# staple gun for fencing



## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

In the next week i plan to start build a fence with field wire. Is there a staple gun out there i can use to secure it? I am having a hard time finding one heavy duty enough.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Not one I have ever seen. You buy staples by the pound and pound them in with a hammer or fence pliers.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Paslode makes both a pneumatic and battery powered models. They demonstrate them going into pine posts. They do well. Don't know how well they would perform in hardwood though.


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## Tom VH (Oct 15, 2010)

How about a sheathing stapler? !/2" crown, galvanized,, 16 gauge, either pneumatic or "Paslode" makes a cordless gun. For pneumatic, you'd need a gas compressor or compressor and generator, (have, rent or borrow). If you don't have a huge fence project, a hammer and bulk staples, is a good way to go.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Use REAL fence staples and a hammer or you risk them pulling out


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

get the staples that have barbs on them.....they stay in good. They are harder to hammer in, but they don't come loose. Sorry....don't know of a simple easy way to do it. A smooth shank staple will not hold.


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

Ugh...staples.

I ran my garden fence by myself last week and banged my left thumb/hand SO many times...but I got 'er done!

Sorry, I know that's no help but I had to chime in with it anyway.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I ran my garden fence by myself last week and banged my left thumb/hand SO many times...but I got 'er done


I sometimes hold them with a pair of needle nosed pliers if my thumb can't take any more abuse 

It can also help to bend the staples a little to close up the gap if they are spread to far.

It's aggravating, but if you do it RIGHT *the first time*, it can last 40 years or more


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I sometimes hold them with a pair of needle nosed pliers if my thumb can't take any more abuse
> 
> It can also help to bend the staples a little to close up the gap if they are spread to far.
> 
> It's aggravating, but if you do it RIGHT *the first time*, it can last 40 years or more


+1 here. Get some pliers and just do it right.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

There are a couple other options to make the job a bit easier.

Staple Driver: insert a staple in one end and smack the other end with a hammer









Hired-Hand Driver: this gismo holds a strip of staples and automtically feeds them one by one


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## braggscowboy (Jan 6, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> There are a couple other options to make the job a bit easier.
> 
> Staple Driver: insert a staple in one end and smack the other end with a hammer
> 
> ...


Dang, they think of everything any more. Looks like it work to get steeple started, steeples are what Okies call them. How could America lag behind any country with all the smart people who are always thinking of a better way. When driving in a hard post, be careful and wear safety glasses. I knew a old person who had one eye, steeple bounced back and hit him in the eye. Got to watch the roosters also, my mom had one eye all of her life because a rooster flogged her. Good place to put that in with all the chicken people on here with kids and grandkids.


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## VERN in IL (Nov 30, 2008)

anyone make a Pneumatic staple gun for fencing?:runforhills:

Imagine if they had something like that...



> What happened to your hand a guy asked. "oh I was just nailing in my fence and the dang staple hit a knot and got me in the center of the hand."


:grit:


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

braggscowboy said:


> Dang, they think of everything any more. Looks like it work to get steeple started, steeples are what Okies call them. How could America lag behind any country with all the smart people who are always thinking of a better way. When driving in a hard post, be careful and wear safety glasses. I knew a old person who had one eye, steeple bounced back and hit him in the eye. Got to watch the roosters also, my mom had one eye all of her life because a rooster flogged her. Good place to put that in with all the chicken people on here with kids and grandkids.


I like the bottom one.

Is that a "steeple" feeder mechanism, in the handle?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

VERN in IL said:


> anyone make a Pneumatic staple gun for fencing?:runforhills:
> 
> Imagine if they had something like that...
> 
> ...


[YOUTUBE]8Dz-CmWZZkE[/YOUTUBE]


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

plowjockey said:


> I like the bottom one.
> 
> Is that a "steeple" feeder mechanism, in the handle?


Yes, it's like a magazine for a gun except it holds staples.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> [YOUTUBE]8Dz-CmWZZkE[/YOUTUBE]


CF, I have a serious problem with the way this guy is driving staples. You never want to drive the staple all the way tight. You need to staple loose to allow for stretching and tightening the wire. By it's nature, wood can differ greatly in hardness. You would never be able to adjust such a device to properly set the staple every time.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

really it is not that hard to use your hammer and if your scared your going to hit your fingers use plyers to hold the staple until you learn to hammer, 

by the time you drag all the other around my guess is you will just end up using a hammer and loose staples in time, either get a pail with a nice handle and put your staples in it about 1/5 full and you can put most of your tools in it that as well, Hammer and fence plyers, cutters if needed, and you can walk your fence and easily carry your tools with you, for repairs, even if you drive nice to be able to get out and take your bucket with you and many times one will find more repairs so taking the bucket with one helps, 
I just use the bucket and hammer for building fence as well, going to be building some 3/4 mile of fence next week and I would not even consider using a nailer and I have worked as a professional carpenter/builder for 30 years, and have a good number of nailer's and staplers, but not for wire fence, and am no young buck either,


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

CIW said:


> Paslode makes both a pneumatic and battery powered models. They demonstrate them going into pine posts. They do well. Don't know how well they would perform in hardwood though.



