How To: Fixing an electric Swingline stapler cheaply
Nov 25, 2009 Work
At my job there are only 2 IT people. We get requests to fix just about anything that is an electronic device. Sometimes we can fix things and sometimes it is just a little out of our ability. We have several employees with electric Swingline staplers on their desks and several of them have broken over time. The usual cause is the staple tray release button. Below I will outline what I did to quickly fix 2 of these staplers so they did not have to order new.
Tools needed:
- Small phillips head screw driver
- Electrical tape
- Tongue depresser – (When you work at a medical facility these are on the approved supplies list and easily accessible)
Broken stapler shown below.
Turn the stapler upside down and remove the 4 rubber feet (red arrows in below picture) to remove the screws on the under side.
Once the base is removed. Unscrew the 2 screws that hold the top of the stapler in place. Red arrows in below picture show where they are.
Fully disassembled stapler with broken staple release mechanism(gray part in front).
Once the broken button is removed put the stapler back together without the screws so you can measure how much of the tongue depressor you need to cut off. The picture below shows a black line where I will make the cut. I used the saw on my Leatherman but you could probably use some other kind of knife.
Now with the cut end of the tongue depressor down inside the stapler. Electrical tape it to the staple tray release lever.
All that is left now is to put the stapler back together and have easy access to releasing the staple tray by pulling the tongue depressor towards the front of the stapler.
Sure this is not the most attractive fix for a stapler but when the budget does not allow for replacements you do what you can to keep things working.
March 21st, 2010 at 2:44 am
Hi-saw your website thought I’d ask: how can I fix my Swingline M/N 211xx that won’t stop running/stapling. Staple tray has dropped down a lot. Took bottom off. About 1/3 from front of stapler insider, there is a small metal post with circular metal wire around it and a little metal round locking piece holding wire on. If I press that down, it stops, but i can’t get it to stay stopped. Thought the little tab to press open the battery cover holder was problem (as it it exactly above the metal post), but it is not. I’ve also put objects in to hold down/depress the metal post but that doesn’t work either, as if not even there. While stapler is running, the post just continues up/down. No way to open inside, case is all one-piece molded. I have no small broken pieces from anywhere inside. It’s running off its adapter, not batteries.
July 28th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
In this same model 21xx where does the long spring attatch to? It came off my grandmother’s and I would like to fix it for her. Can you help? I think it is in the staple tray….