I'm just starting a roofing company and Lord knows that if there's a good value to be had, I'll go for it. Thus was my mindset when purchasing this cap stapler in a kit with the RN46-1 roofing nailer. My crew's used it to paper 1 roof and have driven roughly 2,000 caps. The only thing I have to compare it to is the Hitachi cap nailer. It's better then hand bangin', but leaves a little to be desired.
The gun is light, but it's also a little front-heavy - much like the RN46-1. It does take some getting used to. That aside, the gun seems to be reliable. There were no jams with the 2,000 caps driven, except when one of my guys forgot to remove the cord that keeps the caps in line. When that happens, you best have a pair of needle nose pliers handy.
This is definitely a time (and money) saving tool. Caps can't be driven quite as fast as with the Hitachi, but can be driven about as fast as I've seen most nailers go in the course of normal work. Driven too fast, the staples don't sink all the way down. The gun is quick and easy to load, which is a good thing, since you can only load 100 caps and staples at a time. Overall, the Bostitch and Hitachi are probably dead even for the amount of time it takes to load a similar number of caps.
At half the price of the Hitachi, the Bostitch is hard to pass up. I like the fact that you don't waste so many caps. (Read some reviews on the Hitachi and you'll know what I mean.) And I LOVE the fact that it's no big deal if the Bostitch caps get wet. If you've got extremely fast nailers, you may want to suck up the cost of the Hitachi and its caps. However, most people should find the Bostitch to be a welcome change from some of the drawbacks of the other.
4 Stars - Good Product, Good Value. One star deduction for the slightly awkward balance and limited number caps it can hold. Bostitch SB150SLBC-1 3/4-Inch to 1-1/2-Inch Cap Stapler Kit
The only reason I initially purchased this gun is because it came in a combo kit with an RN46 roof nailer(excellent value). After trying it out on both a roofing job, and Tyvek wrap, I love it. I work alone on a lot of jobs, and anyone else who has ever laid felt and housewrap while trying to swing a hammer, will definitely appreciate this tool. The only gripe I had was when I realized that I had a box of 5000 staples and a package of 1000 caps, and had to run to the store for more caps. Kinda reminded me of the hot dog and bun companies. Was also glad to see it comes with a case, being an awkward shaped tool.
I am a contractor - not a roofer.
Occasionally I have found it more cost effective to have my workers do small roof jobs rather than subcontract.
I nailed my first roof by hand - and later was fortunate to have a friend with a bostich coil, roof nailer RN145 help me on my second. The difference was so astounding that I bought a coil, roof nailer ( Porter-Cable RN175A) which I have reviewed. ( the Bostich RN145 is the better tool )
My first experience with the Bostitch SB150SLBC-1 3/4-Inch to 1-1/2-Inch Cap Stapler Kit created that same kind of epiphany. ...so good that you have to wonder why anyone would willingly drive a simplex/tar paper nail by hand.
No one wants to be on a roof one second longer than they have to.
...and when the wind is whipping - you better nail as fast as you can - or the tar paper rips and flys away
Similarly Tyvek (house wrap) presents it's own issues. Those long rolls are tough to handle when it's blowing.
Clearly a specialty item - once you try it - you won't go back to hand nailing.
The gun is well made , like all Bostich tools - if a bit tricky to use.
The trick is to be square up to the surface - which is sometimes difficult.
My suggestion is to rent one from your local Home Depot. If you plan to roof or wrap more than once - I think you'll be hooked.
Caslo
Have used this stapler on roofing felt, house wrap. and fan-fold siding insulation.Wonderful, works very well and saves a tremendous amount of time. Paid for itself on the first job.
No contractor should be without one or two of these.
I bought my stapler used to build a garage. I'm a Mechanical engineer by day, so this review is targeted at the weekend warrior who likes having the right tools for the right job.
What I like.
-It takes a good tug to tear tar paper or house wrap. The caps are not flat but slightly cupped, thus the entire outside ring presses down on the paper spreading the load away from the staple puncture points ( Stress riser ) which is the starting point for most tears.
-It is super easy to change between the Contact trigger and Sequential trigger (bostitch part # G1302700). The stepped trigger pin has a flange on one end and a groove for a small O-ring on the other. Remove the O-Ring and pull the pin. On my unit I removed the factory Contact trigger (black) and replaced it with the gray sequential trigger for safety and to solve a not fully seated staple issue ( see don't likes) - Yes it does slow things down but as a non pro, safety trumps speed. ( if you do change triggers, take a screw and fasten it into your carry case in case you need it later.)
-It comes with a carry case. A pet peeve of mine is that most other Bostitch nailers and staplers don't. Case is 15.5" wide by 17.5" tall by 6.5" deep.
-The 18 gauge staples hold really well in OSB especially compared to hammer tacker staples. ( Don't even try to pull them out, it is easier to rip off the cap then drive what is left of the staple in with a hammer. )
-Loading the caps. With 100 on a string you just drop the stack in, pull out the center core and away you go.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE
-If the gun is not resting flat on the surface or if you try to run at rapid speed "bump firing" just like using a roofing nailer the staples will end up not being flush ( sit up to 1/4" high ). I have 2 theories on why this is happening.
-First, the outer diameter of the stapling head is 1.8", so if the gun is not flush with the surface the center stapling point will be high.
-Second the cap actually sits 5 to 6mm above the work surface which places the tip of the blade and staple guide 8.5mm (~3/8") above the workpiece, My theory is that if you bump fire, the gun has some forward motion which cause the piston blade to slip off the staple. The solution is to go slow, or install the G1302700 Sequential trigger)
-While I like having a case, it is poorly designed. It seems in order to support the handle properly you need to have a package of caps. Also there is a small bottle of oil, but it sits with the cap pointing down, so if it leaks...
-The Magazine was designed to hold just one string of caps, so you have to wait until you run out or have less than 5 or 6 left before an entire stack of 100 will fit.
OTHER COMMENTS.
-This a relatively expensive tool to buy and operate compared to a hammer tacker. - A factory unit comes with 1000 staples and caps. Once gone it costs ~$30 with tax to buy another 1000 pc kitBostitch SBCAPS 1000 Caps for Cap Stapler and Nailer+Stanley Bostitch SL50351G-1M 1-Inch by 5/16-Inch 18-Gauge Staple, 1000-Piece. That's $0.03 per trigger squeeze compared to $0.002 for a hammer tacker driven staple. Even if you rent a cap stapler, rental plus a single package of staples and caps will cost more than buying a hammer tacker. So for single job projects, it's up to you and your budget.
-The caps are 2.5mm thick, which is about the same as a standard 3 tab roofing shingle. This means that if using 3 tab shingles you can see bumps where the caps are. With Dimensional shingles however the surface is irregular, so bumps are much harder to spot. -If you are wondering if this tool could be used in place of a roofing nailer the answer is no. The caps would be too close to the edge of the overlapping shingle which would prevent them from sealing. I personally recommend using Dimensional shingles if doing a a home project because they also hide any row to row placement irregularities.
- Overall I am happy. If buying for personal use, I strongly recommend ordering the Sequential trigger both for safety and placement control. - Staplers - Construction Staplers - Cpo Bostitch - Cap Nailer'
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