Comparison Bosch PTK 3.6 V 0603968820 vs Bosch PTK 14 EDT 0603265520

The type of tool is indicated by the power supply method (energy source) used for work, and in some cases, by more specific parameters.

According to the power supply, modern construction staplers and nailers are divided into mechanical, impact (hammer), pneumatic, electric, battery and battery-gas. Also, palm and floor models are distinguished into separate types - they have their own specifics (the former usually use a pneumatic principle of operation, and the latter combine pneumatics and impact action). Here is a more detailed description of these varieties:

— Mechanical. One of the simplest and most popular types of modern staplers. In fact, the vast majority of such tools work with staples; other types of fasteners (see below) are also found, but less frequently. A classic mechanical stapler has the form of a D-shaped frame with a lever for the customer's hand. Such a frame is brought close to the surface being processed, by pressing the lever the customer cocks the spring, and when the lever is fully pressed it is released, forcefully "shooting" the staple and driving it into the material. The main advantages of mechanical staplers are simplicity, low cost..., compactness, light weight and complete independence from external energy sources and other equipment. On the other hand, the productivity and impact force of such tools are low, which is why they are well suited only for relatively simple work on a small scale.

— Impact (hammer). A specific type of mechanical staplers (see above), which operates not by compressing a spring, but by striking it with force. Simply put, when working, you need to hit the material with such a stapler, like a hammer. Impact tools are extremely simple, compact and inexpensive even compared to traditional mechanical ones, but this is perhaps their only advantage. Among the disadvantages, it is worth mentioning, first of all, the lower accuracy - in order to hammer in staples with an accuracy of at least half a centimeter, you need to seriously train. In addition, there is not enough space for a swing everywhere, and such tools are usually incompatible with nails or studs. Therefore, this option has not become very widespread.

— Electric. Staplers with an electric motor drive, connected to the network during operation. This design provides good impact force, which facilitates work with hard materials and fasteners such as nails or studs that require significant effort (see "Fastener type"). The productivity of electric staplers is also quite high, while the customer only spends effort on pressing the trigger button. On the other hand, electric tools are much heavier and more expensive than the same mechanical ones, and in the absence of sockets or other power sources, they become useless. And connection to the power supply is carried out through the power cord, which can limit mobility, get tangled underfoot and create other inconveniences.

— Battery-powered. A variation of the electric staplers described above, designed to eliminate one of the most serious drawbacks of such a tool — dependence on sockets. As the name suggests, battery-powered models are equipped with their own batteries and can operate regardless of the presence of power sources nearby. And the absence of a power cord is often a noticeable advantage. At the same time, this option has serious drawbacks. So, with the same operating characteristics, battery-powered staplers are more expensive and heavier than mains-powered ones (while the power tool itself is not particularly light). Battery life is limited, and when the charge is exhausted, the power source will still be needed. Autonomy can be somewhat extended by using replaceable batteries, but this option still does not eliminate the described drawbacks, and is not available in all models.

— Pneumatic. Staplers that operate using compressed air supplied by a compressor. In terms of their advantages (impact force, productivity, low operator fatigue during operation), such models are similar to electric ones, but they also have certain advantages: the tool is more “fast-firing”, lighter and less likely to spark between parts (the latter, in turn, has a positive effect on fire safety). In addition, pneumatic models are often distinguished by high power and are capable of working with very large fasteners. On the other hand, the need to use a compressor creates serious inconveniences: the entire set of working equipment is expensive, bulky and inconvenient to transport from place to place, the compressor also needs to be connected somewhere (or refueled and serviced if it is equipped with an internal combustion engine), and the air hose limits the mobility of the stapler. As a result, the main area of application of pneumatic staplers are furniture factories and other industrial facilities, where the volume of work is large and at the same time there is the possibility of constantly keeping the tool in one place.

— Battery-gas. A rather original type of "nailers", similar in principle to firearms: the fastener (usually nails) is "shot" due to the energy provided by the combustion of a small portion of gas, and the battery is responsible only for creating a spark for ignition. A spark requires relatively little energy, so the batteries in such tools are more compact and lighter than in "purely" battery-powered ones. Also, among the clear advantages of battery-gas models, one can note the high driving force and excellent flow Rate (up to 180 beats/min). And no one has canceled the autonomy and the ability to work independently of external equipment. On the other hand, the design is still quite heavy and bulky, such a tool needs to be "charged" with two types of consumables (energy for the battery and gas), and the price is quite high. As a result, battery-powered gas nailers have not become very widespread; they are used mainly as heavy professional tools – in cases where the advantages described outweigh the disadvantages.

