Question What kind of Stapler do you use to stretch canvas?????

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Modigity

Modigity

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
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Wanting to start doing more canvas work, have been doing my own prints but usually farm out the stretching. Want to start doing it myself but wondering what kind of stapler you use, Standard Stanley, pneumatic, electric specailt or what?
 
I use a Senco pneumatic with the 1/4" or 5/16" staples. I don't like the electric staplers that I have used. Sometimes the staples aren't shot in all the way and have to be tapped in with a hammer and the electric ones seem to be harder on the hands with kickback.
 
You might just barely get away with an electric stapler if you are using very soft pine bars, but for quality basswood bars or anything heavier you really need a pneumatic gun.

The 3/8" crown upholstery guns supposedly don't fracture the frame and tear the canvas less, if you are buying a gun for stretching get one of those. But I have also used common 18 gauge by 5/16" and 3/8" inch long stapes and those seem to work OK too. If you are willing to do a little extra pounding the manual staplers can be used, but they are murder on old hands.

FWIW if you are planning to make gallery wraps get a pliers like this with protrusions that go past the jaws. You can use these in an almost vertical position when stretching on a table. It's much easier than most of the stretching pliers out there that are still optimized for stapling to the sides.

http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?item=34179

edit...

this is a good 3/8 crown gun. The long nose would work with a Tensador stretcher if you ever got one, most other stretchers don't need the long nose. I have a Chinese import now that literally shakes it's screws loose and is showing heavy wear after not much use, I will order the Fasco soon...

http://www.floydtool.com/f1b8016ln.htm
 
Unlike the other manual staplers which really kill your hands, my employees convinced me several years ago to try a PowerShot. It's WONDERFUL. You can find them at hardware stores like Lowes or online. They use a reverse action and are MUCH MUCH easier to squeeze. Sooooooo much easier on the hand than other manual staplers.

All good things have drawbacks. Downsides are:
1) They hit the staples a little softer than other manual staplers, so I always keep a hammer handy to make sure the staples are all the way flat against the canvas/stretcher bar;
2) They wear out/break far more frequently. I replace mine about every year and a half.

But the convenience far outweighs the cost. I sometimes stretch 20 canvases at a go. My hands would be killing me after doing 3 or 4 with a regular stapler, but I can easily do 20 without a problem with the PowerShot.
 
When I started out I had a Bostich pneumatic stapler with the wide-crown staples. It served me faithfully for 15 years before packing up. I then bought a Paslode using a similar staple and that was a piece of junk which never fired its way through a full clip without jamming a couple of times.

Current one is another yellow Bostich which is as rugged and reliable as its predecessor was.

The only downside is my air is set fairly high for my V-nailer and if I am not careful the staples will blow right through the canvas. I have learned to beat this by holding the gun at a slight angle from vertical so that only one lip of the mouth touches the canvas with the other a millimetre or so away. This drives the staple in far enough without cutting.
 
I use the Porter Cable Model US58t2 stapler (3/8").

The stapler is about $100.00 and the staples are c-he-a-p:

5/32 - $42.00 (Box of 60,000)
3/16 - $35.00 (Box of 55,000)
1/4 - $20.00 (Box of 35,000)
5/16 - $21.00 (Box of 28,000)
3/8 - $21.00 (Box of 50,000)
1/2 - $22.00 (Box of 35,000)

Check it out HERE.
 
Senco with 3/8 crown. Easy on the hands, and light but strong. I have another Jarlesburg (sp?) with a long nose, and use this one for longer staples and for toenailing liners and strainers. I use the Sence 90% of the time.
 
If you are doing a lot of stretching then pneumatic is the way to go. If you need a good little manual stapler, I recommend the Rapid R23.
 
I went the pneumatic route, thanks all. picked up a Craftsmen 22 guage that shoots 1/2 and 3/8 inch crowns. pretty good deal they were on sale last weekend for 100 bucks, 100 dollars cheaper than the senco one I was thinking of and pretty much the same thing.
 
If you go manual you're pushing on the right end of the stapler when you use one of these Easy-fire Sears staplers:
00968514000-1
 
we use pnuematics Senco SJS with 3/8 staples and Senco SFW10 with 3/8 staples....the SFW10 uses a slightly wider staple.
 
I see a lot of you use 3/8" staples. I've always used 1/4" because they are easier to remove if, and when, something goes awry.

How do you remove the staples with longer legs easily and without damaging the canvas?
 
I use a Craftsman pneumatic stapler that I picked up at Sears. The main reason I prefer pneumatic over manual is that sometimes in the process of leaning on a manual stapler it can wander around and the staple doesn't go where I want it. This is especially true if I'm doing a lot of stretching and my hands are getting tired...
 
