Comparison Bosch GTK 40 Professional 0601491G01 vs Black&Decker KX418E

General purpose of the instrument.

A construction stapler in the original sense of the word is called a staple gun — a tool designed to work exclusively with staples. For driving nails, in turn, nailers are used, while in such devices the matter may not be limited to nails alone. However, the most versatile are the combined models — 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 staplers. Here is a more detailed description of all these varieties:

— Stapler. Stapling tools that are not intended for use with other types of fasteners. One of the most popular areas of application for such devices is furniture production and other activities where it is necessary to sheathe various structures with fabric, mesh, etc.; although, of course, the matter is not limited to this. Anyway, staplers are not as versatile as 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 models, but at the same cost, a highly specialized tool usually turns out to be more performant, practical and reliable than a combination device.

— Nayler. He's also a "nail gun". Tools similar to staplers, but designed to work with nails (sometimes also with pins / studs) and do not involve the use of staples. For a number of reasons, pneumatic nailers are most widely used nowadays, but there are other variations.

— Stapler (2-in-1). Devices that can work with both staples and nails; in other words, a combination of a traditional stapler and...a nailer in one tool. The main advantage of such models is versatility: a combined tool can replace two specialized ones at once. At the same time, it will cost significantly less than two separate devices, and it will take up less space; and to switch between different types of fasteners in many models, you don’t even need to change the store — just load the desired type of consumables into it. However, if you plan to work with only one type of fastener, you should not buy a combined device so as not to overpay for unnecessary functionality.

— Stapler (3 in 1). Tools from this category are capable of working with staples and nails, as well as with pins (studs). Thus, such models are generally similar to 2 in 1 devices, but they have even more extensive functionality and, accordingly, are somewhat more expensive.

The type of tool is indicated by the power supply method (energy source) used for work, and in some cases, by more specific parameters.

According to the power supply, modern construction staplers and nailers are divided into mechanical, impact (hammer), pneumatic, electric, battery and battery-gas. Also, palm and floor models are distinguished into separate types - they have their own specifics (the former usually use a pneumatic principle of operation, and the latter combine pneumatics and impact action). Here is a more detailed description of these varieties:

— Mechanical. One of the simplest and most popular types of modern staplers. In fact, the vast majority of such tools work with staples; other types of fasteners (see below) are also found, but less frequently. A classic mechanical stapler has the form of a D-shaped frame with a lever for the customer's hand. Such a frame is brought close to the surface being processed, by pressing the lever the customer cocks the spring, and when the lever is fully pressed it is released, forcefully "shooting" the staple and driving it into the material. The main advantages of mechanical staplers are simplicity, low cost, compactness, light wei...ght and complete independence from external energy sources and other equipment. On the other hand, the productivity and impact force of such tools are low, which is why they are well suited only for relatively simple work on a small scale.

— Impact (hammer). A specific type of mechanical staplers (see above), which operates not by compressing a spring, but by striking it with force. Simply put, when working, you need to hit the material with such a stapler, like a hammer. Impact tools are extremely simple, compact and inexpensive even compared to traditional mechanical ones, but this is perhaps their only advantage. Among the disadvantages, it is worth mentioning, first of all, the lower accuracy - in order to hammer in staples with an accuracy of at least half a centimeter, you need to seriously train. In addition, there is not enough space for a swing everywhere, and such tools are usually incompatible with nails or studs. Therefore, this option has not become very widespread.

— Electric. Staplers with an electric motor drive, connected to the network during operation. This design provides good impact force, which facilitates work with hard materials and fasteners such as nails or studs that require significant effort (see "Fastener type"). The productivity of electric staplers is also quite high, while the customer only spends effort on pressing the trigger button. On the other hand, electric tools are much heavier and more expensive than the same mechanical ones, and in the absence of sockets or other power sources, they become useless. And connection to the power supply is carried out through the power cord, which can limit mobility, get tangled underfoot and create other inconveniences.

— Battery-powered. A variation of the electric staplers described above, designed to eliminate one of the most serious drawbacks of such a tool — dependence on sockets. As the name suggests, battery-powered models are equipped with their own batteries and can operate regardless of the presence of power sources nearby. And the absence of a power cord is often a noticeable advantage. At the same time, this option has serious drawbacks. So, with the same operating characteristics, battery-powered staplers are more expensive and heavier than mains-powered ones (while the power tool itself is not particularly light). Battery life is limited, and when the charge is exhausted, the power source will still be needed. Autonomy can be somewhat extended by using replaceable batteries, but this option still does not eliminate the described drawbacks, and is not available in all models.

