Is there an easy way to hammer in fence staples?

[Time-Out]

I give a light tap while holding it, then let go. It holds up by itself afterwards. I then concentrate on holding the fencing, so that it doesn't knock it off and have me crawling around the chicken poo, trying to find an invisible splinter that the chickens might swallow.

 

[lawatt]

this is one of the rare construction moments when it's an advantage to have small hands/fingers -- recently put up hardware cloth all around my 8x12' run, and actually never hit a finger with the hammer.

 

[Vinniemac]

Has anyone tried a air gun with galvanized staples. I wonder if they would they would work.You can get 1 1/2 " staples for them
Vinnie

 

[ChickNhood]

I used a simple staple gun to hold my hardware clothe in place... Half inch staples and ised twice as many as I thought would be enough...a little more costle but worth it

 

[7L Farm]

Here's a pen I built & have added on too. It has the washer method & the sandwich method. I like the sandwich method the best but its very costly. But I try & build my coops to last & keep the buggy man out.

 

[Time-Out]

I wouldn't use the regular staples, like you get for paper. They don't go into the wood deep enough to grip it properly. You can just pull those out.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Screws with washer or TEK screws are the ONLY way to go. Immensely strong and easily removable if needed. Worth the cost of a rechargeable drill many times over. I have built two coops in the last year and would NEVER use staples for fastening.

major DITTO. Washers and screws...only way to go.

 

[perchie.girl]

Washers and screws are easiest but a bit more expensive..... Staples are built to spread and twist as they go in. One leg going one direction the other leg going the other direction.... The idea is to make them very very hard to pull out. I use staples when I need staples.

Staples have one leg longer than the other. Get the long leg started with a tap and a second tap should bring the other leg into contact with the wood. once both legs are touching you can drive them in. Tapping them closed a little helps too. But I dont usually have time to mess with all the staples much.

deb

 

[breakout]

Yes! Having a washer built into the screw is sweet and fastworking -- cuts in half the things that can be dropped!
Here's what I got from Lowe's http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRO-TWIST-8x3-4-WAFER-SELF-DRILLING-SCREWS-/250838008615

"Anything that reduces the amount of cussin' required to finish a job is a good idea!"

 

[J-Sanders]

Washers and screws are easiest but a bit more expensive..... Staples are built to spread and twist as they go in. One leg going one direction the other leg going the other direction.... The idea is to make them very very hard to pull out. I use staples when I need staples.

Staples have one leg longer than the other. Get the long leg started with a tap and a second tap should bring the other leg into contact with the wood. once both legs are touching you can drive them in. Tapping them closed a little helps too. But I dont usually have time to mess with all the staples much.

deb

Very good! I see you have learned well.

Let me repeat what you have said, First look at staple. See longer leg, grab that close to the sharp end and hold it. Now look at wood or post, see the grain and where the wire makes a cross. Put the sharp end of the long leg in the top left corner if you are right handed with a hammer or the top right hand corner if you are handicapped . Tap lightly to start the staple and not hammer your fingers. Once the staple is set then hold the fence in position and finish driving home the staple. No fuss no muss no busted fingers.

What gets most people is they don't think about securing the fencing temporarily so the try to do too many things with one hand and get themselves a mashed digit for their troubles. Fence stretchers are a must for a no aggravation day. They can be made or bought. For field fence, two metal T posts and some bolts and nuts work very well with a come along or a lever and hook. For barb wire a lever and hook is all you need.

Stretched tight and secured right make for many a restful night.

Jim