The reason for using wide crowns like 3/8 and 1/2 is because there is a slight tendency for the staples to tear the canvas at the corners of the staples. If the crown were smaller than that, the legs of the staples might tear the canvas all the way across the narrow crown.

Tearing is less of a problem with wire stapes which have a rounded profile than with stapes like T-50's that have a squarish profile. Tearing usually only happens when you drive the staple into a particularly soft part of the bars, it's not a common problem and not a problem at all with crowns 3/8" and wider.

3/8" is probably optimum because you can also drive the staples vertically into the sides of bars that aren't very deep. This can useful with certain techniques for wrapping at the corners.

You probably only need 3/8" deep staples for wrapping. However, if your shop air pressure is set pretty high slightly longer legs can prevent the staple from driving too deep.
 
Oh, crown width. That makes sense, our pneumatic staplers use a 3/8" crown staple as well. What about leg length then? Is there a preference?
 
Jeff Rodier said:
Quarter inch for stretching canvas.
Click to expand...

True enough...with good technique where you trim the excess canvas at the corners before stapling. 1/4" staples are easy to remove with one pry from a chisel if you ever need to.

However, if you are doing slam-dunk speed wrapping as in this famous video, think 3/8" to 1/2" long staples to penetrate the 5+ layers of canvas the technique creates near the corners.
 
Just did a couple with 20 guage 1/2" staples and much better than with the 18 gauge 1/4" inch staples. thanks for the info guys and gals.
 
As regards removing staples for years I had a Bostich staple remover which had a die-cast body and a tool-steel blade which was perfectly shaped to slip under a staple and lift it out.

Like many useful tools it is no longer made but I made a serviceable replacement from a cheap straight bladed screwdriver. I ground the tip to a smoothly rounded point and sharpened it then used a hammer and curved anvil to belt the last half-inch of the blade into a slight curve. It works a treat.
 
Hansen tacker #35 well bulit is 35 years old was designed & built to last.
Hate to give it up but I may have to buy a new stapler also.

I am having hard time finding staples.. I used to order United 2640 but have not been able to get them for awhile..
some other #'s for staples that fit were #3-516, #516, #T35, #34T, #416D, #3-14D

It takes a divergent pointed wire staple 1/4" 3/16" and 5/16"
I have been told it can use swinglline 101 staple but can't seem to find them....if any knows where there are any let me know.
 
Did I miss something or you all using just regular staples. I always use stainless, thought that was the conservation standard or does this relate to your perception of the "quality" of the artwork?
 
Senco staples do not rust. Been using them for over 30 years and never seen rust except where there is a very large amount of water dmage on the canvas itself.
 
Terry Hart cpf said:
I always use stainless, thought that was the conservation standard...
Click to expand...

Stainless steel is probably best, but "Monel" finished staples are also acceptable for preservation framing applications. Ordinary steel staples are generally coated one way or another, but most of them will rust over time.
 
I have a Powershot Pro stapler and an Arrow Manual. Sometimes it'll leave a slight gap that I gently tap down with my hammer.

I've never been happy with pneumatic staplers because of the damage it does to the canvas. It always seems to go too deep and cut into the fabric.

If you use pneumatic and it isn't doing this, tell me what you're doing right.
 
Adjust the pressure on your compressor. Senco recommends pressures of as low as 40 PSI.
 
janetj1968 said:
I have a Powershot Pro stapler and an Arrow Manual. Sometimes it'll leave a slight gap that I gently tap down with my hammer.

I've never been happy with pneumatic staplers because of the damage it does to the canvas. It always seems to go too deep and cut into the fabric.

If you use pneumatic and it isn't doing this, tell me what you're doing right.
Click to expand...
I keep my compressor regulator at about 80lbs. but I also have a mini regulator with quick connect fittings that I can just pop in ahead of the staple gun and I can turn it down to whatever minimum pressure I need for the job.
 
The easiest fix is to use staples with longer legs, they won't drive as deep with the same pressure.

I run stapler off one of those cheap quiet compressors which lives right under the worktable, no trouble at all the tweak the regulator. But I plan to install a mini-regulator anyway, which will cut down on the frequent pump cycling you get when working at lower pressures on the compressor itself.
 
Shorten the driver until the staples are driven in to just the right depth. I was able to get it right on my current stapler by emptying the staples, pulling and holding the trigger and grinding the end off flush to the gun. My previous stapler (I've worn out about 6 over the past 30 years) required me to dissassemble the gun and grind down the driver even further. Once you've got the driver length right you can crank up the air until every staple is driven in to the same depth no matter how hard the wood is. "Upholstery" staplers are for fabric over foam and meant to drive the staples a little too far for canvas on wood.
 
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