Looking for a pneumatic stapler

[John Gregory]

I am looking for a narrow crown stapler that will shoot staples with a 3/8" leg

Thanks

[Will Rowland]

This one is the "best value for the money" new tool I've ever bought. It uses standard Arrow T-50 staples:

http://www.amazon.com/Surebonder-9600-Heavy-Duty-Staple/dp/B000EOJPC6/ref=sr_1_12?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1355159653&sr=1-12&keywords=stapler

[John Gregory]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was looking an 18 gauge narrow crown, Most I have found have a minimum of 1/2" leg, I would like to find one that can use 3/8" leg. I have a HF stapler but it is not reliable, It mis-fires more that it shoot correctly.

[Larry Browning]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was looking an 18 gauge narrow crown, Most I have found have a minimum of 1/2" leg, I would like to find one that can use 3/8" leg. I have a HF stapler but it is not reliable, It mis-fires more that it shoot correctly.
John,
Maybe I am not reading the specs right but the one Will referenced at Amazon look to me like it fits your requirements.
From the description on their web site:
"This durable, heavy-duty tool is designed to operate with clean, dry, regulated compressed air, between 60 psi and 100 psi. The 9600 uses narrow crown (3/8 inch) 18-gauge wire staples in 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 17/32, and 9/16-inch lengths. To ensure compatibility and performance, you should use Surebonder # 4, Arrow T50, or Stanley TRA700 Series Heavy Duty Staples."

[John Gregory]

I am using the staples to attached a piece of hard board to the back of a calendar frame. I think the one Will mentioned uses 20 gauge or finer. I have found may that shoots what I want at a minimum of 1/2" but I would prefer 3/8" inch to make sure the staple doses not shoot through the frame. I have looked almost everywhere I can think of and have not found narrow crown (1/4") 3/8" leg staplers, I am beginning to think they do not exist anymore. I have had a cheap HF one, but it has no pressure adjustment built in, and every time I pull the trigger, I have a 50/50 chance of it firing a staple. I really appreciate the help from Sawmill Creek members, IF what I want exists, someone here will know about it.:D

[Larry Browning]

I am using the staples to attached a piece of hard board to the back of a calendar frame. I think the one Will mentioned uses 20 gauge or finer. I have found may that shoots what I want at a minimum of 1/2" but I would prefer 3/8" inch to make sure the staple doses not shoot through the frame. I have looked almost everywhere I can think of and have not found narrow crown (1/4") 3/8" leg staplers, I am beginning to think they do not exist anymore. I have had a cheap HF one, but it has no pressure adjustment built in, and every time I pull the trigger, I have a 50/50 chance of it firing a staple. I really appreciate the help from Sawmill Creek members, IF what I want exists, someone here will know about it.:D
John,
Everything you have listed as a requirement is available on the gun Will mentioned. Please look at what I have highlighted in red on my 1st reply. Is there something else you are looking for that you have not mentioned?

[Greg R Bradley]

He requested 18ga narrow crown stapler that will fire 3/8" long staples. The Surebonder is confusing in the listing saying that it requires "narrow crown" but then specifies that as "3/8", which is NOT a narrow crown staple. No big surprise, Surebonder is bottom of the barrel junk, not that they don't make one that works OK every once in a while. It is designed to fire the typical manual staple gun staples such as T-50.

He want to fire Senco L06BAB or equivalent staples and a Senco SLS20XP will do what he wants but they aren't cheap. I think I paid $250 for mine 20 years ago and they are close to that still.

Do you need standard narrow crown (1/4") medium wire (18ga) staples for some specific reason?

[John Gregory]

I think that T-50 is 22 Gauge, The ad did say 18g but I am not sure a stapler can do both 18g AND 22g. I am attaching 1/8" hard board on back of a calendar frame. I already own a Porter cable upholstery stapler. I might try that, I wasn't sure it would make a strong attachment of the hard board to the walnut frame.
Thanks guys!

[Larry Browning]

He requested 18ga narrow crown stapler that will fire 3/8" long staples. The Surebonder is confusing in the listing saying that it requires "narrow crown" but then specifies that as "3/8", which is NOT a narrow crown staple. No big surprise, Surebonder is bottom of the barrel junk, not that they don't make one that works OK every once in a while. It is designed to fire the typical manual staple gun staples such as T-50.

He want to fire Senco L06BAB or equivalent staples and a Senco SLS20XP will do what he wants but they aren't cheap. I think I paid $250 for mine 20 years ago and they are close to that still.

Do you need standard narrow crown (1/4") medium wire (18ga) staples for some specific reason?

So not only is it cheap junk, but they lied about it in their advertising. I AM SHOCKED!You mean everything I read on the internet is not true! Plus, I obviously know nothing about staples and the guns that shoot them. I was just reading the description on Amazon.

[John Gregory]

The reviews on Amazon was good, but I am not sure it will fire the staples I want to use.

