The stapler I received appeared to be a unit that had been previously returned. The box was wrapped by hand with shrink wrap, and the body had some minor scratches. The oil bottle was unopened, however. When I first tried it, it did not work. Fortunately, I was able to trace the problem to the nose safety, which was bent just enough that it would not engage with the trigger mechanism. Straightening this part required less than five minutes of my time, and then the unit was in perfect operational condition. I strongly suspect that my five star stapler is one that somebody gave a single star earlier. Maybe that person failed to oil it, and that's what caused the small problem that they weren't savvy enough to figure out. Maybe it just came that way from the factory. Who knows? Anyway, I not only gave it five stars, I'm keeping it.
At 90 PSI, the Surebonder will drive 9/16" Arrow staples flush into plywood time after time after time as fast as you can bounce it. It does not jam, and it isn't terribly picky about the material, either. Even long staples will drive into virtually any wood you are likely to encounter. It loads easily and quickly with readily found staples, too. I even tried some rusty ones that I had. No problem.
The unit is so simple that I believe almost any user can maintain it, and make simple repairs. This is a major plus because such inexpensive products that are more complex tend to be those that turn out to be less than stellar bargains in the long run. However, this is one of those rare finds. This time you get to pick both cheap and good!
Let's compare.
I thought it would be interesting to compare the Surebonder 9600's build level to some other small tools that I own, the Grex P635 pinner, the Senco SLP20 brad nailer and the Central Pneumatic (Harbor Freight) Mod. 40116 nailer/stapler. The Grex costs the better part of $200, the Senco $140 and the CP was $15. Surprisingly, the main bodies on all four pieces are high quality castings. Plastic parts on the CP are inferior to the rest. The Surebonder, the Grex and the Senco have never jammed, not even after thousands of cycles. The Harbor Freight tool works fairly well, but it is far more picky. I credit this to the complexity of a cheap tool. What do you expect for $15? The rubber hand part is worse on the Senco than the others, and the magazines on the CP and Surebonder are not made with the detail of the expensive tools, but they work just fine. The Grex and Senco have milled parts, rather than stamped ones. This is one reason why they cost as much as they do. Also they have better cases, although the Surebonder's case is compact, convenient and seems to be reliable. The Central Pneumatic case is marginal, at best. Only the Grex and the Surebonder came with an air fitting installed. All in all, the Surebonder 9600 can hold its head high when in Senco and Grex company.
Compare it to electric or manual staplers? There is no comparison. The 9600 is in a different league, altogether.
So, what do you get for $25?
You get a tool that is as reliable as high-end tools that cost many times its price, but one that uses cheap, easy to find fasteners. You also get an incredibly powerful tool that tends to work without fail in most any wood when given very minimum attention. And, you get a decent case to hold it all. It even comes with oil and hex wrenches, so you don't have to buy anything else to get it to work, except staples, of course.
Guys, there is no downside to this. At $25, or even a hundred, this one is a no-brainer.
| Manufacturer | FPC CORPORATION |
|---|---|
| Part Number | 9600A |
| Item Weight | 3.19 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 3 x 11 x 9 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 9600B |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 1 |
| Color | Black and Green |
| Style | Heavy Duty,Adjustable |
| Material | Rubber |
| Power Source | Manual |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Capacity Description | Full Strip |
| Included Components | case |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 90 Days from Consumer Purchase |
