow warnings could
result in DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY.
SAVE THIS MANUAL.
Copyright©2010 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual or any artwork
contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written consent of
Harbor Freight Tools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Tools required for
assembly and service may not be included.
For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353.

Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353. SKU 68021
SAVE THIS MANUAL
Keep this manual for the safety warnings
and precautions, assembly, operating,
inspection, maintenance and cleaning
procedures. Write the product’s serial number
in the back of the manual near the assembly
diagram (or month and year of purchase if
product has no number). Keep this manual
and the receipt in a safe and dry place for
future reference.
Safety Alert Symbol and Signal
Words
In this manual, on the labeling, and
all other information provided with
this product:
This is the safety alert
symbol. It is used to alert
you to potential personal
injury hazards. Obey all
safety messages that follow
this symbol to avoid possible
injury or death.
DANGER indicates a
hazardous situation
which, if not avoided, will result
in death or serious injury.
WARNING indicates a
hazardous situation
which, if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury.
CAUTION, used with
the safety alert
symbol, indicates a hazardous
situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate
injury.
NOTICE is used to
address practices not
related to personal injury.
CAUTION, without the
safety alert symbol, is
used to address practices not
related to personal injury.
Symbol Denitions
Symbol Property or statement
PSI Pounds per square inch of pressure
CFM Cubic Feet per Minute ow
SCFM Cubic Feet per Minute ow at standard
conditions
NPT National pipe thread, tapered
NPS National pipe thread, straight
WARNING marking concerning Risk of
Eye Injury. Wear ANSI-approved safety
goggles with side shields.
Warning marking concerning Risk of
Puncture Injury. Wear heavy-duty work
gloves.
Read the manual before set-up and/or
use.
WARNING marking concerning Risk of
Hearing Loss. Wear hearing protection.
WARNING marking concerning Risk
of Respiratory Injury. Wear NIOSH-
approved dust mask/respirator.
WARNING marking concerning Risk of
Explosion.
IMPORTANT SAFETY S
INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING
TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC
SHOCK, OR INJURY
TO PERSONS
Important Safety Instructions

Page 3For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353.SKU 68021
WARNING – When using tools, basic
precautions should always be followed,
including the following:
General
a. To reduce the risks of electric shock,
re, and injury to persons, read all the
instructions before using the tool.
Work area
a. Keep the work area clean and well
lighted. Cluttered benches and dark
areas increase the risks of electric
shock, re, and injury to persons.
b. Do not operate the tool in explosive
atmospheres, such as in the presence
of ammable liquids, gases, or dust.
The tool is able to create sparks resulting
in the ignition of the dust or fumes.
c. Keep bystanders, children, and
visitors away while operating the tool.
Distractions are able to result in the loss
of control of the tool.
Personal safety
a. Stay alert. Watch what you are
doing and use common sense when
operating the tool. Do not use the
tool while tired or under the inuence
of drugs, alcohol, or medication. A
moment of inattention while operating
the tool increases the risk of injury to
persons.
b. Dress properly. Do not wear loose
clothing or jewelry. Contain long hair.
Keep hair, clothing, and gloves away
from moving parts. Loose clothes,
jewelry, or long hair increases the risk
of injury to persons as a result of being
caught in moving parts.
c. Avoid unintentional starting. Be
sure the trigger is released before
connecting to the air supply. Do not
carry the tool with your nger on the
trigger or connect the tool to the air
supply with the trigger pressed.
d. Do not overreach. Keep proper
footing and balance at all times.
Proper footing and balance enables
better control of the tool in unexpected
situations.
e. Use safety equipment. A
dust mask, non-skid safety
shoes and a hard hat must be
used for the applicable
conditions. Wear heavy-duty work
gloves during use.
f. Always wear eye protection.
Wear ANSI-approved safety
goggles with side shields.
g. Always wear hearing
protection when using the
tool. Prolonged exposure to
high intensity noise is able to
cause hearing loss.
h. Do not attach the hose or tool to your
body. Attach the hose to the structure to
reduce the risk of loss of balance if the
hose shifts.
i. Always assume that the tool contains
fasteners. Do not point the tool toward
yourself or anyone whether it contains
fasteners or not.
j. WARNING – Do not re fastener on
top of another fastener. This is able to
cause the fastener to be deected and
hit someone, or cause the tool to react
and result in a risk of injury to persons.
k. WARNING – Remove nger from the
trigger when not driving fasteners.

Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353. SKU 68021
Never carry the tool with nger on
trigger, the tool is able to re a fastener.
Tool use and care
a. Use clamps or another practical way
to secure and support the workpiece
to a stable platform. Holding the work
by hand or against the body is unstable
and can lead to loss of control.
b. Do not force the tool. Use the correct
tool for the application. The correct tool
will do the job better and safer at the rate
for which the tool is designed.
c. Do not use the tool if the trigger does
not turn the tool on or off. Any tool that
cannot be controlled with the trigger is
dangerous and must not be used until
repaired.
d. Disconnect the tool from the air
source before making adjustments,
doing tool maintenance, clearing
jams, touching the safety nosepiece,
leaving work area, loading, or
unloading the tool. Such precautionary
measures reduce the risk of injury to
persons.
e. Store the tool when it is idle out of
reach of children and other untrained
persons. A tool is dangerous in the
hands of untrained users.
f. Maintain the tool with care. A properly
maintained tool reduces the risk of
binding and is easier to control.
g. Check for misalignment or binding
of moving parts, breakage of parts,
and any other condition that affects
the tool’s operation. If damaged,
have the tool serviced before using.
Many accidents are caused by poorly
maintained tools. There is a risk of
bursting if the tool is damaged.
h. Use only accessories that are
identied by the manufacturer for
the specic tool model. Use of an
accessory not intended for use with the
specic tool model, increases the risk of
injury to persons.
i. Use only those fasteners listed in the
Specications chart of this manual.
Fasteners not identied for use with this
tool by the tool manufacturer are able to
result in a risk of injury to persons or tool
damage when used in this tool.
Service
a. Tool service must be performed only
by qualied repair personnel.
b. When servicing a tool, use only
identical replacement parts. Use only
authorized parts.
c. Use only the lubricants supplied
with the tool or specied by the
manufacturer.
Air source
a. Never connect to an air
source that is capable of
exceeding 200 PSI. Over
pressurizing the tool may
cause bursting, abnormal operation,
breakage of the tool or serious injury to
persons. Use only clean, dry, regulated
compressed air at the rated pressure or
within the rated pressure range as
marked on the tool. Always verify prior to
using the tool that the air source has
been adjusted to the rated air pressure
or within the rated air-pressure range.
b. Never use oxygen, carbon dioxide,
combustible gases or any bottled gas
as an air source for the tool. Such
gases are capable of explosion and
serious injury to persons.

Page 5For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353.SKU 68021
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS.
SPECIFIC SAFETY S
1. Operators and others in work area
MUST wear ANSI‑approved safety
goggles with side shields during use.
The employer is responsible to enforce
the use of eye protection by the operator
and others in the work area.
2. Keep ngers away from trigger
when not driving fasteners to avoid
accidental ring.
3. Choice of triggering method is
important. Check manual for
triggering options.
4. Always assume tool contains fasteners.
5. Do not point toward yourself or anyone
whether it contains fasteners or not.
6. Do not actuate the tool unless the tool is
placed rmly against the workpiece.
7. Respect the tool as a working implement.
8. No horseplay. This tool is not a toy and
can be deadly if misused.
9. Do not load tool with fasteners when any
one of operating controls, such as the
Trigger or Safety Nosepiece, is activated.
10. Do not remove, tamper with, or otherwise
cause the tool operating controls to
become inoperable.
11. Do not operate if any portion of operating
controls is inoperable, disconnected,
altered, or not working properly.
12. Disconnect tool from air supply when:
a. Unattended.
b. Performing any maintenance or repair.
c. Clearing a jam.
d. Moving the tool to a new location.
13. Do not make any modications to tool.
14. Refer to the tool maintenance
instructions for detailed information on
the proper maintenance of the tool.
15. Fire fasteners into an appropriate
work surface only. Do not attempt to
re fasteners into surfaces too hard to
penetrate. Do not drive fasteners on top
of other fasteners, or at too steep of an
angle. Fasteners can ricochet causing
personal injury.
16. Do not re fasteners too close to edge of
a workpiece. They may split workpiece
and y free, causing personal injury.
17. Keep clear of the workpiece near area
being fastened. Fasteners may bend
sideways during ring, causing them
to exit the workpiece at an unexpected
point, causing personal injury.
18. Transport Tool safely. Always disconnect
air supply when moving the tool. Carry
the tool by the handle and avoid contact
with the trigger.
19. Hold tool away from head and body.
During operation the Tool may kick back
causing injury.
20. Do not re fasteners into a workpiece
that has people, utility lines, or other
objects behind or inside it.
21. Keep balance while using this tool.
Keep area below clear if working in
an elevated location, and secure air
hose to prevent falls from bystanders
accidentally pulling on it.
22. Obey the manual for the air compressor
used to power this tool.
Specic Safety Instructions

