Hitachi N3804AB 18 Gauge 1/4-Inch Crown Finish Stapler

by Hitachi

Product Description

Amazon.com

Our first impression was skepticism. How could something so light and compact have any firing power? Well, Hitachi made believers out of us. At 2.9 pounds, this fastener packs a wallop that will drive a 1-1/2 inch staple into just about anything. We like that you've got your choice of firing methods: Pull the trigger while on the workpiece for single drives, or depress the trigger before contact with your workpiece and, by bouncing the nose along your surface, you're firing. We couldn't jam the thing no matter what we did, but should it ever jam, we think it'd clear in a snap, thanks to the open magazine. Another plus: You can see how many fasteners you have loaded. Hitachi's always offered the best in tool craftsmanship, and this stapler is no exception.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste

Product Description

NARROW CROWN FINISH STAPLER PNEUMATIC

Product Details

Product Manual [782kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000EI97K
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: N3804AB
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,749 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #61 in Home Improvement > Air Tools > Staplers > Finish Staplers
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely solid & compact stapler, November 22, 2003

By 

Christopher Kennel "remodel carpenter" (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitachi N3804AB 18 Gauge 1/4-Inch Crown Finish Stapler (Tools & Home Improvement)

Several months ago I reviewed the Porter Cable NS150A finish stapler and mentioned the Hitachi N3804AB in that review. At that time, Amazon.com didn't stock the Hitachi stapler, but it does now so here's a review of it.

As you'll notice, the Hitachi N3804AB is expensive, but it's extremely well made in Germany. The ENTIRE stapler is metal, which gives it a very solid feel that translates into less recoil when firing it. It's also super tough. It's a small finish stapler, narrower and shorter than many other brands, and this comes in handy when working in the tight spaces we often encounter on remodeling jobs. Because it has a simple design, it can be disassembled with ease, but more importantly, the safety is completely accessible. Sometimes I need to fire the stapler in a confined space and have to tilt the nose in such a way that the safety can't be fully depressed. I can use my pointer finger to slide the safety mechanism back at a point near the trigger and fire it with my index finger. Some of the other staplers and nailers that I've used have concealed safety mechanisms to prevent people from bypassing them (good from a liability standpoint, but sometimes frustrating for the user).

Another great use for a finish stapler with a safety that can be overridden is to make mini rebar. When I need a durable, non-contracting patch to fill decent sized irregular holes I often use bondo. By holding the stapler a little away from the hole or crack, overriding the safety, and firing, it leaves a bit of the staple's crown exposed. This makes a nice wire armature that helps hold the bondo in place. I suppose the mini rebar could be used with other putties and plasters.

My coworkers and I have been using the N3803AB for several months now and it's been totally reliable. It hasn't misfired even once; although, I did jam it when I fired it directly into a steel joist hanger to see how hard it could drive a staple. The staple formed a pretzel in the firing slot, but I cleared the jam easily with no damage to the stapler. I've used the stapler on a wide range of construction materials, firing 1.5 inch staples into hardwoods, knots, MDF, and cement board with OSB backing, and it has performed perfectly although it likes to run above 90 psi for the denser materials (100-115 psi usually does it).

One day air started to slowly leak out of the exhaust port, so I removed the rear plate and found that a small metal filing had become embedded in an O-ring. Removing the filing fixed the leak. The stapler worked fine despite the leak, and I suspect the filing entered the air intake port during a demolition project. Now I try to store our pneumatic tools in less-dusty areas.

The Hitachi N3804AB worked so well that I decided not to buy a Senco SKS (which are workhorses but bulky) because I haven't encountered a situation where I've needed any more power. The Hitachi N3804AB is a professional grade stapler that's a good investment if you plan to use it often. For occasional or DIY use, a cheaper stapler may make more sense, unless you can find the Hitachi for a really good price.