Stapler Problem

[Tom Clift]

Okay, so this isn't exactly guitar-related unless you want to upholster your ax. Hey, it can happen! It IS a tool problem though.

I'm trying to replace the padding and outer covering on a chair arm. The padding and covering is new. The covering is a fairly loose weave of large thread with a raw silk sort of look to it. The "backing plate" is a thin, fairly hard plastic. The original covering was stapled. My problem is that I can't seem to get enough downward pressure to drive the staples, even using all my weight against a hard surface. Of course, if I just try to staple to the plastic alone, it works fine.

Possible solutions?

[Murray MacLeod]

The original stapling was almost certainly done with an air stapler.

[David King]

An air stapler at 240 PSI?

[Tom Clift]

I don't have access to an air stapler. It would be nice though.

I'm thinking about using epoxy in a "clamp part of it, glue, let dry, clamp some more, etc" mode, sort of like binding. I might get away with it because the "backing plate" is actually two pieces with one fitting over the top of the other. I just have to clamp it while the glue sets. Of course, if someone has a better idea............................

[Bob Gramann]

You can get a pneumatic stapler at Harbor Freight for $22. Borrow a compressor and you're done. I just lent my compressor to someone who got the stapler from Harbor Freight to put up wire fencing. The stapler was still working at the end of the job. Harbor Freight usually sells tool-shaped objects but some of those actually work for a while.

[Tom Clift]

Bob, wouldn't that take all the challenge out of it? <g>

[Barry Daniels]

Do you have a hammer? If so, get some tacks. Not thumb tacks, but hardware store tacks from the nail section.

[David King]

What about a hot glue gun or contact cement?

[Tom Clift]

Just to muddy the waters a bit more, there's enough room between the clamshell pieces of the backing plate to glue some wood and staple to that. Still thinking epoxy would be the simplest for me.
Am I making too much of this?

[Alan Peterson]

Okay, so this isn't exactly guitar-related...

Actually, it could be. With a little obtuse thinking and the same tools, you can achieve the tuck-n-roll look of Kustom amps of 40 years ago.

[Tom Clift]

It's done. I decided on the course by looking over my available materials. All my tools and such are packed away, so a good bit of "available" consists of what I can identify and get to in the garage.
The chair is old, so I didn't need to have a time-consuming quality job. I just needed the darn arms recovered. They now are.
I settled for tacking the cloth along one edge, pulling it around and over the interior batting and gluing the other edge; tack the ends, slam the whole thing together and screw it to the chair. Not beautiful, but highly functional and should last the life of the chair.