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Smooth reliable operation

This stapler is well-designed and well-constructed. All hand contact areas are covered with black rubber material for comfortable use. The stapler’s operation is smooth, and the handle is a “low stroke” design which reduces hand fatigue. I found it easy to pull, and was able to fire the stapler by squeezing using just two fingers. The stapler’s body is made of “Aircraft Aluminum”, so it is strong but lighter than the classic steel-bodied stapler.

Near the front of the stapler there is a “staple size / reload” window, which lets you see what size staples are currently loaded (1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ or 6mm, 10mm, 14mm) and whether the stapler is almost empty.

At the front of the stapler there is a thumb wheel which flips the wire guide “cable tracker” down, or up and out of sight. This is a U-shaped piece of metal that protrudes about 1/8″ downward from the front of the stapler. It is useful when stapling wires or cables. It shows where the staple’s points will emerge (so you don’t pierce the wire), and it keeps the front of the stapler from crushing the wire.

At the base of the stapler’s handle there is a simple wire handle lock. Squeeze the handle closed, and then engage the handle lock. This is useful for storage, especially if you want to return the stapler to its original hard-plastic packaging.

At the rear of the stapler there is a switch to control the “High-Low Power” feature. You’ll need to experiment to determine which setting is best.

I used this stapler for a challenging upholstery project. It smoothly drove 100+ staples into hard oak, without a single jam. I used Stanley-brand staples TRA04T 1/4-inch and TRA06T 3/8-inch; this stapler can also use Arrow-brand staples.

If you are stapling into hardwood, and the staple isn’t going all the way in, it might be the fault of the staples rather than the stapler! Consider what size staple you are using. If you are stapling through one layer of thin material, then you should be using 1/4-inch staples, not 3/8-inch staples. In this situation, a 3/8-inch staple won’t drive completely into the hard wood and its legs will buckle instead. But a 1/4-inch staple is relatively stiffer and will drive perfectly. If you are stapling through two layers of thicker material, then 3/8-inch staples are the better choice. Staples are inexpensive (but see below), so buy a variety of sizes and experiment to determine which size is best for your project.

If the staple is not quite all the way in, you can finish it off by tapping it with a hammer. But observe carefully — if the staple is protruding a lot, its legs will buckle and the hammer will flatten the staple rather than driving it. In this case you’ll need to remove and redo this staple. A staple remover comes in handy.

One note of caution — staples are available for purchase here, but as of this writing they are available only from third-party sellers, so their shipping will exceed the price of the staples themselves.

Update (5/19/2012): This item is currently on sale here for the lowest price I’ve seen.

The featured review for this product, Stanley TR250 SharpShooter Plus Heavy Duty Staple/Brad Nail Gun Tools & Hardware, was written by Avid Reader.

The average rating for this item is 4.3 out of 5 stars, according to 3 reviews.