.....................This......my Paslode would shoot like 14 ga, staples , 1\2" wide and 1 5\8' long. The air compressor that you need is one that will produce ~120 psi and low volume .........these air powered models work off a high pressure and each trigger pull doesn't take much volume ! 
.....................In fact I would usually turn the pressure down too 90 psi because anything higher will drive the staples in too deep and often cut the wire in half . The old fashioned , Hammer driven staples do work , but , quite often the legs will "spread eagle" and achieve very little Depth which correlates too "LACK of holding power" . Once you use a Paslode staple gun for fencing you'll never go back to the old way . , fordy


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> You never want to drive the staple all the way tight. You need to staple loose to allow for stretching and tightening the wire. By it's nature, wood can differ greatly in hardness. You would never be able to adjust such a device to properly set the staple every time.


All that just needed repeating


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

Cabin Fever said:


> There are a couple other options to make the job a bit easier.
> 
> Staple Driver: insert a staple in one end and smack the other end with a hammer
> 
> ...


Ah, maaaaaaaaaaaan!!!

It never occurred to me to see if there was anything available to HOLD the staples! _(drops head in ignorance) _

Oh well, it's done.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I use fencing pliers to hold the staple. I thought the little cutout near the tip of the jaws was made for holding them, plus grabbing wire.


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

hippygirl said:


> Ugh...staples.
> 
> I ran my garden fence by myself last week and banged my left thumb/hand SO many times...but I got 'er done!
> 
> Sorry, I know that's no help but I had to chime in with it anyway.


Use a pair of pliers to hold the staple. I do this with smal nails. I developed a fondness for finger nails.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

JUST seemed ironic. Homesteading, get back to basics, then looking for a machine to replace the most basic, a hammer. Kind of like haveing one cow and buying a milking machine. I find it amusing. Not trying to be judgemental just an observation. To each their own.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

bruce2288 said:


> JUST seemed ironic. Homesteading, get back to basics, then looking for a machine to replace the most basic, a hammer. Kind of like haveing one cow and buying a milking machine. I find it amusing. Not trying to be judgemental just an observation. To each their own.


You're gonna find this hard to believe, but there are people on this forum who own circular saws, tablesaws, cordless drills, belt sanders, and impact wrenches, too!


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## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

Just because you are getting back to to the basics doesn't mean you have to revert back to hand drills and stone grain grinders lol. Modern day convience sure can make a job go quick and look nice


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

Nn need to justify this to me. I own powertools, modern farm equipment and use electric lights.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

for some of us, this isn't about being able to hold the staple and hammer it in correctly. I can do that just fine, for a short while. An arthritic right wrist limits me to about an hour of painful hammering and with about 3 - 4 miles of fencing still needed, one of these power staplers sounds like a great idea. thanks to whoever posted the Paslode info.


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## RedSonja (May 16, 2010)

shdybrady said:


> Just because you are getting back to to the basics doesn't mean you have to revert back to hand drills and stone grain grinders lol. Modern day convience sure can make a job go quick and look nice


We own several hand drills and use them on a regular basis. There are some things that just go better with hand tools. Hubby also loves his collection of hand planers, some of them from his gr-grandfather's shop.

That said, we also have a table saw, drill press, band saw, grinder, electric planer, and lots more. And cordless drills that get used plenty as well.

Thanks for the Paslode info, whomever posted it. Interesting but expensive. I think the Hired Hand driver is what I will try if I can find it.

-Sonja


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

bruce2288 said:


> JUST seemed ironic. Homesteading, get back to basics, then looking for a machine to replace the most basic, a hammer. Kind of like haveing one cow and buying a milking machine. I find it amusing. Not trying to be judgemental just an observation. To each their own.


The irony was not lost on me, either. 

