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What's The Secret to Nailing Fence Staples?

F

Fergienewbee

Well-known Member
These things drive me nuts! Course, maybe trying to hammer them into a tree to secure a fence has something to do with it. Eyes aren't as good either and bi-focals don't help. I did get the fence done though. A combination of chain link and 2 x 4 welded wire to keep the dogs off the road when chasing rabbits. A good feeling of accomplishment.

Larry
 
Sometimes they come a little too wide on the prong end and spread out too much when driven, so I narrow them up with a hammer before driving. Some trees are very hard to drive a staple into...
Lon
 
Buy good staples.

Most of them made now are horrible to try to put in. The points are cut crooked or not sharp and they are deformed.
 
Try one of these for driving staples. Works great.
a134149.jpg
 
agreed ,40 yrs ago , pop and mom built a lot of fence and drove a lot of good American steeples,,my mom had no problem poundin them ,, whoever the hale makes these spradleleged modernbulshi!steeples ought to be made to eat them
 
that's a real neat little tool! Where did you get it, make it or did you purchase? Try to drive a staple into one of those black locust posts!!!!! jeffcat
 
there a pia for sure, for me i squeeze them a little and using the pliers to hold them so i dont mash my fingers, i put the longer end of the staple towards me, and hit it using a frameing hammer, which has slightly more heft to it than a regular claw hammer, to stick it with the first hit, then its all depth perception and hit it square each time ,the majority of the time i get it in before i bend it, but not always
 
use your fence pliers to bend both legs of the staple parallel to each other. Spread out staples will not drive.
 
I start the longer leg first. It helps me to make monkey sounds, or other suitable effects depending on your personal preference. I have found that it is true for me and for the few others I have told about it that housewrap cuts straighter and cleaner if you say ARRRR! in a loud and piratical voice while you make the cut. It's all in the elbow, I think.
Zach
 
Monkey sounds?? Well maybe I should take offense to that but then that is what most people called me the 6 years I was in the navy till that day some one introduced me to a good looking gal as monkey and that stopped
 
Related question:

I was always told to drive them as nearly horizontal as possible, rather than at right angles to the wire.

One leg touching the bottom of the wire being stapled, the other touching the top, the idea being more staple bearing on the wire.

Anybody else do that?

Also, +1 on bending them parallel. Being a cheap buzzard, I have a bucket of used staples out of fences I've taken down or moved, and just give 'em a little squeeze in the fencing pliers and whack 'em back in.

The rust makes 'em hold better..."8^)
 
Ditto on putting them in as horizontal as possible. My Grandfather told and showed me how. It is not only more staple bearing on the wire, it also helps to keep the staple stable (no pun intended)while you start it.

Targeting the first blow with your hammer to start the staple is made easier if you stand more or less BEHIND the post and bend over, so that in striking the hammer moves toward you instead of hammering away from you. So part of the skill of nailing fence staples lies in the ergonomics of it. LOL
 
One point not mentioned is to use short (1") stables in locust posts. I"ve found that longer staples reach a certain depth and then just bend.
 
Interesting.......No one here has said that there is a proper way to place a staple before driving. Staples are cut at an angle. If you visualize which way the staple end will head during driving you will see that when held in one direction at 45 degrees the cut end will head towards the outside of the post. When held the other 45 degree orientation the points will head towards the center of the posts. If the points head outwards the staple will have more holding power. Not all staples are cut the same direction but we found that by brand they were cut the same. I don't think it matters too much with a 3/4 inch staple in locust, but in a treated pine post with a 1 3/4 inch staple the difference is significant.
Andy
All Fenced In
 
YES yes.. I forgot to add that. Use your hip a little bit and lean into the post as you hammer towards you. Stops almost all of the post wobble as you hammer. Those black locust posts from GLF and then Agway were so hard that my dad had me pre-drill holes in the fence posts so we could nail on the insulators! The gavanised nails kept bending.
 
Ditto: and slightly off topic you cant beat a hammer and an old one of these to draw old staples out.
a134263.jpg
 
Keeping your fingers out of the hammer's way and using emery paper on the hammer face every now and then to keep it from slipping. Keeping the face rough helps some on nails but really helps when doing staples.
 
Slightly off topic again but I know a great way of stopping bruised fingers and thumbs when driving in clout nails (Or felt nails, whatever you want to call them)i.e. those short galvanised little devils with a big head that are used to hold down roofing felt etc. Firstly push the nail through one end of a short strip of paper, Holding the other end of the paper, position the nail where required then then clout the nail in with a hammer. Finally pull out the paper.
 
I just use the pecker point on my fencing pliers and whack the hammer face on the pliers with another hammer (yeah, yeah, I know. I DO wear eye protection)

Might have to keep an eye out for a sickle guard and try that tho.
 
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