Point Drivers

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I have 3 Fletchers and 1 Red Devil that my husband got me for my birthday in 1976! Love them all for different applications.
 
I have tried a few,Fletchers win every time.
 
The yellow Fletcher (the one that uses the two-pronged "points.") Those fasteners can be bent a limited number of times for easy refitting. They hold better than the others and can be used for unintended purposes - like attaching a liner into a shallow moulding.

With the right tool, they're also easy to remove.
 
The green Fletcher.

The handle has broken twice; the stupid thing jams at least once a week; and the constant jarring loosens the tiny screws which get lost all the time.

Other than that, I love it.
 
I have the black, the green and the yellow fletcher. Each supports a different style point and each has it's place.

I also have one of those brad drivers (you know they "squeeze" the brad in) for things like pastels that you don't want to jar.
 
Have a Red Devil that is older than me (56) - - -
belonged to the previous owner - well worn -

But most of the time use Dulettos - don't seem to jam like the Fletchers did -
 
I have two black Fletchers and a green one.
Never had any problems with the black but the green one jammed the first time I used it.
I stupidly tried taking it apart and had to send it back to Fletcher for reassembly.
They fixed it without question, returned it and it jammed once again...almost immediately.

It is now sits, abandoned at the back of a shelf.
 
i use two modifed black fletchers, i like the feel of that gun, but I modified it to accept the Duetto points which are the same size, so both of my guns now serve double duty, eliminating the need for the green one. The Duetto Points are cheaper too.
 
Love the black fletcher.

I use it to put in Glazer points as well. Bought a box of the small points once and I use it more often than I ever thought I would! Like for hold glass in shadowboxes, and for holding the back glass in on double glazed jobs, (you know the ones we never do because we know better!)
 
Two black and two green fletchers and a yellow Elpa F18. All came with the business when I bought it 18 years ago. United rebuilt the black Fletchers for me 'cuz they're the ones I really use and the springs wear out!
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I got the black framemaster. I was a bit put off that this $70 tool is mostly plastic, but heck, it works well. Can't believe I used to fit by tacking in brads!

BTW, I hate the flexi points I see used often now. I'd tell the customer not to push hard on the glass when cleaning or handling as the points may bend and the fitting become loose.
John
 
I also have the black Fletcher Frame Master Point driver and I think it is great. I often wonder if I should have a flexi-point driver as well...

I bought my first Frame Master Point driver at Lee Valley Tools about 10 years ago when I first started framing. After using it for approximately 6 years, something inside jammed and I tried (unsuccessfully) to take it apart and fix it. I took it to Lee Valley Tools to see if they might know how to fix it (it looked like the spring mechanism had popped off) and they replaced it for me for free, no questions asked! Kudos to their customer service as I certainly wasn't expecting to get a new one after having my old one for so long.

On a side note, I also have tried using the smaller glazier points for holding the glass in shadow boxes, but I find that I can see the ends of them sticking out slightly from the edge of the rabbet. I've tried adjusting the tension knob at the back of the point driver, but I still seem to have them stick out too far. Any suggestions on how I can use them and not see them?
 
Frankly, I don’t know the difference among the various colored Fletchers, but for my “green” one, you are able to insert stacks of triangle shaped points in lieu of the standard diamond ones. This give a much less visible footprint from the front of the frame.
 
When you refer to the fletchers by colors, are these the ones you need a compressor to use?

I don't have a compressor and I have always used the Yellow fletcher gun. It works great, but I'm curious about how many of you use a compressor for your points?

Is it really necessary?


Jennifer
 
Originally posted by J Phipps TN:
When you refer to the fletchers by colors, are these the ones you need a compressor to use?

I don't have a compressor and I have always used the Yellow fletcher gun. It works great, but I'm curious about how many of you use a compressor for your points?

Is it really necessary?


Jennifer
Click to expand...
Only after you've had an employee file for workers comp because of carple tunnel from squeezing the point gun and then refuse to assemble pictures because of "doctors orders" from that point until you can figure out a way to fire her *** without getting sued and you see some of her coworkers look at her and think "Heeyyyyyy, I think maybe my wrist hurts too!."
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But no, they aren't talking about compressor guns.
 
Originally posted by Bill Henry

Frankly, I don’t know the difference among the various colored Fletchers, but for my “green” one, you are able to insert stacks of triangle shaped points in lieu of the standard diamond ones. This give a much less visible footprint from the front of the frame.
Click to expand...
As far as I can tell, my Fletcher FrameMaster is like the one shown in the picture displayed by John Ranes. I can flip over the magazine that holds the normal 5/8" long framers points and insert the 3/8" long Fletcher's glazier points, which look exactly like the framers points, except smaller. See photo below:


framers_and_glaziers_points-medium.jpg


Note: framers point on left, glazier point on the right.

It is this type of glazier point that I tried using to hold glass in a shadow box but I could see the end of it sticking out slightly at the edge of the rabbet.

Karen Haverstock

p.s. sorry if I've gone off on a tangent from the original thread, but I had read Bob Doyle's post about using small points to hold the glass in shadow box...
 
Hey Karen,

I put the glazier points in then with a hammer and putty knife (used as a nail set) tap the points in farther. I put a scrap 1X4 against the frame, hold it in place with my gut and tap the points in farther. Haven't broken any glass yet, nor have I scratched any, but having boasted in print I know that the next one I do will shatter and destroy the finish on the moulding!

They are really there only as a secondary support as the fome core provides additional support.
 
Bill, Black fetcher uses the "regular" points. And the green and yellow use multi-points and flexi points. Don't know which is which as I don't have either, yet.

AND the Point driver one is an old green machine that drives the diamond points. I have a customer that owns one of those, and I bought glazier points for him and by mistake got the ones for my fletcher. Fortuitious mistake!

My Roma F-18 Flexi driver died and I am looking to replace it.


My question is which do Grumblers prefer flexi or multipoints?
 
Thanks for your explanation, Bob. I'll try your method out soon and I hope your explanation to me hasn't jinxed your next project


Karen Haverstock
 
Am I the only one who uses a Senco pnuematic stapler? I use model SFW10, which is a newer version of the SJS I used at another shop before I opened my own biz. no jamming problems, staples are cheap and come in different sizes, you can even get stainless steel staples for stretching canvases (they won't rust and stain the canvas).

Also, I think it's different then the "Duetto by Elettrograf in Italy" Jerry Ervin likes so much, but I had a Salco Duetto pnuematic point driver. It worked great until it died the very day after its 90 day warranty expired. :-(
 
We use Senco pneumatic staplers on most projects. But the Fletcher and the Duetto both work great especially after <a href="http://www.thegrumble.com/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009442;p=1#000000">
modifying</a> the Fletcher.</p>


Although I have had the Duetto pinch the palm of my and a couple of times.</p>


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