DeWalt recently announced an expansion of its nailer offering with the DeWalt 20V Max 18 Gauge Stapler for narrow crown. The stapler drives 18 GA 1/4-inch narrow crown staples from 1/2- to 1-1/2-inches for installation of cabinetry, furniture, paneling, and flooring underlayment.
It features a brushless motor, tool-free selectable trigger, low nail lockout, tool-free stall release lever, bottom load magazine, tool-free depth adjustment, work light, and belt hook.
Our Take
The word fastener might conjure up images of nails or screws in your mind, but just as useful is the staple. Far from just being…well, a staple of an office job, industrial staples offer a two-for-one fastening benefit with their two legs, plus the crown holds materials down securely.
This makes the staple perfect for cabinetry, paneling, furniture, flooring, and more. The new DeWalt 20V Max 18 Gauge Stapler is the company’s new solution to the needs of craftsmen who find a nailer to be not quite the right tool for the job.
Features
Right away you’ll notice that there’s no gas cartridge or hose attached to the tool – it’s a cordless creation on DeWalt’s 20V platform. That will be enough to garner the interest of most tradesmen who find gas cumbersome and hoses and compressors limiting. But the DeWalt 20V Max 18 Gauge Stapler boasts a lot more features that will probably have many Pros take notice.
As we’ve talked about many times, the brushless motor extends battery and tool life. Ironically, DeWalt made just about every function on this tool tool-free: the bump or single fire trigger actuation, jam clearance, stall release lever, and depth adjustment. It has a work light as well as a belt hook, too. It’s a pretty impressive set of features for $249/$299 bare/kitted.
Perspective
The staple length range means that the stapler will be able to handle an equally broad range of tasks. It could be a good introduction to the staple as a fastener for those of us who only think of finish nails and screws.
We’ve asked everyone that makes cordless finish nailers to bring us a narrow crown stapler since there aren’t many options. It seems like a simple move for the 18V/20V Max platform so we’re glad to see this one show up. Our carpenter friends will be able to tell us with certainty about the performance, but we think this new offering from DeWalt is really going to nail (staple?) it.
DeWalt 20V Max 18 Gauge Stapler Features
- 100% battery powered. Eliminates the hassle of using gas, compressor, and hose
- Brushless motor maximizes runtime and durability
- Tool-free selectable trigger for sequential or contact actuation modes
- Tool-free depth adjustment for precise countersinking of staples
- Low nail lockout prevents dry firing and unwanted marks on the work material
- Multi-functional LED lights help to provide both workspace illumination and tool diagnostics
- Integrated tool-free stall release lever to quickly reset the driver blade in the event of a stall
- Adjustable belt hook for left or right attachment depending on user preference
- Bottom Load magazine for easy loading and removal of jammed fasteners
- Compatible with all DeWalt 20V Max batteries
DeWalt 20V Max 18 Gauge Stapler Specifications
- Model Numbers: DCN681B (Bare), DCN681D1 (Kit)
- Belt/Rafter Hook: Yes
- Depth Adjustment: Tool-Free
- Fastener Length: 1/2 to 1-1/2 Inch
- Fastener Type/Gauge: 18 GA 1/4-Inch Narrow Crown Staples
- Firing/Actuation Mode: Tool-Free Selectable Trigger
- Jam Clearance: Tool-Free
- Height: 11.4 Inches
- Length: 10.1 Inches
- Weight: 5.7 Pounds
- Width: 3.7 Inches
- Prices: $244.99 (Bare), $299 (Kitted)