— Pneumatic. Staplers that operate using compressed air supplied by a compressor. In terms of their advantages (impact force, productivity, low operator fatigue during operation), such models are similar to electric ones, but they also have certain advantages: the tool is more “fast-firing”, lighter and less likely to spark between parts (the latter, in turn, has a positive effect on fire safety). In addition, pneumatic models are often distinguished by high power and are capable of working with very large fasteners. On the other hand, the need to use a compressor creates serious inconveniences: the entire set of working equipment is expensive, bulky and inconvenient to transport from place to place, the compressor also needs to be connected somewhere (or refueled and serviced if it is equipped with an internal combustion engine), and the air hose limits the mobility of the stapler. As a result, the main area of application of pneumatic staplers are furniture factories and other industrial facilities, where the volume of work is large and at the same time there is the possibility of constantly keeping the tool in one place.

— Battery-gas. A rather original type of "nailers", similar in principle to firearms: the fastener (usually nails) is "shot" due to the energy provided by the combustion of a small portion of gas, and the battery is responsible only for creating a spark for ignition. A spark requires relatively little energy, so the batteries in such tools are more compact and lighter than in "purely" battery-powered ones. Also, among the clear advantages of battery-gas models, one can note the high driving force and excellent flow Rate (up to 180 beats/min). And no one has canceled the autonomy and the ability to work independently of external equipment. On the other hand, the design is still quite heavy and bulky, such a tool needs to be "charged" with two types of consumables (energy for the battery and gas), and the price is quite high. As a result, battery-powered gas nailers have not become very widespread; they are used mainly as heavy professional tools – in cases where the advantages described outweigh the disadvantages.

— Palm-mounted. A special compact type of pneumatic tool for hammering nails. A palm-mounted nailer is a working attachment with a striker, but without a magazine — essentially, a kind of hand-held pneumatic hammer. When working with such a tool, each nail must be held by hand (or “drowned” in the work surface in advance), and hammering, as a rule, occurs due to a series of blows. In general, such nailers are inferior to traditional ones in terms of convenience and speed of work, but they also have advantages: palm-mounted tools are compact, have a small weight (which significantly reduces fatigue compared to conventional ones), the length of the nail for them is almost unlimited, and the permissible thickness is usually noticeably greater than in classic “nail guns”.

— Floor. A special type of tool designed for driving staples and/or nails when laying floorboards. It has a V-shaped design, the sole of which is placed on the floor during operation. One half of the V is the working part with a handle for holding in the hand, the second is a magazine; and the shape of the sole is selected in such a way that it tightly contacts the side end of the board being fixed and additionally presses this board to the already laid flooring. Floor devices use both pneumatics and impact action, and it looks like this: having set the tool connected to the compressor in the desired position, it is necessary to hit quite hard with the included mallet on a special protrusion on the end of the working part. This serves as a signal for the pneumatic mechanism to be triggered, and the impact energy supplements the energy of the compressed air, due to which floor models are capable of working with very long staples/nails.

— Nail. Traditional nails are pointed rods with hats. However, hammers are often made for specific types of nails, and ordinary ones cannot be charged in them, this point in each case must be clarified separately. The nail is usually hammered in as a whole, right up to the head; such fasteners are tightly held in the material.

— Staple. Colloquially, staples are sometimes referred to as "paper clips", although this is not entirely true. Such fasteners are familiar to many from ordinary stationery staplers, however, staples can also be used for more serious tasks — for example, attaching upholstery to wooden furniture. They do not hold as tightly as nails, but the oblong shape of the staple is in some cases a decisive advantage, and reliability is often enough.

— Pin / hairpin. Fasteners that are driven in the same way as nails, but do not have expanded hats at the top. In addition, they differ somewhat in application: the pin can protrude above the surface of the material, or vice versa, be completely hidden inside, in such a way that then “mask” the fasteners with putty, decorative film, etc. All this requires specific design features, so not every stapler capable of using nails will be compatible with pins / studs.

Standard sizes of fasteners for which the tool is designed. This information is necessary for the correct selection of consumables: each standard dimensions corresponds to certain dimensions of parts, and sometimes also design features. There are a great many standards describing standard sizes; they differ not only in the type of fastener, but also in the geography of application and even by specific manufacturers. Detailed data on various standard sizes can be found in special sources; here we will provide general points on some of the most popular options.

