# Need help to choose air compressor and stapler



## shughes (Jan 17, 2007)

i recently bought a Ingersoll Rand air compressor from Northern Tool:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_523776_523776

also picked up a Porter Cable narrow crown stapler (1/4 inch),

http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2611

I use 1 inch crown staples on my frames and 5/8 inch crown staples for the wedge. works great. 

Most of the small air tools only take a couple cfm's so you can get by with the smaller pancake style air compressors but I went ahead and got the Ingersoll Rand so I could use an impact wrench on my automobiles.


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

bleta12

you'll get much better advice in the "equipment" forum

http://www.beesource.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=250

Dave

[edit] shughes, you're right down the road, welcome aboard


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## beegee (Jun 3, 2003)

I have several air compressors and several nail and staple guns. My most recent purchase is a sale set from Sears that came with an oil-less compressor and a tote bag with a brad nailer, a narrow-crown stapler and an finish nailer for around $300. It works fine. You need to make sure you have enough CFM so you don't outrun your air supply. I like to keep a brad nailer or extra stapler to do wedges and a stapler with longer staple to build frames. You can run both off the same compressor using a T coupler or manifold. You can get a wide-crown stapler that works well for top bars, but I just use a narrow crown, putting 2 staple down through each corner of the top bar, 2 on each corner of the bottom bar, 1 staple through the side of each end bar into the top bar. I also glue the frames with Titebond III waterproof glue. If you want to get fancy, you could buy a large compressor and pipe your shop with air lines so you could use compressed air for air clamping jigs and blowing sawdust, filling tires, spray painting hives, etc. I like to use air sanders and drills rather than electric ones.


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## JD (Aug 18, 2006)

Lowes has the Bostitch Nailer/Stapler and compressor for 200 and also has one with brad gun for 300. It cost you that price for the guns and you get a compressor also

I used this on building mine and worked GREAT


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

I have had a big unit capable of painting. Using my brush looked better. It was nice in how portable on wheels it was. It tended to get used a lot by family. The shortcoming was poor protection of the hardware with safety cages. I broke a pipe and had a tough time replacing it. So I'd look for good support around the "engine and plumbing" in case of accident. Visualize those fancy bars that can protect an engine on a motorcycle should it spill over.

I then went with a cheap one, not capable of running the paint gun but does well with stapler. There is some kind of a problem electrically with this that when nailing a lot I have to keep hitting the restart switch to get air buildup again.

So I'd stay away from ultracheap. If I bought one again I'd ask a construction professional which models they like. Someone like a finish carpenter that moves from job to job.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

It would help to know how many frames and hives you're looking at assembling, and how often you'll be likely to be building that number.

If you're putting together a dozen hives and frames for them now, a less expensive air compressor and stapler and/or nailer should be fine (if you need it at all).

If you're planning to put together a few hundred hives and frames for them, or if you plan to use the nailer/stapler for other projects, you'll probably want a higher-grade compressor and stapler/nailer.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I agree with Kieck. How many are you doing?? The
cost of a stapler and compressor would dictate thousands of
frames for the expenditure to make sense. Unless, like me. you
use it for construction and other duties.

Keep in mind Paslode (and perhaps others) make a fine cordless
model that needs no compressor.


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

Good point
Last year I put together over 450 supers with respective frames, all by nailing them. so I should buy something not cheap. I will be using it only for beekeeping needs. what size staples should I use, for frames and boxes. Should I consider using nails with the gun?

thanks Gilman


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

I use 1" staples for frames (plastic foundation, no wedges). and 1-1/2" staples for boxes (simple rabbet joint, don't know it would be quite long enough for finger joint boxes)

My 1" stapler is a cheap $35 Campbell Hausfeld. Probably have shot some 30,000+ staples with it (3000-4000 frames plus other stuff) and it shows no signs of stopping. I actually prefer it to my more expensive gun that shoots up to 1-1/2" staples because it's smaller and lighter weight.

So unless you are going into major production or need the gun or compressor for other duities, an inexpensive one should do just fine.

-Tim


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## Joshua2639 (Apr 2, 2006)

I would recommend the Porter Cable combo pack. Home depot and lowes both have it. It comes with a pancake compressor and for what its worth, I am a carpenter and use it all the time. Its big enough to run two framing guns (at a moderate pace) at once, but too slow for a roofing gun or sheeting (medium crown) stapler. I have had my set for three years now and it still works great. I have bigger compressors, but they are much heavier to carry around. 

Plus, if you don't want the two other trim guns, I see them on Ebay all the time. You probably could get $60 back selling the other two guns.

Josh

By the way... If you stick with one of the bigger main brands, and make sure you oil it before every use you shouldn't have any problems. Maybe every two-three years you can bring it in to get new o-rings in and a good cleaning.


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

Thank you Joshua 2639
I was told to use 18 ga 11/2 inch staple for frames and 16 ga 2 inch staple for hive bodies. Do I need 2 staplers?

thanks again
Gilman


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## Joshua2639 (Apr 2, 2006)

Hi Gilman,

One thing to watch out for...

The Porter Cable Combo Kit comes with a narrow crown stapler that shoots up to 1 inch staples. P.C. also sells a stapler that shoot 1 1/2 inch staples, but not in the combo. 

