Frame assembly

[Eric Bosworth]

Ok, What do others use for staples when assembling frames? I have been using 1.5" staples for frames. When I can get them to stay in the wood they are fine but I actually had a bottom board that The staples went out both sides of the end bar. I was perfectly centered and I still missed. If that isn't bad enough I stapled the side to the end of the top bar and it came out the top and gave me a snake bite in the hand. I didn't realize I had the angle that steep but it happens quite often. I should at least use shorter staples for those but then I have to change staples and that gets obnoxious.

[Colobee]

It's been so long since I assembled a wooden frame - at first with hammer & nails, and then the staple gun - with the same issues. They are great when the staple strikes true. 'Not so much when they don't.
 
Good luck!

[Michael Bush]

Generally for frames I use 1".  For boxes I use 1 1/2" (if my gun would take longer I would use those).  I always have some 1 1/4" around for nailing a one by into a one by without it sticking out the other side.  I have some 5/8" for putting screens on etc.

[Wombat2]

Brads and Staples used in guns are chisel pointed and often will follow the chisel and curved the shank. Generally you have to fire the gun so the fastener will curve into the depth of material rather than out the side. I use brads and that means holding the gun along the top or bottom bars perpendicular to the sides that way the brad does not come out the face of the upright side. There is a video on Youtube somewhere showing this in action and I think is on this forum somewhere.

[capt44]

I use Tite Bond II glue and 1inch brad nails.
Haven't had a frame pull apart yet.

[BeeMaster2]

Same here.
Jim

[Sundog]

I use Tite Bond II glue and 1inch brad nails.
Haven't had a frame pull apart yet.

+1    The nail is only needed until the glue dries.

Just for the fun of it.

 

[rwlaw]

I use 7/8" for the bottom bar and 1 1/4 for the top bars. Occasionally there'll be a staple going out a side but not common. It's 50/50 whether it's a wobbly wrist or the staple following the grain of the wood ( I prefer to think the latter), use the titebond and have no worries.

[little john]

+1    The nail is only needed until the glue dries.

Modern glue is really good stuff. I use a 100% waterproof hybrid glue (for anyone in the UK - D4 glue from Toolstation) which has an initial set time of 10 minutes, which allows frames to be assembled without using nails. Full cure time is about 4 hours, but they can be handled with care after just 10 minutes.

LJ