First of all, it is worth saying that the standard dimensions describes only two parameters - thickness and width (for nails - size and width of the head). The length can be different: for example, for the popular staple dimensions 53, the length range can be from 4 to 14 mm, and for 140 - from 6 to 14 mm. At the same time, tools for a certain standard dimensions are not necessarily compatible with all length options. So when assessing compatibility with consumables, you should pay attention not only to this point, but also to the restrictions on the minimum and maximum length of fasteners.

This is what the list of the most popular sizes for rectangular brackets looks like:

- 55. One of the smallest sizes used in modern staplers is 6 mm wide and 1.1 mm thick.
- 90. Another relatively small standard dimensions, it has even a slightly smaller width - 5.8 mm - and a thickness in the...range of 1 - 1.27 mm.
— 57. Staples 10.6 mm wide and 1.2 mm thick.
- 59. The “thin” analogue of dimensions 57, with the same width, provides a thickness of only 0.75 mm.
— 140. Quite rigid staples with a width of 10.6 mm and a thickness of 1.24 mm.
- 114. A slightly enhanced variation of dimensions 57, with increased width and thickness - 10.8 mm and 1.4 - 1.6 mm, respectively.
- 53/53F. Quite wide (11.3 mm) staples, available in both 0.75 mm (53) and 1.25 mm (53F) thicknesses.
— 72. In fact, it’s an analogue of the 53 described above: staples 11.3 mm wide and 0.7 mm thick.
- 54/58. Wide staples 12.8 - 12.9 mm, also available in two thicknesses - 0.75 mm in version 58, 1.25 mm in version 54.

Of the semicircular staples used mainly for fastening cables, the most popular options are:

- S. Relatively small staples with a width of 6.2 mm and a thickness of 1.25.
- L. Larger dimensions - 7.7 mm wide with the same 1.25 mm thickness.

In nails for driving tools, the thickness is indicated by the size, and the width by the largest dimensions of the head. The most popular sizes these days are:

— J. Small fastening nails only 1.2 mm thick with a head width of 2 mm.
— N. Diameter 1.65 mm, cap width 2.8 mm.
- DA. The so-called finishing (finishing) nails are quite large in dimensions: size 1.8 mm, head width 3.5 mm. The head has a characteristic D-shape and, as befits finishing nails, when hammered, it is almost completely recessed into the material.

Regarding pins/studs, it is worth noting that such fasteners are actually nails without heads. Therefore, the main dimensions of such parts is thickness (size), for the most common standard sizes it is as follows:

— 40. Thin pins/studs, only 0.64 mm thick.
— 41. Larger fastener, with a size of 1.2 mm.

Detailed information on choosing a standard dimensions for specific tasks can be found in special sources.

Staple models that the tool is compatible with.

Usually, quite specific options are indicated in this paragraph, so finding compatible consumables is not difficult. The specific dimensions of the fasteners should be specified according to the manufacturer's data — different brands use different markings.

The total power consumed by a mains-powered electric tool (see "Power Source"). It is considered the main criterion for assessing the overall capabilities of a particular model: more power leads to better performance. In addition, data on power consumption also allows you to estimate the load on the power grid or other power source; in some cases this is unnecessary.

Air pressure for which the pneumatic nailer/stapler is designed (see "Type"). It is this pressure that the compressor to which the tool is connected should give out: if the pressure is too low, the efficiency will noticeably drop, and if it is too high, it can lead to breakage and even injury.

Normal air consumption during operation of the pneumatic nailer/stapler (see "Type"). Indicated per one hit; knowing the performance of the tool (see below), it is possible to assess whether the performance of the existing compressor is enough for the normal operation of the stapler. For example, for a model that produces 150 beats / min and consumes 3 liters per beat, ideally at least 3 * 150 = 450 liters of air per minute are needed. At the same time, in fact, even the most experienced operator finds it difficult to maintain a pace of 90 bpm or more; therefore, in fact, even relatively low-power compressors that do not reach the perfect value often turn out to be quite suitable for "quick-fire" staplers.

The maximum output of a nailer/stapler is the maximum number of strokes it can produce in a minute. Note that in this case, the theoretical maximum is usually indicated — the highest speed of operation achievable under perfect conditions, in fact — the rate of operation of automation, which in many models exceeds 120 beats / min. In fact, this speed is difficult to achieve, because. the performance of the stapler is noticeably limited by the skills of the operator and the features of the functionality: for example, a tool with contact actuation (see below) must be pressed every time, which reduces the speed of work. However, high performance clearly indicates good reliability and suitability for large volumes of work.