A tacky inquiry

[gene]

I've been thinking about tacks versus staples. I often find 'ant trails' of staples in furniture that I am reupholstering. I have never found 'ant trails' of tacks (Internal tacks. I'm not referring to decorative tacks.)

I've seen videos of old upholsters who still spit tacks and when they pick up the pneumatic staple gun they clearly use a lot more staples than the number of tacks they would have used.

Those of you who use or used to use tacks, do you find yourself using a lot more staples?

Why is this? The joy of stapling? Taking out our stress on the furniture? Insecurity about these really thin pieces of metal actually being able to hold the fabric?

Inquiring minds want to know.

gene

[sofadoc]

I'll bet that if you built 2 identical houses side by side, giving 1 crew pneumatic nail guns, and the other crew just hammers and nails, the pneumatic crew would go through more than twice as many nails (even though each joint only calls for a certain number of nails).

One of the most common complaints from novice upholsterers, is the absurd amount of staples the last guy used. I honestly don't pay any attention any more. I couldn't tell you if I just removed a 100 staples, or a 1000. It isn't the number of staples that PO's me. It's the quality of the staples. I hate it when they all break off when you try to pry them out. Say what you will about the cheap crap furniture on the market nowadays. But one good thing that you CAN say, their staples sure pull out easy.

My Grandfather had a terrible habit of using whatever size tacks he happened to have in his mouth at the time. He might drive #12's into a very delicate area, or #4's into a high stress area.

Driving too many staples just because it's easier to pull a trigger is only human nature. I liken it to the way that a motorcycle driver pays more attention to the road that an automobile driver.

[mike802]

When I first started I used tacks, they sure are cheaper than staples and all the equipment to drive them, but staples pay for themselves in time saved.  That being said, I only use the amount of staples needed to get the upholstery on smoothly, some fabrics take more staples than others to apply without dimples.  I am not sure about staples breaking because they are cheap, or because the wood used is so hard?  I have noticed on chairs I stripped where the staples all broke, the staples I applied broke also when I had to remove them and I am using high quality staples, of course any staple shot into plywood will almost fall out.  It sure is a lot easier to shot three staples than hammer in three tacks, so yea more staples get used than tacks, especially in an assembly line situation.

[MinUph]

I have often said that any Upholsterer should learn with tacks. I know many of you will not agree but the reasoning behind it is that spitting tacks you tend to use less and do a better job. Relying on more staples to get the draws out is not the answer to the problem. Putting the fabric on correctly is the way to eliminate most tack draws. I spit tacks for probably 20 or so years and still do when I need to, before going to the stapler. I still use less staples than most and my work is smoother than most. No blowing my own horn here just stating a fact. I remember my Dad saying if you have draws fix the problem. Putting more tacks in will just make more. He was right.
  I do agree that a stapler either electric or air allows trigger happiness. :)

[scottymc]

You can tell how old the last one to upholster the chair was by the amount of staples, the young gun assumes that he is never going to make a mistake, the old guy has ripped off to many covers and is no longer amused by the sound of the staple gun. :)

[sofadoc]

Personally, if I had to choose between too many staples, or too few, I'd opt for too many. I've never felt like I had to add staples to eliminate pulls, but I've seen quite a few sofas that had loose cardboard tack strip because they used too few staples when they installed it originally.

With the cheap, soft-wood sofas being made now, sometimes extra staples are necessary because they pull out so easily.

My pet-peeve, is too many frame staples. Factories seem to think that shooting 7 or 8 frame staples into a single joint will somehow make up for the fact that every one of them missed the adjoining board on the other side.

[byhammerandhand]

My pet-peeve, is too many frame staples. Factories seem to think that shooting 7 or 8 frame staples into a single joint will somehow make up for the fact that every one of them missed the adjoining board on the other side.

[gene]

Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate the comments.

I learned with a pneumatic staple gun. I have never had a tack in my mouth. With all my years of wilderness hiking and wilderness canoeing, I've had a few ticks in my mouth, but never a tack. Tic Tacs yes, but not a tack. I got punched in the mouth once that gave my cheek a tic for awhile, but... anyway, you get the point.


I started paying attention to 'why' I staple where I staple a few months ago and realized just what Paul said, I would sometimes pull too hard on the fabric, staple, then try to adjust the rest of the fabric with MORE staples.

I am finding that my work goes smoother and easier with my focus on getting the fabric cut and pulled correctly, then simply secure with staples. I can see where I would have learned this nuance earlier if I had started out with tacks like you all have mentioned.

Thanks again,

gene

[DDandJ]

I'm with you Gene.  I, too, have always used a pneumatic staple gun.  I do own a tack hammer.  Just a cheap one I bought from the local JoAnn's.  Occasionally I'll use a tack when temporarily tacking but I've never upholstered with tacks.

I, too, have pulled the fabric too hard and tried to compensate with more staples.  I'm working on pulling the fabric correctly using my whole hands instead of just fingers.  Pulling, smoothing and, at the same time, avoiding puckers is challenging but I'm bound and determined to get there.

I'm currently working on a set of four Parson's chairs.  By paying attention, cutting correctly and watching my pulling and smoothing I can say the second chair turned out a lot better than the first.  I anticipate the third and fourth chairs will be a little better even still.

Now that I think of it, we should try to persuade Paul and Dennis to do some Youtube videos since they are the furniture experts.  Think they'll take the bait?  ;)
Jeremy

[sofadoc]

Now that I think of it, we should try to persuade Paul and Dennis to do some Youtube videos since they are the furniture experts.  Think they'll take the bait?  ;)

Don't let Gene fool you. He could certainly shoot some "How-to" videos himself.

We have another member here  who has quite a few nice videos on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOM7FTJfeG8

Like the rest of you, I've perused countless upholstery videos on Youtube. Some of them can be very frustrating because they gloss over the tricky parts. Or they have poor lighting, focus, shaky camera, etc..

I'm afraid that any video that I put together would be too amateurish. I can cover a couch, but a filmmaker I ain't. Youtube certainly doesn't need any more poor quality instructional videos. 

As for driving too many staples, if that helps you to hone your skills, I say "Fire away". As your technique develops, you'll gradually reduce your # of shots.

I barely remember spitting tacks on a semi-regular basis (I may be old, but I'm not ancient like Paul ;)).

I've told this story before. The day my Grandmother acquired her first electric stapler was the day that she realized that she no longer had any use for my Grandfather, and his tack-spitting ability. They divorced soon thereafter. The only item that they fought over at their divorce hearing, was that electric stapler.