— Palm-mounted. A special compact type of pneumatic tool for hammering nails. A palm-mounted nailer is a working attachment with a striker, but without a magazine — essentially, a kind of hand-held pneumatic hammer. When working with such a tool, each nail must be held by hand (or “drowned” in the work surface in advance), and hammering, as a rule, occurs due to a series of blows. In general, such nailers are inferior to traditional ones in terms of convenience and speed of work, but they also have advantages: palm-mounted tools are compact, have a small weight (which significantly reduces fatigue compared to conventional ones), the length of the nail for them is almost unlimited, and the permissible thickness is usually noticeably greater than in classic “nail guns”.

— Floor. A special type of tool designed for driving staples and/or nails when laying floorboards. It has a V-shaped design, the sole of which is placed on the floor during operation. One half of the V is the working part with a handle for holding in the hand, the second is a magazine; and the shape of the sole is selected in such a way that it tightly contacts the side end of the board being fixed and additionally presses this board to the already laid flooring. Floor devices use both pneumatics and impact action, and it looks like this: having set the tool connected to the compressor in the desired position, it is necessary to hit quite hard with the included mallet on a special protrusion on the end of the working part. This serves as a signal for the pneumatic mechanism to be triggered, and the impact energy supplements the energy of the compressed air, due to which floor models are capable of working with very long staples/nails.

— Adjustment of impact force / depth. The ability to adjust the force of impact or the depth of clogging fasteners. These functions are implemented somewhat differently: the impact force is changed by adjusting the power supplied to the striker upon impact, and the driving depth can be set due to a mechanical limiter — for example, by retracting the striker a certain distance back, so that it simply does not was able to move beyond a certain distance. However, the purpose and use of these functions is similar: first of all, they allow you to change the depth to which the fastener is driven into the material. In addition, adjusting the force of impact (namely force) can be useful when working with delicate materials, where too powerful impacts are undesirable. Specific details of the implementation of this function should be clarified in each case separately.

— Double hit. Possibility of operation of the stapler in the double impact mode. Here, this term means the ability to drive two fasteners at once in one blow — for example, for connections that require increased reliability. Note that double impact most often only works on staples, even if the tool is able to work with other types of fasteners (see above). Firstly, it is for brackets that this possibility is most relevant; secondly, it is much more difficult to implement it for nails or pins.

— Bending the staple.... The ability of the stapler to work not only for driving staples, but also for bending their legs after installation. The need for bending arises in cases where the tool is used to fasten relatively thin layers of material, and the staples pierce the parts to be fastened through: bent legs provide a secure hold, and are also safer — the risk of scratching or pricking the protruding edge of the staple is minimal. Note that such work requires an anvil of hard material placed under the fastened materials; in some tools with a bending function, the anvil is part of the design, but most often it is not.

— Blade of knife. The presence of a knife blade in the design of the stapler. This feature allows you to use the tool not only for driving fasteners, but also for cutting material — for example, preparing upholstery for furniture. The blades are usually made removable (so that a dull one can be quickly replaced with a fresh one or sharpened with convenience) and have a beveled shape (this allows you to cut with the very tip of the knife, providing high accuracy and accuracy). However, this function is quite specific, therefore it is rare, and mainly among percussion models (see "Type") — only they turn out to be quite light, compact and convenient for use as knives.

— Backlight. The presence in the stapler of its own built-in flashlight, usually directed in such a way as to highlight the place of impact. This feature is extremely useful when working in low light conditions. Note that such conditions can easily arise even under normal ambient lighting: for example, the tool itself often obscures the impact site, worsening visibility and complicating accurate aiming.

— Brushless motor. Such motors do not have the classic carbon brushes found in conventional power tools, whose friction during engine operation leads to additional heating, which leads to unnecessary energy consumption and general engine wear. Refusal to use them allows you to extend the battery life of the tool, on the one hand, as well as the life of the engine, on the other.

Features of the tool configuration regarding the battery.

Modern cordless staplers can be supplied with or without a battery; Moreover, in the first case, a different number of batteries, or even a built-in power source, may be provided. It is also worth noting that models with a removable battery usually do not use any original batteries, but universal solutions for power tools from the same manufacturer. The advantage of this design is obvious: first of all, it facilitates the search for power sources, including in addition to or as a replacement for “original” batteries. Here is a more detailed description of specific configuration options:

- 1 PC. Staplers that come with just one replaceable battery. This package may seem almost ideal: the tool can be used immediately after purchase, and when purchasing you do not have to overpay for a second power source. However, tools with 1 battery included are rare - noticeably less common than models with 2 batteries or no battery at all. At first glance this looks strange, but in fact there is nothing unusual here. So, if there is no battery, finding it is usually not a problem; and if the device needs to be used right away, “out of the box” - in many cases, a configuration with two batteries is a better choice: it is more expensive, but has a number of noticeable advantages. Returning to models with 1 power source, we can say this: th...is configuration is designed mainly for two situations. The first is when the tool is planned to be used for short-term work, when it is possible to take significant breaks to charge the battery; the second - if the household already has at least one spare battery, so there is no point in buying a model with 2 batteries.

