Working with Vinyl

[Ageorge]

So, having completed quite a few jobs working with vinyl, and recycled leather now (pretty much the same as vinyl). I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as far as the staples going right through when I'm trying to pull it tight. I ease up when I staple, but then I feel like it's not tight enough. Part of me is worried that in year, people will be coming back in with fabric that is loose on the furniture. I can definitely say I always feel like my least favorite jobs and the work I feel is the worst is when the piece is covered in vinyl. Will it just get better with experience? Are there any tricks for this? I especially notice it when I'm doing outside backs/arms when first applying the vinyl to the top (before putting on the cardboard tack strip. In some cases, the cardboard would mess it up. I've since learned about the plastic covers for the metal tack strips (AFTER doing 13 vinyl chairs for a doctors office) but it's still frustrating. Any tips would be appreciated!

[kodydog]

Put on safety glasses. Point the gun away from you and pull the trigger. Hold the trigger down and look at the tip where the striker comes out. If it protrudes more than 1/32  it may need to be ground or filed down. Take a little off at a time and try it till you get the operation you want.

[SHHR]

A tight fitting cover look great as far as astethics. When you pull a cover on tight around the backside or corners to staple them, it is esentially pulling the material thinner at those areas which makes a staple easy to punch through the vinyl. Another thing you may never even notice is, when you have the vinyl in one hand tugging and pulling to get a nice tight fit and the stapler in the other trying to fasten it, you, out of instintct natrually put more downward pressure on the staple gun causing a pull through as well.
A few tip:
1. Make an effort to ease up on the staple gun pressure, (sometimes it does require a little more on corners where you may have several layers of vinyl.)
2. if you're using an air stapler, check and play with your incoming air pressure. I have a wall mounted regulator, and many of my tools run at 80-90 PSI. many times I just hook up the stapler and bang away with it. However 40-45 PSI will give much better results not to mention make the stapler last longer.
3. Many will file the anvil down on their staplers. If you pull the trigger you'll more than likely notice that the anvil that drives the staples out extends way past the nose of the gun. Simply removing a little material there will help with the staples driving in too deep. Just do this cautiously though. Too much removal and you have a junk stapler.
4. Tight fitting covers look great, But ask yourself is it really neccesary for the application. First of all, how do you pull out wrinkles? you use heat. You may try to lighten up on the tightness of the cover then put some heat to it to draw it in in specific areas. I do alot of boats and motorcyle seats. And not to say they look horrible and loose, but I wont put the covers on real tight because the main use of them are out doors in the hot summer. Within one season the natural heat of the sun usually will tighten them up nicely. I've seen many covers of this type fit to be tight as a drum, then within a year or two all of the stitches are pulling and look ready to pop.
Kyle

[sofadoc]

You can also turn down the air pressure some when working with vinyl/leather if you're having a problem with the staples cutting through it.


Oops, didn't see Kyle's post. Very thorough!

[bobbin]

Excellent post, Kyle!  I am new to the pneumatic stapler and your comments about turning down the air pressure and using a wall mounted regulator to do it were most helpful. 

My  brother is familiar with the requirements for pneumatic tools (automotive guy) and he piped the air into my shop for me (overhead), but the only regulator is located on the compressor (downstairs) so one in the shop would be very handy. 

I was also interested in what you said about using heat to soften and mold the vinyl into shape.  Do you use a heat gun to do that?  I don't own one and use the one in the shop only sparingly, mostly to soften up side curtains that have stored rolled and have flattened.  I have been thinking about adding one to  my personal arsenal. 

(how's the elbow?)

[SHHR]

Bobbin, The elbow is fine now. I'm now still playing catch-up though.
  As for the air, another tip too. Many put their regulator and filter/water trap right at the compressor, but you would do well to have those items at the least 10-12 foot away from the compressor. The reason being is compressing air generates a lot of heat and with that draws in humidity. If you have the trap to close to the compressor tank the humidity (still in vapor form) will go right through the filters and into your tools. That's not too big of a deal for most of you guys, but I have a commercial compressor and most of my power tools are air operated. This is escpecially a problem if you spray finishes. You'll end up with moisture in the air lines and into the finish. Keeping the regulator and trap away from the compressor will allow the heated air to cool a bit and condense the humidity back to liquid and the the trap will do it's job much better.
  Yes, too I just use heat. Not all the time either just where it's needed on a given cover. and be careful with using a heat gun! It's a souped up hair dryer and will turn a piece of vinyl to mush in no time not to mention what it'll do to your skin!
Kyle

[MinUph]

A reminder about grinding down the driver blade on a stapler. It is not the way to fix the problem of the blade moving past the end of the nose. The part that's bad is a stopper located inside the cylinder and costs under 10 bucks to fix the problem properly. Once you grind down the blade it has to be replaced also. The stopper will deteriorate.

[bobbin]

I would like to ask more about the regulator and water trap placement.  At present I drain water from my pancake compressor and use the regulator on it to adjust pressure.  I use the compressor to power the solenoid on my Juki (operates the automatic presser foot lift and the knives) and that requires more pressure than my staple gun.  It's also at the end of the PVC run along the ceiling.  I have 2 or 3 more quick release fittings along that ceiling run that I can tap into.

Seems to me that a regulator/trap/drain would have to be located on a horizontal run?  Or is there a way to install one on the vertical run that leads to the ceiling?  Aside from putting one on the ceiling run that would be only way to get 10-12' away from the compressor. 

Or, could I add a regulator to the end of the stapler hose that plugs into the ceiling fitting, so the presssure is regulated only to the stapler?

[SHHR]

Bobbin, in your case using a pancake type compressor. I would personallykeep things as they are with your air lines, but you can pick up a mini regulator at harbor freight or a tool sale place pretty cheap. you install that right on the end of the tool you're regulating, then your airline plugs into that. You just adjust to desired pressure and work away. They're only a couple of inches long and don't add too much bulk or weight to the tool being used. If that's a problem, just run a dedicated line off of your main run of air lines with a regulator.
Kyle

[bobbin]

I believe your first suggestion is going to be the answer, Kyle.  Thanks!

[bobbin]

Today I "dealt with" the compressor (bled the tank and drained the water) and made smaller hoses out of the very long orange one.  I had been putting it off for a pretty long time now but did I really need 35' of coiled air hose to bring compressed air to the regulator on my Juki? (lol).  I had most of the fittings, but needed the male portion that screws onto the barb fitting in the hose.  I picked those up at the hardware store, came home and finished the project.  I knew I needed something to provide the connection to the coupler, but I kept looking at the barb fitting and thinking the threaded end went into the hose (like, duh!), the second guy at the hardware store "put me straight" on the fitting and what part I really needed.  We had a good laugh about it and I learned something, too!  Thank you, Kyle and Sofa., for" lighting the fire". 

I will save the purchase of another regulator for a day when tourist traffic isn't so heavy.  And, I'm going to explore the possibilities of using air for painting and interesting finishes.  (really appeals to me). 

Note to self:  the cheap orange hose sucks (that's why it was cheap).  It's too rigid to be easily handled and I suspect the purchase of some quality rubber hose is in order... .  Can you purchase quality rubber hose by the foot? any suggestions about where to order it?

[SHHR]

On air line hose, You can buy them in about any pre-made length. I use a 40' for my main line and have a dedicated one I only use with my spray gun on a dedicated regulator filter assembly for painting puposes only. I would go to an auto parts store that has a good supply of auto body supplies or sells auto body paint (something other than an autozone, oreilly, etc.) most of your NAPA's or other what I call real parts stores can get you air line to make up yourself. If that doesn't work check TCPGlobal.com and see what they have available.
Kyle