Construction staplers: mechanical, electric, pneumatic

The stapler can be used to nail battens, foil or vapor barriers to battens, upholstery or chipboard to furniture. This device is also called a staple gun, staple gun, nailer, staple gun and taker.

Types of staplers

The first thing to do is to decide what type of stapler you want. According to the type of driving force, construction staplers are:

• Mechanical. Driven by the force of hands, they have a low productivity, a small number of staples that can be “tucked” into it. With such equipment it is quite difficult to work with hard materials – you have to apply considerable effort. But mechanical staplers have small dimensions, weigh little, which allows you to work in awkward positions. Also attracts their low price, although there are models with a fairly large price tag.
• Electric. The staple flies out after pressing the trigger, but the trigger mechanism is powered by electricity. There are models working from the network, there are – on batteries. Naturally, the productivity is higher than that of manual staplers, but the prices are much higher, especially for cordless staplers. There are also more dimensions. And the models working from the network interferes and restricts the movements of the cord, and the cordless is inconvenient weight and bulky handle – the battery is usually attached to it from below. But the physical effort is minimal.

  

• Pneumatic. The driving force is compressed air, under the influence of which the scoras or nails fly out of the magazine. Also have a high performance and a large magazine, which fits a large number of staples or nails. But the hose from the compressor (and the noise from it) interferes even more than with electric models. It is problematic to move with such a unit. So this type of stapler is more suitable for professional use in a certain place.

If you need a construction stapler for one-time work – only for the time of construction or decoration of the house, apartment, choose mechanical or electric. Mechanical works in any conditions, electric only in places where there is electricity. Even cordless models require periodic charging. Yes, you can buy a second set of batteries for them, and while one works, the second one charges. But charging also requires electricity.

Pneumatic staplers are purchased mainly in workshops for professional use. For one-off jobs it is too expensive and very noisy equipment.

Professional or household

Like all other tools, construction staplers are conditionally subdivided into professional and household. The difference in price in this case is very significant – in times. And this is justified. The point is in the functionality, the number of settings, modes of operation and in the working resource. Household models have a small working resource, as they are mainly made of plastic.

Professional models are made of steel, often made of stainless steel. They have plastic elements, but these are overlays on the handle made of metal to soften the recoil. It is clear that they will work longer, and usually it is easier to work with them – it is easier to enter the staples, less often crumpled, etc.

There is also an intermediate class – semi-professional. They are between these two categories in terms of price and quality. Often it is in this group that you should look for equipment for home use. It and works normally and does not cost very much.

How to choose a mechanical stapler

Mechanical stapler – one of the most common tools. Costs very little, and is used in many works and operations. By structure, mechanical staplers are of two types: with a coiled spring and spring (plate).

Stapling machines with a coiled spring are the cheapest models. Such a tool belongs to the category of household tools. They are simple, but when working, a significant effort is required to reattach the mechanism. In addition, over time, such springs lose some of their elasticity and begin to work worse. Another unpleasant moment – a large recoil force. Such models are suitable for short-term use – the load is too great.

Professional mechanical construction staplers are made with the use of flat plate springs. They provide smoother operation, less recoil, have a greater resource, but are more expensive.

If you plan to work for several hours, take this type of tool. He will justify himself, and the use will be found – a lot of all sorts of operations can be done with such a device. It is especially useful for those who try to do a lot with their own hands. During construction, it is used very often, and then it will come in handy in the household.

Important points

When choosing any mechanical stapler, pay attention:

• The body should be collapsible – on screws. Then there is an opportunity to disassemble it if necessary, clean and lubricate it.
• How far away from the body the handle is placed. The closer it is to the body, the easier it will be to operate.
• On the possibility of adjusting the piercing mechanism. When working with soft materials (pine, for example), the minimum value is set. So that the staple goes in, but the material is not crumpled. When working with hard wood, plywood, chipboard, etc., you will have to make more effort, otherwise the staples do not go into the material, and to get them with a hammer – not the most fun occupation.

  

• The presence of a double blow function. This is just for working with hard materials. Such a mode of operation allows you to repeatedly hit the not fully hammered bracket. A new one in this case is not fed.

Also for safe transportation and storage, it is desirable to have a function “shockless descent” or the possibility of jamming the mechanism – often it is just a metal loop that is thrown over the handle.

How to refill

The construction stapler can have a store of two types. It is more convenient to use if the magazine opens. Then filling the construction stapler is as easy as a stationery stapler: the spring is pulled out, a block of staples is inserted, the spring is released. That’s it, you can work. When working, you can remove a stuck staple at any time, correct the staple block, etc.