16 guage 2" staples? Sounds more like a medium crown stapler (framing stapler, sheeting stapler) I would think that is over kill my self, but maybe somebody has had good luck with it.

I think the 1" staple is great all around. Just make sure you are using a good indoor/outdoor glue (like tightbond II) for boxes. The glue forms a bond stronger than wood, the staples hold it together until it cures. Sound hard to believe? Most of your high end solid wood tables are glued together and clamped and thats it. No fasteners.

If you want a fastner for more structual strength for boxes, try looking up a pocket hole jig. Pocket hole screws give an un believable structual strength. Home depot sells a decent kit for about $35. Then you can buy deckmate srews instead of pocket screws, they are much cheaper.

Hope I am not throwing too much at you. I love tools.
**Off subject**
Also, I have another use for your new compressor. Buy a blower attachment (about $1) and clean you vaccum and vaccum filter with it (outside of course) I use a Hoover Hepa and when I blow out the filter its like a brand new vaccum. Takes 5 seconds. I also clean out my sanders and saws this way.

Hope that helps


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

*Supers are reusable, you know!*

450 supers sounds like a big operation! Do you assemble that much woodenware regularly?

I glue and nail hive bodies/supers. I don't know that you'd gain much be using staples, rather than nails, for putting together the bodies.

Of course, I tend to glue and nail frames, too, rather than stapling the frames.


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

Hi Kieck

Last year was not ordinary, I do not assemble 450 super every year. This year I will assemble 100 deeps with frames. Also will try to build 50 baby nucs. I think they are a pain to manage but will give more flexibility in requeening and nuc production. I do overwinter quite a few number of nucs. So far I had a bit over 10% loss, but the winter is not over. Here in Connecticut we had 10 inch of snow today. I belive that the timing of treatment for varroa is esential.

Gilman


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

450 supers nailed by hand? You need to be giving me advice


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

hi nursebee

It is simple, after you nail the first super, you repeat the process 449 more time


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

nursebee
You nail first the supers, then paint them and then you start with the frames, takes time. I use plasticell foundations.


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## Mountaineerfan (Jul 30, 2005)

*Lowe's task force*

I picked up a nice little tankless air compressor at Lowe's for $79. It came with a nail/staple gun and nails and staples. It also had the attachments for inflating car tires, which is why I initially was looking for one. I used the staples to put together a bunch of deep frames, and it worked great! If you're just doing a few deeps or supers, I recommend it.
Steve


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

*Thank you all*

Thank you all for helping. I got a new Craftsman air compressor 25 Gallons super quiet that I love, also a Bostitch stapler that is great. What a difference, already assembled 25 deeps.

thank you

gilman


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

Evening All!
After nailing up a dozen boxes and having two of them come up out of square, i thought that there must be a better way. I already had a large compressor, so I picked up a Hitachi narrow crown stapler on the sale rack for $50.00.

What a difference! After setting it up, and a little practice, It did a quick neat job of putting 20 boxes together. I got 1 3/8th staples but I'm going to get 1" ones as there is no advantage to the longer staples.

After I did the boxes I put up two more sheets of plywood on the shed in about one tenth the time as usual! Just had to go back and put in a few nails to secure the corners.

Thanks,
Albert


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Albert......... IMO one inch are too short for boxes.
Even with glue....... I prefer the longer staples for a
little extra bite. And I always use glue.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>1 3/8th staples but I'm going to get 1" ones as there is no advantage to the longer staples.

I won't use the 1 1/4" staples for boxes. I use only 1 1/2" and I'd use 2" if they existed and would fit my staple gun. There is a lot of advantage to longer staples.

I built a jig for this large batch of boxes I just put together to hold them square. I'll try to post a picture on my web site sometime soon, if I ever get any time...


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## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

*Another comment on "Why didn't I realize that..."*

Interesting...

In construction the rule of thumb is twice as deep in, as through.

In other words if you are nailing a board to something else and the board is 1" thick, then you need another 2" to nail into so your nail needs to be 3 " long.

I figured since the rabbets are 3/8 inch thick an inch of staple would be enough. But on the cross nailing you would be short, and I didn't think of that.

Thanks Fellows!
Albert

PS: BTW Lowes has a free pamphlet on making a squaring jig.


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## shughes (Jan 17, 2007)

I bought the Porter Cable NS150A 18 Ga 1-1/2" narrow crown stapler and the Ingersoll Rand 5.3 2 HP Air Compressor (Model# DD2T2, CFM @ 40 PSI) shortly after I put together a few of my first deep frames with a hammer. I consider it one of my best purchases for the year as I not only use the stapler for frames but for other projects as well. You can whip out a lot of frames with a crown stapler. I only planned on two hives this year but ended up with 10 going into the fall and a small side business...but I hear that is common with this hobby .

note to moderator: this was supposed to be a reply to http://beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214498


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## Durandal (Sep 5, 2007)

18ga 1 1/2".

It does brads and 1/4" staples.

Cost me 19.99 from Harbor Freight. Been using it for year now. Still works like a charm even though it was cheap and no-name made in China junk. 

I'd spend a bit more on the compressor since I use it a whole lot more. I've been thinking about a larger one permanently located with a air line system to the garage and the workshop in the basement, sort of like I have in the farm workshop but with a 20-ish gallon set-up rather than an 80.

Regardless of what you decide to buy they air tools in general make life that much more fun.


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