I have at last acquired a Micro-Mark pin inserter. After trying to buy from M-M and getting a ridiculous shipping cost I went via Amazon UK to Amazon US and got a much more sensible quote. It is certainly a fit tool for the job. It took less time to cross the pond than it did to cross the remaining distance from a depot to my door!
I, too, am reluctant to use pins for securing planking but there are other places where a pin inserter is useful. The 40 deadeye straps on FRAM are each fixed by three pins; also (on this particular model) there are re-enforcing straps at bow and stern (for ice breaking?) with six pins each. Rudder hinges usually have pins.
In my salad days (green in judgement) I bought an Amati pin pusher. It broke very quickly. (Give me the job and I'll finish the tools!)