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Electric staple/nail gun surprise

Does what it says on the tin
raybarrow
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Electric staple/nail gun surprise

#443487

Postby raybarrow » September 19th, 2021, 8:59 am

Hi Folks,
You know when a simple job turns out not to be? I wanted to put some plastic trellis, along a fence, to support and train a clematis. Yes, I thought a job for the staple gun, bang, bang, bang five minute job done - not quite.
I bought the staple gun years ago and never used it, so still in it's unopened sealed plastic case. I noticed the piece of paper covering the plug was a bit brown, removed it and the plug was a bit brown. Opened up the plug to find it was totally rusted up inside.
Okay cut the wire and fit a new plug. The copper wire in the cable was black. After cutting back a bit more and a bit more, still black. I thought I'd do a Repair Shop special so opened up the staple gun to see how easy it was to replace the entire wire. Pretty straightforward, no soldering, except that as I opened it, very carefully, a few parts 'pinged out'. I got them all but cannot see where they all go.
As It's going to be plugged into the mains, I don't think 'seeing if it goes here' is a great idea. Solution is the whole thing goes in the bin.
I think the gun must be at least 20 years old, my records don't go back past 2000. I did a lot of woodworking at the time and it was a 'good buy.

I feel I ought to check my other electrical tools, circular and jug saws, router, as they were kept in the same place, garage, just to make sure they have not suffered the same fate. The trellis, well that will have to wait a few days. Now where did I put those manual staples and the hammer?

Ray.

csearle
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Re: Electric staple/nail gun surprise

#451124

Postby csearle » October 18th, 2021, 10:12 pm

I feel your pain. Have a rec to help sooth. Chris

bungeejumper
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Re: Electric staple/nail gun surprise

#451195

Postby bungeejumper » October 19th, 2021, 9:51 am

I wonder why the copper core inside the cable had gone black? Probably damp during storage. Doesn't sound very great to me, though. Would I regret it very much if I asked just how much of a bargain it was? ;)

Either way, if you're unsure about where the pinged-out leccy bits go, maybe it would indeed be best to stop now and buy another one while you've still got a working pulse? At the very least, don't even think of plugging it in without an RCD adapter. And don't fuse the ligh....... oh bugger...... :lol:

BJ

csearle
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Re: Electric staple/nail gun surprise

#451792

Postby csearle » October 20th, 2021, 9:17 pm

Copper wire in my experience goes black when (in a cable) it is exposed to the elements for prolonged periods of time. This usually happens when it has been cut and left outside.

Chris

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Re: Electric staple/nail gun surprise

#451998

Postby quelquod » October 21st, 2021, 1:46 pm

csearle wrote:Copper wire in my experience goes black when (in a cable) it is exposed to the elements for prolonged periods of time. This usually happens when it has been cut and left outside.

Chris


Yes, I’ve a pile of extra low voltage lighting around the garden which has been there for umpteen years and any time I come to make additions or alterations anywhere to it the stranded internals are invariably black. Not a particularly big issue of course as it’s a thin layer and easily penetrated by connections but I’ve never been able to decide if the damp travels for tens of yards down the interior or if the plastic outer is porous.


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