- 2 pcs. The most popular configuration option among tools that generally come with at least some kind of battery. The presence of a second battery inevitably affects the cost, but in many cases this point is more than offset by the additional ease of use. Firstly, two batteries allow you to work longer without interruptions - in fact, autonomy is doubled. Secondly, while one battery is in use, the second one can be kept on charge; This allows you to minimize charging breaks, or even get rid of them altogether. Thirdly, the breakdown or loss of one power source does not interfere with work - it is enough to install a second one. And fourthly, a spare battery can be useful for another compatible power tool - for example, a screwdriver or jigsaw; this is especially useful given that staplers are rarely used “alone” without other tools nearby.

- Without battery. The most popular option in principle for completing battery-powered staplers. Along with the obvious inconvenience - the tool cannot be used out of the box - this package has a number of significant advantages. First of all, the customer can choose the model and number of batteries at his own discretion, without relying on the manufacturer in this matter. And if there is another battery-powered tool on the farm, then the power source from it may well be suitable for a stapler; This will completely eliminate the need to spend additional money and time. The second point is especially relevant in light of the fact that construction staplers are often purchased in addition to an already existing set of power tools, sometimes quite extensive.

- Built-in. A rather rare option, found mainly in relatively simple and low-power models. The built-in power supply allows you to make such a tool as compact as possible. In addition, the customer does not need to bother with a separate charger - just connect the included cable to charge. On the other hand, a dead battery cannot be quickly replaced with a fresh one - the only option is charging, which requires an energy source and can take a lot of time. Also, this design does not allow you to select batteries at your discretion; and if there are problems with the power source, you will either have to take the stapler for repairs or replace it with a new one. In light of all this, models with a built-in battery are usually intended mainly for minor home repairs and simple tasks that do not involve long-term work and high loads.

The operating voltage of the battery installed in the tool of the corresponding type (see above).

The higher the power of the stapler, the higher the voltage may be required (but not necessarily required) to power it efficiently. In other words, a high battery voltage is usually indicative of advanced performance, while a low battery voltage is not always a sign of an entry-level tool. From a practical point of view, this parameter may be useful only for some specific tasks — for example, searching for an external charger for a battery or buying a spare battery. In addition, this parameter must be taken into account when comparing different batteries in terms of capacity (for more details, see "Battery Capacity") .

Modern staplers most often use 12 V and 18 V batteries.

The capacity of the battery supplied with the tool.

Theoretically, the higher the capacity, the more energy the battery accumulates and the longer the tool can work on a single charge. In fact, however, two points must be taken into account. Firstly, only batteries with the same voltage can be directly compared in terms of capacity in ampere-hours (if there is a difference in voltage, you need to convert the capacity to watt-hours using a special formula, and use these values already). Secondly, the actual battery life will depend not only on the characteristics of the battery, but also on the power consumption of the stapler itself; at the same time, the power consumption for battery models is not directly indicated in the specifications, and energy consumption has to be approximately estimated by other parameters — primarily performance, as well as the type and size of fasteners. Thus, the difference in battery capacity will only correspond to the difference in battery life if the compared tools have similar performance characteristics.

The number of staples supplied with the stapler.

Construction staplers can be supplied with a stock of fasteners (staples, nails, pins) — so that you can immediately start working without buying more consumables. And knowing the number of such parts, you can not only determine how much the initial stock will last, but also evaluate how profitable the purchase of this model will be compared to the model without consumables in the kit. For example, a relatively expensive model that comes with 1,000 staples can end up being a better value than a cheaper tool that doesn't come with any hardware.

The presence of a case or bag in the tool kit.

Such accessories are more convenient than impromptu packaging, they greatly simplify the storage and transportation of both the tool itself and accessories / consumables. At the same time, cases are the most popular in construction staplers — characteristic suitcases made of solid material. Such a suitcase perfectly protects the instrument not only from moisture and dirt, but also from shocks and shocks; it is also often used as the factory packaging in which the tool goes on sale. Bags made of soft material, in turn, are less common: they do not provide such protection against impacts, and they do not resist water / dust as effectively. On the other hand, such packaging itself is less bulky, and when the bag is not needed, it can be rolled up quite compactly.