Did you know that Arrow makes a cordless T50 stapler? Me neither, until they offered to send a T50DCD over for review.
I accepted, and recently came across a quick project that I could use it for. I needed to build a small cage to protect sunflower seedlings from the rabbits, squirrels, and deer. I quickly put together a wooden frame (smooth pine), and if it works, I’ll spend more time making a nicer one next year.
I picked up a pack of T50 3/8″ stainless steel staples, some deer fence netting, and went to work.
The stapler did an okay job, but I wish the staplers were driven in a little deeper. I wish that it was easier to place the staples with greater precision. After realizing it wasn’t working well to staple the somewhat fragile netting material in single layers, I folded the slack and stapled that, to greater effect.
Standard 1/4″ staples drive in fully flush. There should be enough power for 5/16″ staples, too. Standard 3/8″ staples? Maybe.
The 3/8″ SS staples drove in adequately for this task, but if this was a tougher project, maybe such as attaching a back to a cabinet, or something similar where you really want the staples driven down flush, I would have been disappointed.
My project sped from planning to execution, because the rabbits got to the last of my sunflower seedlings and I was fed up with it. Maybe it was deer, too. Squirrels? The animals decimated most of what was left of my seedlings, and I wanted a cage built by sundown.
So, I didn’t fully charge the stapler. And after the “storage charge” that it shipped with ran out, I needed just a few more staples driven in, so I powered it down, powered it up, and drove them in. I plugged in the stapler – it comes with an AC adapter – and the next day it was still blinking red, indicating that it was still charging.
I unplugged the stapler, turned it on, and saw a green “charged and ready” LED. And it’s working just fine.
The built-in battery has pros and cons. For one, it’s simpler and less expensive than if it required a separate battery. But it also means that the battery is built-in. If there is a problem with the charger or battery, the tool might not be repairable.
Overall, using the stapler has been a good experience so far. I drove in a lot of staples, and would have been quite sore and annoyed if I only had a manual stapler to use.
The stapler feels nicely powered for 1/4″ and even 5/16″ staplers. I hadn’t tried standard 3/8″ staples yet. Stainless 3/8″ staples are a little too much for the stapler, at least if you’re looking for flush and tight staples. On the other hand, if you’re stapling material thicker than say 1/16″, such as a wire, then it’ll sink those longer staples just fine.
Operation was easy. Load your staples, turn on the power switch, place the stapler slightly above where you want the fastener to go, and pull the trigger.
You can feel a little recoil, but far less than with a manual stapler. I drove in maybe 120-160 staples, and haven’t had a jam yet.
Arrow says that the stapler can drive in 500 staples per charge.
I have more testing to do, and with tougher materials, such as fastening hardboard to hardwood (such as oak). But so far, I like it, and think that I’ll be able to recommend it for lighter duty work. I can see signs that it’s not the best choice for heavier duty needs, and it’ll be up to my further tests to find its limits.
Price: $60
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Thank you to Arrow for providing the review sample unconditionally.
