I purchased the MIIIFS stapler to lay approximately 1,700 sq. ft. of 3/4 inch red oak flooring in my new home. After installing well over 1,400 sq. ft. here are some of my observations:1) The tool makes it very easy for a novice to put down a nice, tight hardwood floor. If the boards are laying tight an easy swing of the mallet is all it takes to fully seat a staple (more on this later). If the board is warped the MIIIFS can stand up to a solid mallet smack without any trouble. The mallet's plastic face, by the way, does not show any signs of cracking so far.2) The stapler efficiently uses the its air so you do not need a big compressor. I have been using a 1.5 hp unit with a 6 gallon tank. Output is set at 85 psi. I doubt such a small compressor could supply two nailers simultaneously, but it handles one quite nicely.3) The stapler did develop a small air leak near the top shortly after I began using it. The amount of leaking is small (based on psi drop at the compressor) but does make a distracting noise. This leak does not affect the function or reliability.4) At your starting wall you need to face nail the flooring until you get about 6 inches from the wall. After that you'll have enough room to get the stapler into position.5) As you approach the far wall the stapler can be used up to the last 13 or 14 inches.6) As mentioned earlier the tool only requires an easy mallet smack. However, if you don't swing firmly enough the staple will not seat fully. This is usually caused by crowding against the far wall and not having enough room to swing the mallet.7) The firing knob is too stiff to actuate by hand reliably - the mallet is required. It would have been nice if there was a way to trigger the stapler by hand then you could use it much closer to the far wall.8) I have not had any problems with jamming. The unit I've been using has reliably shot every staple right down to the very last one in the magazine.9) I have heard some rumors of staple-style flooring nailers damaging the floor's tongue. After closely examining several hundred staples in oak I'd say that about 2 or 3 percent show any signs of tongue damage. Some of this infrequent damage is due to stapling through a knot or due to handling. Some is due to the MIIIFS. I'm not sure how this compares to nail-style nailers. Anytime you send a fastener through kiln dried hardwood you're bound to have some occassional splitting.Would I buy the MIIIFS again? You bet I would. Despite its few minor shortcomings this tool has saved me a LOT of work and the price is lower than other pnuematic nailers that I've looked at. Bostitch MIIIFS 1-1/2-Inch to 2-Inch Pneumatic Floor Stapler
As a professional building contractor I have tried several flooring tools, and can easily state that this is the best fastening system I have experienced for both unfinished and prefinished flooring. The staples hold better than cleat nails, and result in far less tongue splits as well. Surface marring and excessive tongue splitting are caused by improper or inexperienced operation of the tool, not by the tool itself.
I run a hardwood flooring company in Wyoming and have 3 of these units running all the time...They are durable and very dependable...we have been experiencing problems with the nuts and bolts holding the bottom plate on. Several of these bolts are in hard to reach areas and come loose and fall out several times a day. I would recommend this item to anyone, but I also would recommend that you buy a bottle of LockTite at the same time, And go through and LockTite all of the bolts, Other than that this is a awesome unit, We have one that is one of the very first air assist bostich nailers and it is still running strong. Good luck!
I purchased this nailer from Amazon to lay 3/4" hardwood flooring in several rooms in my house. I have since fired about 5000 staples through it without any problems whatsoever. This stapler is very well designed ergonomically and mechanically. The mallet is big and somewhat massive in weight but there is a purpose in that. It takes very little effort and just a slight tap to drive a staple because it is pneumatic. So if a board lays nice and straight, then a slight tap will suffice, but if you have a somewhat uncooperative piece of flooring, then you will appreciate the heft of the mallet because it will cause the most finicky of boards to come together and lay tightly. The handle is long and fits well in your hand. Consequently your not bent over as much. My first floor laid was oak and I've started my second which is brazillian cherry. This wood is extremely heavy and dense. This stapler does not care how hard the wood is, it just works and flawlessly at that. After all isn't that what you want from a tool, flawless performance!
I've installed thousands of feet of hardwood with the M111FS and it has, so far, worked flawlesly. The hammer activated model does a nicer job than the older trigger activated one. The light mallet blow required is just enough to drive the board being fastned tightly against the existing work for a tight joint and at the same time offering resistance against the driving mechanisum to insure uniform and propper seating of the staple.
I have received (2) Staplers and both units developed identical operating problem within (5) hours operating time. A small air leak developed upper section below rubber driving cap. Shortly after air leak developed 8 to 10 staples, units stopped operating.I have checked operating procedures and have found no problem. Have discussed problem with other users that had rented unit from Home Depot and was told they experienced absoultely no problem. Even after 20 hours of hard use, rented unit operated perfectly for them. I have request another unit and am in the process of shipping these defected (2) Units back. Also have e-mailed Bostitch and requested technical support.
If you have ever used a hard wood nailer that wasn't pnuematic, you'll want all that time back once you get your hands on one of these. Fast and easy to use. I've used one for years with no problems or regrets. - Cpo Bostitch - Bostitch - Staplers - B000f3i5zy'
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