Dewalt recently announced a new cordless electrical cable stapler, model DCN701, which they say is 2X as fast as manual hammer stapling (using a DCB203 2.0Ah battery stapling 12-2 Romex in 2×4 wood).
The new Dewalt cordless cable stapler is designed for fastening NM-B (Romex) type wires and cables, and can also be used for low voltage applications. There’s a proprietary guide that helps users drive staples safely and accurately over cables. Translation: there’s a staple guide that helps prevent users from stapling through cables.
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It is compact, weighs 4.7 lbs without battery, and features a center-mounted LED light for eliminating shadows or working in low-lit areas. The belt clip can be positioned on either left or right sides.
Dewalt says that their new Electrician’s Stapler can replace manual cable fastening methods, and its compact size allows for use in tight spaces and even overhead.
They provided me with this chart that shows the stapler’s compatibility. The new special 1″ insulated staples, model number DRS1800, are UL-listed and can be used with single and even double-stacked cables ranging from 14-2 to 10-3 (single stack only for this size). It can also be used for CAT5, coax, and other low voltage cables.
Price: $199 for the bare tool (DCN701B), $249 for the kit (DCN701D1)
The kit includes a 2.0Ah battery pack and charger.
As of the time of this posting, pricing on the staples is said to be $8 for a 540-count box.
ETA: Early 2019
The new Dewalt DCN701 Electrician’s stapler is said to be made in the USA with global materials.
First Thoughts
Not knowing much about cable stapling options, but having witnessed a couple of wiring jobs, this looks like a convenient new tool to add to an electrician’s tool kit.
It seems great that there’s a single 1″ fastener size that can work with a range of Romex wire and even low voltage cables.
But that new special staple gives me something else to think about. At the moment, Dewalt is still finalizing retail partnerships, but I’m told that the new staples will be widely available at independent distributors and other retailers. My concern is this – what happens if you need a new box of staples ASAP, and your local supplier doesn’t carry the staples?
From the response I received from Dewalt, it seems that they’re all but promising me that an electrician can find more staples quickly and easily. Their assurance, and the fact that there’s a one-size-fits-all staple, has me cautious, but pretty much convinced.
Of course, the staples will likely be widely available online. But being a proprietary form factor, I’m thinking of scenarios where an electrician might leave their last box of staples at a job, in the wrong tool bag or van, or if they simply miscalculate how many they might need for a job and need a fast resupply.
Here’s what those Dewalt DRS1800 staples look like. It seems to me that the stapler has one power level, and the plastic cable shield prevents over-pressure situation that could restrict, crush, or damage, non-metallic cabling.
Is there anything like this on the market? Most electricians seem to prefer hammering staples into place, and the electrical staplers I’ve seen, like the GB Cable Boss ($26 via Amazon and unfavorably reviewed) are widely frowned upon.
Corey says
Super interested as an electrician, however I’m skeptical of the rate at which sparkies will adopt something new if it’s incompatible with the hundreds of pounds of traditional Romex stables they all already own. Great innovation none the less in my opinion
Ct says
Very cool…those staples can me a massive hassle at times..this could be great for those running a lot of romex
MtnRanch says
I’ve used a romex stapler for years with good success and lot of time (and fingers) saved. A powered version will be a big step forward.
Jim Felt says
I’ve shot both T25 and T37 Arrow staples for maybe 1500 feet of all black Cat 5E shielded and unshielded plus RH6QS the past couple of days in an awkward (and visible) retrofit situation.
How will one size staple possibly work in various vintage/hardness of dimensional/manmade “lumber” with all the various size wire they’re claiming it will work with?
Some sort of digital feedback loop? Magic?
And the tool itself looks fine for unobstructed 10-12-14 gage runs but tight spaces? Or carefully/tightly paralleling existing runs?
I hate my 3 US made Arrow staplers after any long use but I’m thinking for tidy work this beast is just too big.
Not to mention the proprietary staple issues.
But to be positive maybe others like Bosch or Hilti will enter this odd niche market and Li-Ion world will add yet another near “must have” tool.
Framer joe says
Bosch or Hilti but not dewalt, slightly bias ?
Mike says
Dewalt has already clearly entered the market, I think he meant Hilti and Bosch will join Dewalt.
Jim Felt says
Naw. I started with corded and went to Makita 9.6 then in maybe 1995 Dewalt 18V NiCads.
They all worked when I gave them to Jimmy Carter’s ReStore a few years ago.
I simply moved on. Fit and finish, extraordinary repair service and the odd not (yet?) available in the US tools.
It’s kinda like Wera or USAG v. Stanley Works or sometimes even Klein.
And the bother to research and source stuff is a hobby of mine…
fred says
Let’s see how it catches on and gets reviewed.
At the least it says that Dewalt engineers are thinking about what new tools might have some appeal.
Maybe a Dewalt PEX stapler is next? We had manual ones from Mangone (and their Telecrafter brand), Watts and Malco, plus a Mangone pneumatic and they need some update and competition.
Framer joe says
Love the expansion and thank you for mentioning where it’s made 👍
Jim Felt says
Totally agree!
John T Sullivan says
I’ve been using the GB Cable Boss for at least five years. It’s not perfect, but I don’t think it deserves the hate that it seems to be getting on Amazon. Honestly it’s no more difficult to operate than any other manual stapler. I don’t think a pro electrician would want to bother with it most of the time, especially if they’re nimble with a hammer and standard Romex staples. I found this to be a great substitute wherever I’m tempted to use a 2-nail flat cable clip (Morris 35000) or a coaxial clip. Having a powered version seems like a nice upgrade, as long as the fasteners are standardized enough as to be interchangeable.
