Our friends in the great snowy land of Wisconsin first showed us the new Milwaukee Staple and Nail Gun when they debuted their new Milwaukee hand tools at a 2015 media event. Like other staplers of the same style, it’s designed to fire T50 staples and 18 gauge brad nails. The major improvements in the Milwaukee stapler come from three main areas of concern users of current models have reported back to the company:
- They don’t provide enough power to completely drive staples into tough materials
- They produce inconsistent driving angles that degrade performance, and
- Users are often required to carry additional tools to assist with pulling out staples or reseating them
Clearly, Pros need a staple gun that’s powerful and reliable. Whether it’s for attaching house wrap, tar paper, or carpet padding, a staple gun is an invaluable tool—and nobody likes having to carry a hammer around to finish the job of a sub-par staple gun. Milwaukee seems to address these issues in a tool that’s got a nice ergonomic feel, but doesn’t skimp on the underlying mechanism that does what it’s supposed to do—drive staples and small 18 gauge brad nails.
Milwaukee Staple and Nail Gun Features
We took the Milwaukee staple and nail gun and used it on various materials, but before we did our testing we familiarized ourselves with the primary features of the tool. Most prominent is a dual power switch that lets the Milwaukee 48-22-1010 stapler drive into or through tough materials like OSB and dimensional lumber, while also allowing for more delicate use in softer materials. To address the issues of inconsistent driving angles, there is a Tilt & Fire bevel feature built in to the design. Simply tilt the stapler forward until you feel it sit flush, then drive your staple or nail. This way you’ll find consistency whether you’re fastening vertically, horizontally, or somewhere in between. Lastly, the addition of a staple puller will come through in a pinch in the event you don’t have a flat head screwdriver or other puller handy, should the need arise.
The new Milwaukee Staple and Nail Gun has an all-metal frame for durability. You’ll also find a rubber overmolded grip for comfort. Milwaukee also claims that the recessed magazine is jam free—and in our testing we didn’t get it to jam on is even once. Another convenient design feature is a clear window towards the front of the magazine that allows you to easily see how many staples or nails remain.
Milwaukee Stapler 48-22-1010 Features
- Up to 75% More Driving Power
- Hi/Low power switch for driving control
- Tilt & Fire Mechanism-Fully drive staples at an angle
- Integrated Stapler Puller
- All Metal Jam Free Magazine
- Stapler Flush Drive Surface
- Belt Clip
- Arrow T50 staples sizes: 9/16″, 1/2″, 3/8″, 5/16″, 1/4″
- 18 gauge brad nails: 5/8″ & 1/2″
Using the Milwaukee Staple and Nail Gun
Loading staples into the Milwaukee 48-22-1010 stapler was as easy as squeezing the back of the magazine to release it and pulling it out. The T50 staples load upside down as you’d expect, and the magazine closes easily. It’s a quick process with very little down-time.
We were able to use the Milwaukee stapler on standard dimensional 2×4 lumber as well as OSB and plywood. I found myself setting the tool in the “+” or full power mode in order to get staples flush into the harder materials. For using the stapler with lightweight or insulation materials (or—let’s face it—hanging up Christmas lights), you would want to drop back to the low setting. I really liked the beveled front tip that let me fire staples at an angle easily, giving me the ability to truly direct where the staple was heading. This was great for when I was near an edge and didn’t want to risk having my staple exit the workpiece.
Similar to the Bostitch Smart Point brad nailer, this tool gives you a good feel for where the fastener is going at all times. Most people don’t need too much precision when using a staple gun, but it’s still nice.
The Milwaukee Stapler as a Demo Tool?
For those nails that didn’t quite get all the way in (mostly because I was switching modes on the tool to test them out), Milwaukee gives you a handy strike plate on the rear end of the staple gun. Simply tilt the tool backwards, tap the staple, and continue with your work—there’s no need to grab a hammer. It’s a huge time-saver…because, let’s face it, you’re going to have to pound some staples at some point.
Ergonomics of the Milwaukee Stapler
The action on the Milwaukee staple and nail gun is as close as you get to care-free. You do apply some leverage to the handle to get it to activate. The difference is that, after driving a dozen or more staples in a row, my palm didn’t hurt. The comfortable grip did its job. While it’s not initially as comfortable as using the reverse-grip Arrow PowerShot 5700 staple gun, it also doesn’t jam like that tool is prone to. The staples drive much more consistently, and, as I’ll note in a minute, this tool was actually a lot more comfortable to use over time than I initially thought.
Installing Tar Paper
After using the tool to install over 500 square feet of tar paper for underneath a floating floor, it became very apparent that this Milwaukee stapler simply didn’t misfire. We were driving 3/8-inch T50 staples into heart pine sub-flooring! I went through clip after clip, and not once did the Milwaukee staple gun jam up. In fact, it never slowed me down. As for my previous comment about the reverse action handle on the Arrow Powershot, I realized that the comfortable grip and accurate firing of the Milwaukee made this tool every bit as comfortable to use.
When you’re not using the staple gun, Milwaukee included a handy belt clip that worked really well. It comes mounted to the left side of the tool, but you can remove the Philips screw and swap it to the other side if you’re a lefty.
Finally, the Milwaukee staple and nail gun is backed with a limited lifetime warranty and sells for just under $30. That’s a great deal for a tool that should last a good long while and save you time by eliminating a few extra tools.
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