Page 6 For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353. SKU 68021
23. Install in-line shutoff valve to allow
immediate control over air supply in an
emergency, even if a hose is ruptured.
24. Do not engrave or stamp anything into
the housing to avoid weakening it.
25. WARNING: Some dust created by
power sanding, sawing, grinding,
drilling, and other construction activities,
contains chemicals known [to the State
of California] to cause cancer, birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Some examples of these chemicals are:
• Lead from lead-based paints
• Crystalline silica from bricks and
cement or other masonry products
• Arsenic and chromium from chemically
treated lumber
Your risk from these exposures varies,
depending on how often you do this type
of work. To reduce your exposure to
these chemicals: work in a well ventilated
area, and work with approved safety
equipment, such as those dust masks
that are specially designed to lter out
microscopic particles. (California Health
& Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
WARNING: The brass components of
this product contain lead, a chemical
known to the State of California to cause
birth defects (or other reproductive
harm). (California Health & Safety code
§ 25249.5, et seq.)
26. The warnings and precautions discussed
in this manual cannot cover all possible
conditions and situations that may occur.
It must be understood by operator that
common sense and caution are factors
which cannot be built into this product,
but must be supplied by operator.
Vibration Precautions
This tool vibrates during use. Repeated
or long-term exposure to vibration may cause
temporary or permanent physical injury,
particularly to the hands, arms and shoulders.
To reduce the risk of vibration-related injury:
1. Anyone using vibrating tools regularly
or for an extended period should rst
be examined by a doctor and then have
regular medical check-ups to ensure
medical problems are not being caused
or worsened from use. Pregnant
women or people who have impaired
blood circulation to the hand, past hand
injuries, nervous system disorders,
diabetes, or Raynaud’s Disease
should not use this tool. If you feel any
symptoms related to vibration (such as
tingling, numbness, and white or blue
ngers), seek medical advice as soon as
possible.
2. Do not smoke during use. Nicotine
reduces the blood supply to the hands
and ngers, increasing the risk of
vibration-related injury.
3. Wear suitable gloves to reduce the
vibration effects on the user.
4. Use tools with the lowest vibration when
there is a choice between different
processes.
5. Include vibration-free periods each day
of work.
6. Grip tool as lightly as possible (while still
keeping safe control of it). Let the tool
do the work.
7. To reduce vibration, maintain tool as
explained in this manual. If abnormal
vibration occurs, stop immediately.
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS.

Page 7For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353.SKU 68021
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
Specications
Operating Air
Pressure 70-120 PSI
Max. Air Pressure 120 PSI
Air Consumption .5 CFM @ 90 PSI
Air Inlet 1/4” -18 NPT
Fastener Capacity 3/8” to 2” 18 Gauge Brad Nails
Magazine Capacity 100 Fasteners
Safety Full Sequential Trip Safety
Components and Controls
Safety Nosepiece - Also called the workpiece
contact, the Safety Nosepiece helps
prevent the tool from ring unless it is
pressed against an object.
INITIAL TOOL SET UP/
ASSEMBLY
Read the ENTIRE IMPORTANT
SAFETY INFORMATION
section at the beginning of this
manual including all text under
subheadings therein before set up
or use of this product.
Note: For additional information regarding the
parts listed in the following pages, refer
to the Assembly Diagram near the end of
this manual.
Unpacking
When unpacking, make sure that the
item is intact and undamaged. If any parts
are missing or broken, please call Harbor
Freight Tools at 1-800-444-3353 as soon as
possible.
• This air tool may be shipped with a
protective plug covering the air inlet.
Remove this plug before set up.
Air Supply
TO PREVENT
EXPLOSION:
Use only clean, dry, regulated,
compressed air to power this
tool. Do not use oxygen, carbon
dioxide, combustible gases, or
any other bottled gas as a power
source for this tool.
1. Connect a regulator valve, an in-line shut
off valve and 1/4” NPT air hose (all sold
separately) to the Quick Coupler. Use
thread tape for all threaded connections.
The air hose must be long enough to
reach the work area with enough extra
length to allow free movement while
working. An in‑line shutoff ball valve
is an important safety device because
it controls the air supply even if the
air hose is ruptured. The shutoff
valve should be a ball valve because
it can be closed quickly. See pages 8
and 9 for Air Tool Setup procedures.
Note: If an automatic oiler system is not
used, add a few drops of Pneumatic
Tool Oil into the airline connection before
operation. Add a few more drops after
each hour of continual use.
Safety (26)
Air Deector
(3) Air Inlet
Plug (63)
Trigger
(36) Latch
(58)
Functional Description