John T Sullivan says
I phrased that poorly: someone needs to establish a standard for this type of fastener. As long as the manufacturers pump out their own proprietary fastener, these specialty tools will have an even steeper uphill climb to popularity and acceptance in the marketplace.
James says
How do they not have a 23 gauge pin nailer yet?
Curtis says
I’d be interested in one made specifically for coax. I can’t see how you could make an electricians stapler do both jobs well. Coax frequently needs to be concealed on the outside of a building, so getting into corners is important. It’s also important that the staples don’t compress the coax. Electrical staples are about 4 times bigger and 20 times stouter. They’re designed to hold ac wiring securely in the middle of a stud. I’d be even more dubious of using them with cat5. It’s really easy to break those thin little twisted wires.
fred says
Maybe something like a battery powered version of the Telecrafter staplers?
https://www.techtoolsupply.com/RB2-Telecrafter-Insulated-RG6-Stapler-Single-p/rb2.htm
Curtis says
Those are alright, but they’re not great for hiding wires. The plastic pieces seem to prevent damage and they hold pretty well. I’d really like to see some sort of battery powered T25 stapler with some sort of protective coating to prevent damage to the cable.
Big Adam says
C’mon Dewalt, take this tool and switch out the magazine for one that holds regular T50 staples of various leg-lengths……….please 😘
fred says
Might be OK – but T50 – flat top 3/8 inch (10mm) crown staples are not of great use for stapling up NM (Romex) or many other wire styles
Big Adam says
I’d say they are pretty useless for stapling Romex!
My point is that this is a new form-factor compact stapler and I doubt it would be too challenging to use it as the basis of a T50 stapler, much like the old Makita model.
Benny says
DeWalt can make a cordless Romex stapler but they can’t make a cordless 23 gauge nailer!!!! Your killing me DeWalt!!!!!
Koko the Talking Ape says
I don’t know much about electrical installation, but I do know that big staples (like those used in fencing) are a PIA to hammer in evenly.
So what about those one-legged things, like nails but with a shallow plastic hook to hold down wiring? They look like they’d be easier to hammer in than staples. Do they work? Are they legal?
fred says
I’ve seen quite a few fencing staplers around recently. Paslode’s New Zealand subsidiary (Stockade) makes one that use their fuel canisters. Several companies make pneumatics – and Fasco now has a battery cordless 10.5ga (not 9ga yet anyway)
https://www.nailgundepot.com/fasco-11616f-cordless-fence-stapler-details.html
Matt says
As an electrician this interests me. The staples look to be 2 metal pins conjoined by a semiflexible plastic. There must be some kind of depth of drive setting. Although that could be handled by the “nose” of the tool. I’d be interested to see how it does stacked 12/3 and 10/3 as well as 14/2. Different lengths of pins? Very few staples are technically certified for that wide of a range. If there’s multiple models for the different wires that would be a total pain for residential. I find myself pulling multiple runs at a time and they’re not always the same.
If DeWalt allows this staple to become be used or licensed by others that would be great. If they don’t I can’t see it going anywhere fast. I also can’t see why anyone in their right mind would stock the staples – especially if there are multiple models for use with the various wires.
Nathan says
I like the general idea and I hope it springs forth with a few additions. IE take this basic idea and maybe you can make one that uses versions of regular staples.
OR even better interchangeable heads and collets (magazines? ie the whole black piece on the front) such that you can trade #1 for electrical staples with #2 for crown staples and #3 for wire staples . . . . etc. YOu buy the bare tool if you want and only get heads 2 or 3 or 6 etc as needed.
Presto – High quality power cordless stapler widget. you would even use the BT software thing so as to program it for which head it’s using to keep from over or under driving them.
just a thought.
Oleg K says
$250 for a STAPLER? I don’t care how awesome the colors look, Arrow will (probably) deliver same performance for 1/4 of the cost of this awesome-looking yet drastically overpriced tool. I’d definitely pay $100~$120 for the KIT but at $250 they’re just delusional.
JoeM says
You’re joking, right? It’s a DeWALT… this is probably one of the lowest priced staplers they have in the 20Volt XR line. They range from this one, right on up to $700 for the original DCN690 series. Yes, that’s bare-tool. Charger and Batteries they go up another $100 for the kit. And, I haven’t counted lately, but that is a range of something like 8+ different staplers and nailers.
Looking at Staplers on the Arrow site itself… they don’t make any Cordless Tools. Air-Powered tools, yes… Electric, no. They make crafting tools. DeWALT is making INDUSTRIAL Staple Guns, Staplers, and Nailers. The closest they have is the T50DCD, and that has been reviewed on ToolGuyd before, to nearly unanimous disappointment.
https://toolguyd.com/arrow-cordless-stapler-early-review/
If you think $200 is a lot for this tool, you are in WAY over your head here. Remember, this is an AMERICAN RETAIL price.
Robert Pennington says
Wow, that would be handy. I’ve had to run a lot of Romex up in attics and what with gas and water pipes running around it can be a pain to try and hammer all those staples in. My wishlist: This stapler, the new joist drill, Pex crimper, Brad and finish nailer. Have just about everything else…
John says
I would absolutely love this. Can’t wait and will buy one the moment they go on sale.