CAMO MARKSMAN Pro, Deck Tool for Edge Fastening Installation, 3/16" Spacing, Fits 5-1/4-5-3/4" Composite Decking (0345001)…

Really easy to use

Wow a deck with invisible screws, nice! And you don’t have to be German to carefully line up the screws, they’re virtually invisible. Great tool.

Works very well.

I am cautiously optimistic about the results of this tool. I used PT 5 &3.4" lumber boards. On occasion, there was evidence of splitting but mainly, the screws went in clean. The tool design is easy to use. It sets the distance between boards by ensuring flat contact. One thing I would do to improve the design is change the handle from open at one end to closed at both. That way you can apply equal pressure and ensure both ends are down. The issue is that the handle flexes and you may think it is down tight, but due to board curves, the guide at the open end isn't. This causes your screw to go into the board from the top edge instead of the side. When you get tired of putting them in, it is easy to make this mistake. Equal pressure on the handle may eliminate this. I removed old boards from a deck and subsequently had old screws in the joists. If you hit an old screw it can be trouble as the screw you are putting in won't go in and becomes difficult to remove. And now the tool is locked in place with the screw. This has only occurred a couple times and after playing around with it, I have been able to remove the tool and get the screw in. I'd also improve the indicator for where the screw is going to go. On the end of the boards when you are mating on a single joist, you don't have much room to hit the end. Better indication of where you are aligning would be useful. My cautious optimism is how the screws grabbing only the side of the boards are going to hold up winter after winter or as the boards age, etc.

Loved this tool. We put 3000 screws in in very short order, and my husband did most of them himself - I have trouble pushing forward on screwdrivers, due to bursa issues, but could have helped more if I'd known how easy this was. We did buy almost enough screws to finish the deck and they are very good, but we had to put steps down so used different screws (sorry I don't know which ones) we liked better, which were available at Lowes, but not Home Depot. If we were starting over we'd use the other screws but the tool is fabulous --- DO NOT PUSH DOWN ON THE TOP - It says this on it, but for those non-direction reading types (but who read reviews). You can push down below the handle, but a couple of times I didn't even push down and the screws went in fine (thought I don't recommend this.) We are so happy we went this route! Photo included. I removed all meta data from it. Fairly close up to the deck so you can see the "side" screw homes - which you really do not notice at all walking across it.

Great system but be sure to but the right size screws, drill bits, etc. from CAMO

Background - I needed to resurface a deck. We decided on using a PVC product from the local big box. The material had a lifetime warranty and a good price. The deck was 12 by 20 feet. I was doing the job alone and I have never done a deck before.The Tool - I found the deck to be of high quality and I did the complete deck and the tool shows no signs of wear. The bit, on the other hand, shows shaft wear but no tip wear. I used one screw driver shaft for the entire job, although I purchased the two pack CAMO TORX DRV BIT 2PK. I did not buy the pro kit, so I did have to buy these separately. I do feel however that it should be included with the tool. -1/2 STARInstructions - I have to admit, I did not spend much time reading the instructions. I did look at the company website's videos. These were adequate.Set-up - There is really only one adjustment to set the spacer to the width of the board. Once you set this for your board width, you are done.Use - Basically you pull the grip, set it on the board, set a screw into each guide hole, and drill. The tool has a built in spacer and it is important that you get the board set correctly. It is also important that you ensure that the tool is flat against the board. If it is not flat, you will not get the desired results. Drill at a steady speed with constant pressure until the bit bottoms in the tool, then repeat. NOTE - you must use the screws that go with this system. CAMO Deck Screws 1-7/8" x 7# 350 ct pack [CAPITOL CITY LUMBER] While doing this, I kept steady pressure on the tool to hold in place, but it is not designed for your entire body weight. I did notice that no matter how hard I tried, the tool would move due to the torque of the screw. Once I figured that out, I adjusted placement for the effect and had no issues.Results - See my pictures. It looks great. You can see the screws between the boards if you look closely between the boards, but to the the person casually using your deck, I doubt they would notice the screws.Removal - I read another review that said it was impossible to remove the screws. I actually found this not to be the case with one exception. As long as your screw goes into something, it can be removed. If you miss the joist completely, you can still remove it, but you will have to have someone climb under the deck and provide pressure with a piece of wood. It does take patience to remove the screws because the tip of the driver must be in the counter-sunk screw head completely. Since you are doing this in the blind, take your time and you will be able to remove any board you want (And yes, I know this from experience).Recommendation - I recommend this product and would purchase it again. Not only does it allow the "hidden fastener" look, but allows you to remove a single board without having to remove a significant section of your deck. It was also very easy to use.