[Will Rowland]

Sorry to start a firestorm with the Surebonder link, but it has worked amazingly well. I only bought it for redoing antique window screens, but have since used it extensively for batt insulation as well as attaching the backs (3/16 hardboard) to IKEA cabinets (did 4 IKEA kitchens in my rental properties with it). I keep expecting it to break but it just keeps going! It is however only for the T-50 staples, with I think are 20 ga.

But anyway, I think I can visualize the staples you want to use. Poking around the interweb, it looks like Grex makes a 18 gauge narrow crown stapler for $115 that supposedly will do 3/8":

http://grexusa.com/grexusa/products.php5?id=9025&section=specs
http://thefastenercompany.com/18_gauge_staplers.htm

FWIW, I have the Grex 22 ga pinner, and it is great tool.

[Greg R Bradley]

I bought one of those to use to install insulation in my commercial building. It is a job that is normally done with a manual T-50 stapler but my right hand suffers in that job due to some glass that went through my hand 23 years ago. My tool supplier suggested I NOT buy it as they were junk and they turned out to be right. They said they get about half of them back. I'm guessing that the quality control is poor and the materials vary so some work out OK. Hard to expect much for $30.

Since Will says they work well for hardboard, perhaps it is worth a try as long as you get one from somewhere where it is easy to return if it doesn't work out. I wouldn't think a T-50 staple would go through hardboard cabinet backs but you can't argue with success. That is a totally standard use for 18ga narrow crown staples.

[Peter Quinn]

I have a bostich, the spec says it shoots 1/2" through 1 1/2", but I've shot 3/8" with it, and I've shot 1 5/8" consistently too. So don't tell the gun it's operating out side of specs. If I had it to do over I'd get the grex. You might also look for staplers specific to the upholstery trade. Not cheap but the about the right size.

the bostich SL-150 shoots 5/16" 18ga down to 3/8" length.

[John Gregory]

Thanks for this info on Grex. I knew that some here could find what I needed!


Sorry to start a firestorm with the Surebonder link, but it has worked amazingly well. I only bought it for redoing antique window screens, but have since used it extensively for batt insulation as well as attaching the backs (3/16 hardboard) to IKEA cabinets (did 4 IKEA kitchens in my rental properties with it). I keep expecting it to break but it just keeps going! It is however only for the T-50 staples, with I think are 20 ga.

But anyway, I think I can visualize the staples you want to use. Poking around the interweb, it looks like Grex makes a 18 gauge narrow crown stapler for $115 that supposedly will do 3/8":

http://grexusa.com/grexusa/products.php5?id=9025&section=specs
http://thefastenercompany.com/18_gauge_staplers.htm

FWIW, I have the Grex 22 ga pinner, and it is great tool.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

thefastenercompany.com is a good business to buy Grex from too. I have the Senco stapler, I think it would work for you, but I bet the Grex is better. My Senco is a bit erratic on depth. Not a problem most of the time, as it is usually used for wood stuff and who cares if it countersinks the staple 1/32 too deep on a back panel, but my last project with it was attaching some chicken wire to a frame, and it actually cut the wire at times. Rare, but annoying. My Grex pinner is as close to a perfect nailer as anything I've tried.

[Greg R Bradley]

thefastenercompany.com is a good business to buy Grex from too. I have the Senco stapler, I think it would work for you, but I bet the Grex is better. My Senco is a bit erratic on depth. Not a problem most of the time, as it is usually used for wood stuff and who cares if it countersinks the staple 1/32 too deep on a back panel, but my last project with it was attaching some chicken wire to a frame, and it actually cut the wire at times. Rare, but annoying. My Grex pinner is as close to a perfect nailer as anything I've tried.
You may want to be careful making assumptions about Grex as a brand - and Senco too. Like many things today, you can't make much assumption about the quality of a tool from the manufacturer.

Grex does not make anything. They buy tools from specific suppliers in Taiwan and China, some of which are modified to their specs. Everyone that has a P6xx 23ga pinner like my P635 is probably as thrilled with it as I am. That basic gun is sold under at least 5 different manufacturers brand names with various amounts of quality control and very slight changes. Anyone that thought that meant all other Grex tools were good and bought other tools may be disappointed. The 1850 18ga brad gun is a notorious disaster. It does seem that Grex fixed this problem by coming out with the 1850GB 18ga brad gun, which looks like a larger version of the P6xx 23ga guns that work so well. Hopefully, that fixed the problem. The 18ga stapler mentioned above resembles the series of Grex guns that had the problems, so I would proceed carefully.

Senco originally built some of the best pneumatic tools available and built them in the US. Anyone that bought a Senco tool 20 years ago is certainly happy with it. They have been pressured to sell stuff for less just like everyone else. Most of their professional tools have gone downhill but still seem to be good. Any model number that ends in "XP" is still pretty good stuff. Their low end units like the guns that come packaged with a compressor in a kit are junk. Is that the one you have had problems with Steve?

[Harry Hagan]

You may want to be careful making assumptions about Grex as a brand - and Senco too. Like many things today, you can't make much assumption about the quality of a tool from the manufacturer.


The USA used to have manufacturers that marketed their own products. Now we only have marketers; with a few exceptions.