Introduction:
The staple gun is a handheld tool designed to fire staples in order to fasten and hold together a variety of materials, such as wood – oak, ash pine, MDF, plywood, chip board, fabrics, veneers, plastics, cardboard, soft metals and alloys. They significantly speed up the work of a user, compared to more traditional methods of working. There are two main types of staplers:
- Pneumatic Staplers – Use compressed air to fire staples, via an attached air hose, which is connected to a compressor.
- Cordless Staplers – Run on batteries and fuel cells, depending on the model. Unlike pneumatic air staplers, they do not require an attached air hose, although they are heavier.
Other staplers include electric staplers and hand staplers, also known as hand compression staplers, squeeze tackers and hand tackers.
Staple guns can be categorised into four main groups. These will generally describe the type of applications that a stapler can and should be used for.
- Upholstery Staplers – A fine wire stapler, this type of tool is used for various upholstering applications. An upholstery stapler can also be produced with a long nose, to enable workers to get into awkward areas and tight spots.
- Framing Staplers – A heavy wire stapler, this tool provides a strong hold and therefore helps in the construction of furniture frames, pallets and other structural applications including general construction. However, due to the size of the staples it fires, it is generally only used in applications where the staples it fires will not be visible.
- Flooring Staplers – Similar to its nailer counterpart, the flooring stapler helps attach hardwood flooring to subfloors, before laying a carpet. The device comes with a mallet, which is used to hammer the stapler and drive staples into the ground. A pneumatic version will help the user drive the staples, whereas a manual version relies solely on the force of the user’s strike.
- Fencing Staplers – When it comes to cordless staplers, the fencing stapler is the market leader. It is almost exclusively the only type of cordless stapler produced and allows a worker to undertake a variety of wiring and fencing applications.
Stapler “Type”:
Almost every pneumatic stapler has a “type”. A stapler's "type" is designed to allow a worker to easily match the tool with the corresponding staples it fires. For example, a type 71 stapler would fire type 71 staples. A stapler's "type" is determined by its crown and wire thickness (gauge). Common examples include type 14, type 17, type 50, type t50, type 71, type 80, type 90, type 92 and type 97 staplers.
Stapler Crown:
Each stapler fires a staple of a specific width. This is known as its "crown". There are three main crown groupings, which partly determine the type of applications a stapler can be used for.
- Narrow Crown Staplers – Designed for applications where only a small amount of space is required to be covered, the narrow width means that when fired, the staples are virtually unnoticeable. This makes them suitable for use in applications where a softer finish is required. These applications include furniture manufacturing, picture framing, shoe manufacturing, exhibition stand construction and glazing.
- Medium Crown Staplers – Covering a wider area than narrow crown staplers, while also providing a more aesthetic finish than wide crown staplers, medium crown staplers are a perfect compromise between the two. This makes them suitable for applications such as furniture manufacturing, upholstery, furniture frames, picture framing, exhibition stand construction and car trim.
- Wide Crown Staplers – Wide crown staplers are designed for applications that require a wider area to be stapled. They do however leave a more noticeable appearance than their narrow crown and medium crown counterparts. Therefore, they are suitable for applications where the finish they provide will not be visible, or their visibility does not matter. These include furniture manufacturing, heavy wood construction and export packaging.
Stapler Wire (Gauge):
The thickness of staple that a stapler fires is known as its gauge. The larger the gauge, numerically, the thinner the wire. For example, an 18 gauge stapler has a thinner wire than a 16 gauge stapler. There are three main groupings for a stapler's wire.
- Fine Wire Staplers – Generally manufactured in 22 gauge, 21 gauge and 20 gauge variations, fine wire staplers leave smaller markings than both medium wire staplers and heavy wire staplers. This makes them less noticeable than their counterparts, but also means they are unable to provide the same level of hold. As a result, they are suitable for use in applications such as furniture manufacturing, picture framing, shoe manufacturing, exhibition stand construction and glazing.
- Medium Wire Staplers – A compromise between fine wire staplers and heavy wire staplers, medium wire staplers provide a middle ground solution between the two. Mostly produced in 19 gauge and 18 gauge variations, they leave smaller markings than heavy wire staplers, whilst providing a greater hold than fine wire staplers. This makes them suitable for use in applications such as furniture manufacturing, furniture frames, picture framing and exhibition stand construction.
- Heavy Wire Staplers – Providing the greatest hold out of all three options, at the expense of also leaving the most visible markings, heavy wire staplers are suitable for use in heavy duty applications, where a strong hold is required and a subtle look is not important. They are usually manufactured in 17 gauge, 16 gauge and 15 gauge variations, and can be used in applications such as furniture frames, sofa frames, all heavy wood construction and timber frame construction.
Safety:
Before using a stapler, a user must make sure they have gone through the correct safety procedures.
- A user should have the relevant training and understanding about the tool they intend to use and how to use it
- The correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should always be worn
- Tools should be inspected, maintained and correctly stored before and after usage
- Staplers should only be equipped with the correct fastenings, otherwise the tool could jam and break
As well as this, some staple guns will have their own integrated safety features, such as the nose needing to be depressed before the gun will fire and also a secondary trigger catch so that the staple gun can’t fire unless the secondary trigger is released first.