My air stapler quit working

[buck parrish]

. It's a small one like you would staple vinyl to a chair, etc....

It's about 12 in. long. It shoots about 3/4 wide short skinny staples. It's a type that's hard to find.

So I took it semi apart. I took the head off the top. I found a cylinder with a plastic piston. It has a little rubber ring around the piston. It looks like to make a more secure fit. So I cleaned the cylinder and the push rod. I can see it is clear. It will shoot the first staple fine.

My question is. Should it have some type of vacume that pulls the cylinder back?
It had been a while since I used it.

Thanks in advance
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[Sleepingforest]

If it had a vacuum, you'd probably be unable to move the cylinder and push rod (it would take significant force to overcome an actual vacuum). If it works, you should be fine.

What's more likely is that the piston compresses air, which then forces the staple out. There should be no vacuum behind the piston.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

just be sure to use a large heatsink and fan, hope that helps...

 

[Automaticman]

If it had a vacuum, you'd probably be unable to move the cylinder and push rod (it would take significant force to overcome an actual vacuum). If it works, you should be fine.

What's more likely is that the piston compresses air, which then forces the staple out. There should be no vacuum behind the piston.

The problem he is having is that the piston doesn't return to the ready position after firing and stays extended. He was wondering if vacuum is supposed to be applied to the rear of the piston in order "suck" the piston back into position.

I'm no expert on pneumatic tools, but I would expect the piston return to be accomplished by one of 3 ways:

1. return spring - I'm assuming you'd have seen this if it were there, so probably not this (unless you lost a spring in the dissasembly).

2. Diverted air pressure. possibly designed so that when the trigger is released, air is diverted to the front of the piston, pushing it back into position. Could also be there once the piston passes a certain point there is an air outlet that diverts air to the front.

3. Pressurized - I think this is how nail guns work. Basicly, when the piston is driven forward, it forces ambient pressure air into pressure chambersnext to the barrel. When the trigger is let go and driving pressure lets off, this pressurized air flows back into the barrel, pushing back the piston. This might be the most likely.

For this to work there would need to be a packing or o ring around the front ofthe piston as well to keep the air in the barrel from just going out the front of the barrel with the driving pin, maybe look to see if you can find any missing or degraded seals.