Looking for a high quality pneumatic staple gun

[Rich]

Does anyone have experience with a good staple gun that is still available? I'm particularly interested in one that will resist jamming. My Duo-Fast guns do this as well as a Rainco gun I've had for a few years. I'm using 50 series staples and it doesn't seem to matter if they are brand name or off-brand staples, if they hit another staple, they will break leaving one leg of the staple jammed alongside the plunger.
Thanks,
Rich

[sofadoc]

I've never used 50 series.

I don't have that problem with 71 series. But the 71 series is 22 gauge, 3/8" crown, so it may not be suitable for you if you've been accustomed to 50 series (which is 20 gauge, 1/2" crown).

Is there a particular reason why you prefer a wider thicker staple? I know that the 71's do tend to cut through vinyl.

[Rich]

[quoteIs there a particular reason why you prefer a wider thicker staple? I know that the 71's do tend to cut through vinyl.][/quote]

Yes, I do vinyl almost exclusively. I have noticed that if I'm holding the gun at an angle to the stapling surface, the edge of the staple can cut the vinyl. I have to make sure that the staples go straight into the wood so the crown lies flat on the vinyl. Also, if the wood is particularly hard, like particle board, it can be challenging to not cut the vinyl, so a thicker staple seems to be better. Having said that, I see many manufacturers do use the thinner staples on vinyl. So, I don't know, but I do have a good supply of 50 series staple I don't want to end up being unused if that's a good enough reason to stay with that style.
Rich

[kodydog]

Couldn't you take the striker from the 71 series and file it down ever so slightly. Just enough so it will not cut the vinyl. Good idea? Bad idea?

[sofadoc]

Rich:
Is this a problem that you've always had? Or has it gradually evolved as your guns got older?

Just wondering if the driver has too much play.

But I do seem to hear a lot of people say that the quality of staples (whether name-brand or generic) ain't what it used to be. Seems like it gets harder every year to remove staples without breaking them off. And pulling them out of particle board.......forget it!

Couldn't you take the striker from the 71 series and file it down ever so slightly. Just enough so it will not cut the vinyl. Good idea? Bad idea?

A lot of people that mainly do vinyl work (with a "71" gun) do indeed file their drivers. So I would say good idea. But it doesn't help him use up his stash of 80 series staples.

Before replacing your whole set-up, you might gamble first on a new driver assembly:

http://www.floydtool.com/stapler_parts.htm#fasco

[Darren Henry]

Couldn't you take the striker from the 71 series and file it down

I've had to do this a  few times on 14 and 71 series staplers. A couple of my older 1400's actually wore the nose down that I had to dress it and square up/shorten the driver. We just bought a new 71 series and the driver actually protruded almost an 1/8th of an inch.---Do the math folks. Not good, even in fabric as the staples were actually embedded in the wood.

I would caution against removing the driver to file it for fear of over doing it. What I've always done was hook the gun up and hold the trigger down. This holds the driver at BDC. I then take it over the grind stone until it is just flush with the nose. I have had to remove the driver and gently file a burr off the corner of the driver afterwards. Bad steel?, too much gap?, too course a stone? I don't know but it has happened to me but much safer to clean up a corner than to dress the whole face "free-hand".

[Rich]

Thanks for the replies, I'll look at the driver blade to see if it needs to be ground to reduce the possibility of cutting the vinyl.
Sofa, the guns have some years on them, but the Rainco gun did it when it was still quite new and I have replaced the drive blade on the Duo-Fast. I was wondering if there are better guns to use even if I did have supply them with new staple sizes.
Thanks,
Rich

[Rich]

Kody, you had the right idea, and Darren your method was just what did the trick! Since I ground the driver blade using Darren's method, I have not cut the vinyl, even when stapling at an angle and no staples have jammed between the driver blade and the groove it slides in. I never thought about this being an issue. What a relief to a frustrating problem.
Thank you Kody and Darren!
Rich

[Darren Henry]

You're most welcome. I'm glad I was able to help.

[kodydog]

Had an odd thing happen Monday, while using my staple gun the driver blade broke in half. Never saw that happen before. I borrowed one from an old gun and fixed her up.

[Darren Henry]

I've never heard of that either, and I've owned and/or used some very very old guns and some really cheap ones. I've seen the plastic piston or the pin connecting it to the blade fail----but never a blade.