Power tools definitely have their place, we own our share of them, too. But some air tool can't adjust its impact appropriately like a person with a brain swinging a hammer. Building fence builds character and gives one some "deep thinking" time, IMHO.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I would think you could use the staple holder posted by Cabin Fever in a Dewalt hammer drill and drive the staple into the post. For those that are unaware there is a right way to orient the staple into the post to aid in the staple ends to turn/clinch and anchor the staple.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

If you are twenty years old. Yes. Some of us more seasoned folks are looking for "work smarter, not harder."


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

I have not read every post but be sure and drive the staples at an angle. If you drive them straight up and down, it makes a small split in the post and the staple will back out. *IF* you don't need to remove them, use barbed staples on an angle. They tear up lots of wood *IF* you have to pull them out.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

power tools are great - when you have power. Love them when I can use them, but an air tank only holds so much air, can only run so much feet of cord before you don't have enough power to kick on the compressor (I've done 400 feet with a 110 compressor, only 100 ft with a 220 compressor). 

Our generator is PTO driven, and already on a trailer, so it is feasible to pull it with the tractor and hook the small trailer behind the generator with the compressor loaded on it, and make the rounds. 

When we first moved to WI, we rented a gas generator as we had no electricity there yet. Darn thing was not powerful enough to kick on the big 220 compressor (they don't take much to run, but a LOT to start). So we bought the smaller 110 compressor, though it had a hard time keeping up the the framing nailer. No way were we going to be doing all that pounding with a hammer!

I love that unit Cabin Fever posted, when I'm ready to put up fencing for goats, I'm going to get me one of those!


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

IMO after looking at the pasload air stapler, the staples are short, they would not hold well in most of my wood posts, I use 1 3/4" or 2" staples, on barbed wire, 

those of the pasload are between 1 3/16" to 1 9/16" depending on the unit, 

If everthing is new it may be ok, but on older posts and some weathering on them I think there would be a lot of maintance on the staples,

and the prices on the staplers are not really on the econimical side of things, from what I see.


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

farminghandyman said:


> IMO after looking at the pasload air stapler, the staples are short, they would not hold well in most of my wood posts, I use 1 3/4" or 2" staples, on barbed wire,
> 
> those of the pasload are between 1 3/16" to 1 9/16" depending on the unit,
> 
> If everthing is new it may be ok, but on older posts and some weathering on them I think there would be a lot of maintance on the staples,


I noticed the same thing. Looked mighty short to me. I use 1 3/4 or 2".
Always galvanised.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

I know a way to get around the wood-post-staple issue: Use t-posts.


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

We have one electric stable gun and two that hook up to the air compressor, which is on wheels and portable. We haven't had to use a hammer on staples except for the super huge ones. For regular fencing we usually just drag the air compressor along with us. Yep, we're lazy!


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

How often do you have to refill your compressor? Or do you tote a generator along with you?


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

Three words: Long extension cord! 

We do have a generator also, but haven't ever got that far from a power outlet when building fence.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Makes me wonder what the fencers have been using - they are replacing all the fencing along the interstate. Every other post is wood. Never seen them with anything big like the paslode, and never seen a genertor out there either. 

They do use plenty of machines to make the job easier, but the detaching it from the posts and reattaching it seem to be done by hand. they replace all the posts and wire every 5-10 years, and what they take down is way better than most of what is around my place.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

julieq said:


> Three words: Long extension cord!
> 
> We do have a generator also, but haven't ever got that far from a power outlet when building fence.


I would need a quarter-mile cord.  :shocked:


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

Heritagefarm said:


> I would need a quarter-mile cord.  :shocked:


Fortunately our back acreage just has hot wire and T posts, although we don't have livestock on it right now.

Our little dairy goats pens are always super close to our house, so running an extension cord is never a problem. 

We were just running some chicken wire around the inside of one of the big pens this morning, to keep the bottle babies from going through the field fencing, and I was wondering how anyone got by without zippy ties?!


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

julieq said:


> Three words: Long extension cord!
> 
> We do have a generator also, but haven't ever got that far from a power outlet when building fence.


I would need about 3 to 4 miles of extension cords, 
built a mile and 1/2 last month, of wood post barbed wire fence.


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

VERN in IL said:


> anyone make a Pneumatic staple gun for fencing?:runforhills:
> 
> Imagine if they had something like that...
> 
> ...


I know those resin coated wood staples do not like to come out of anything (hands included)

I was working as a woodworker and was holding the wood a little too close and I "missed" the wood. Needless to say I had to step on my hand to hold it down to remove the staple with a pair of pliers. 

But they would not be used for a job like this (not strong enough)


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