Page 8 For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353. SKU 68021
Description Function
A Air Hose Connects air to tool
B Filter Prevents dirt and condensation from damaging tool or work piece
C Regulator Adjusts air pressure to tool D Lubricator (optional) For air tool lubrication
E Coupler and Plug Provides each connections
F Leader Hose (optional) Increases coupler life
G Air Cleaner / Dryer (optional) Prevents water vapor from damaging work piece
H Air Adjusting Valve (optional) For ne tuning airow at tool
G
A
E
E H
F
B
Non-lubricated Tools Lubricated Tools
A
B
C
C
DA
Air Tool & Spray Gun Portable Setup

Page 9For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353.SKU 68021
Air Tool & Spray Gun Stationary Setup
Description Function
A Vibration Pads For noise and vibration reduction
B Anchor Bolts Secures air compressor in place
C Ball Valve Isolates sections of system for maintenance D Isolation Hose For vibration reduction
E Main Air Line - 3/4” minimum recommended Distributes air to branch lines
F Ball Valve To drain moisture from system
G Branch Air Line -1/2” minimum recommended Brings air to point of use
H Filter Prevents dirt and condensation from damaging tool or work piece
I Air Cleaner / Dryer (optional) Prevents water vapor from damaging work piece
J Regulator Adjusts air pressure to tool
K Lubricator For air tool lubrication
L Air Hose Connects air to tool
M Coupler and Plug Provides each connections
NAir Adjusting Valve For ne tuning airow at tool
O Leader Hose Increases coupler life
I
M
M N
O
C C
Non-lubricated Tools Lubricated Tools
L
H
H
J
JKL
F
G
E
Slope
F
F
B B
A A
CD

Page 10 For technical questions, please call 1‑800‑444‑3353. SKU 68021
2. Attach an air hose to the compressor’s
air outlet. Connect the air hose to the air
inlet of the tool. Other components, such
as a coupler plug and quick coupler, will
make operation more efcient, but are
not required.
WARNING! TO PREVENT SERIOUS
INJURY FROM ACCIDENTAL
OPERATION:
Do not install a quick coupler on the
tool. A coupler contains an air valve that
will allow the air tool to retain pressure
and operate accidentally after the air
supply is disconnected.
Note: Air ow, and therefore tool
performance, can be hindered by
undersized air supply components.
3. The air hose must be long enough to
reach the work area with enough extra
length to allow free movement while
working.
4. Release the Trigger.
5. Close the in-line safety valve between
the compressor and the tool.
6. Turn on the air compressor according to
the manufacturer’s directions and allow it
to build up pressure until it cycles off.
7. Adjust the air compressor’s output
regulator so that the air output is enough
to properly power the tool, but the output
will not exceed the tool’s maximum
air pressure at any time. Adjust the
pressure gradually, while checking the
air output gauge to set the right pressure
range.
8. The air pressure setting must not exceed
job site regulations/restrictions. The air
pressure setting must not exceed 120
PSI when being used with work pieces
that have a thickness of less than 1-3/4”.
9. Inspect the air connections for leaks.
Repair any leaks found.
10. If the tool will not be used at this time,
turn off and detach the air supply, safely
discharge any residual air pressure, and
release the trigger to prevent accidental
operation.
Note: Residual air pressure should not be
present after the tool is disconnected
from the air supply. However, it is a
good safety measure to attempt to
discharge the tool in a safe fashion after
disconnecting to ensure that the tool is
disconnected and unpowered.