If the magazine is retractable, it is also easy to insert staples into the stapler: after releasing the locking mechanism, you pull out the spring, insert the staple block, return the spring to its place, fixing it in the slide.

With this structure, it can be problematic to remove a stuck staple. It will be necessary to forge it out of the striker, and this can be dangerous – do not forget to lock the release mechanism.

What kind of fasteners can work

There are three types of staples with which mechanical staplers work: P and U-shaped staples and pins (in the form of the letter T). Naturally, it is better if the device can work with all types, but these are usually not cheap models. Yes, and U-shaped staples are needed mainly when laying cable, and this, you must agree, specific work, and T-shaped are used infrequently, as they do not provide a stable fixing, but they are indispensable if you need to make fasteners as less noticeable as possible.

Nevertheless, U-shaped staples are most often needed. They are almost universal, there are with different thicknesses of the back and height of the leg, they are selected for the type of work. In the characteristics of the stapler usually indicates the maximum length of the legs, with which this unit can cope. On average it is 10-15 mm. According to this indicator, you can judge the power of impact – the longer staples can be stapled, the more powerful and easier it is to cope with the work.

Electric construction stapler

Electric stapler is necessary for frequent and long work, as well as in cases where you need to use large staples – the power of these devices is much higher. Average values – the length of the leg is 20-25 mm, and the maximum in some professional models up to 50 mm. Some models can work with nails, but such a function should be sought.

Basic parameters

The first indicator that you should pay attention to is the number of “shots” per minute. The average figure is 20-30 pieces, high – about 50. If time is in short supply, such slowness is annoying, but in this case use pneumatic staplers. They are the most high-speed.

If we talk about electric power, it is relatively small – no more than 1.5 kW and almost all models work from 220 V. If you are going to buy an electric stapler working from the network, pay attention to the length of the cord – the longer it is, the more convenient it is to work.

If you decide to buy a cordless model, choose the one with a larger battery capacity or a second battery in the set. It is also good to know the charging time – the less, the better. And another thing: if you already have some cordless tools, it makes sense to buy a construction stapler of the same brand or with similar batteries – they will be interchangeable.

And in conclusion about the electrical part: look at how long the electric stapler can work without interruption. That is, how much time with active use will pass until the motor heats up. With overheating, the power is significantly reduced, the staples are worse clogged. If such a situation arises – take a break.

But with all this, it should be taken into account that the electric construction stapler weighs from 1.5 to 2 kg, which is quite a lot if you have to work on vertical surfaces. Yes, the effort of pulling the trigger is minimal, but it is difficult to hold the weight when using it for a long time. So, when choosing, we pay attention to the weight.

More about the appearance: the body is made of impact-resistant plastic, but it is better if the platform (bottom part) entirely of metal.

Additional functions

To adjust the mode of operation under specific conditions, it is convenient if there is a smooth adjustment of the impact force. There are also switches that have several working positions, which is also not bad.

Will help to prevent trouble protection from arbitrary triggering. If the electric construction stapler has such a function, it “gives” staples only when the working part comes into contact with some surface.

Pneumatic staplers

This type of tool is used mainly in the production of medium and large capacity. It is characterized by high productivity: the speed of 50-60 staples per minute is the norm. Pneumatic construction stapler differs in structure: there is no spring, the impact occurs due to the energy of compressed air. The air supply is provided by a compressor, and the moment of supply is determined by pressing the trigger. In stationary models it can be a foot pedal, and in manual models it can be the usual trigger or a button.

When choosing, it is also worth paying attention to what fasteners can work with this unit. They, by the way, can hammer even longer staples and nails – on average 50-80 mm, but you can also find those that work with 100 mm nails.

For this equipment, the most important parameter is the working pressure. Minimally it is 4 bar, on average – 5-6 bar. Accordingly, the compressor must guarantee the required pressure.

Of the positive points – the low weight of the gun – only about 1 kg. And this is despite the fact that they are mainly made of steel.

Staples for stapler: types and choice

As already said, each staple gun works with a certain fastener. Going to the store for new staples, you need to know the type, or at least the dimensions. Information about the type of staples is in the product passport or on the nameplate (metal plate) with information attached to the body.

Staples for staplers are made of different metals:

In addition to the material and dimensions (length of the legs and width of the back), you should also look at whether the legs are sharpened or not. This is not important for soft materials, but when working with hard materials it can be decisive: sharpened staples are much easier to get into the densest boards or plastics.