Experience with Raptor Nails and Staples

[TimE]

Hello,

 

Has anyone had experience (good or bad) with using Raptor Nails and Staples when building a B&B boat?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[rexaco]

I will assume you are talking about Raptor's composite line of nails and staples and add my own twist to the question. Does anyone have experience with the hand stapler? I don't want to buy an air compressor and air staplegun for a one-off boat.

[TimE]

Yes the Raptor composite line of nails and staples. They seem to be getting good reviews.

 

Tim

[PAR]

Yep, they work and aren't cheap, but they do have enough benefit , particularly on some build methods to warrant them. They work, pretty much like metal stables, though can't be driven into some materials, like metal staples can, because they're not as hard. I've used them in a hand stapler and they'll make your hand hurt just a quickly as metal staples do. Electric or pneumatic guns are the way to go, if you have enough stapling to consider plastic in the first place. What are you looking to staple?

[JPower210]

Hello,

 

Has anyone had experience (good or bad) with using Raptor Nails and Staples when building a B&B boat?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Hey Tim-

 

I am using the Red Hawk system, which is essentially the same although the tools, and the materials, seem to be somewhat/significantly cheaper.  I have air and the manual stapler- PAR is right- that manual stapler will wear you out-  I use them for more things than I thought I would, currently on a Core Sound 17-  I'll never go back.  I would suggest a cheap little pancake compressor and the air tools-  if it's a one off I bet you could sell the stuff after with no problem-

 

JP

[rexaco]

What are you looking to staple?

 

Paul, in my case, it will be for putting the second layer of forward bottom plywood panel strips on the Princess 26 (6mm over 9mm), as recommended per plan. I estimate that material at 2+ sheets of plywood...don't know if that amount justifies the hassle of buying expensive tools and then trying to sell them as seconds.

 

Rex

[PAR]

Stop buy the local pawn shop and talk them down, from whatever absurd price they have the appropriate stapler priced at. Their typical markup is 100%, so there's some wiggle room. You can usually get tools at 50% or better this way. If you don't love your elbows or have been especially kind to them over the years, give the hand stapler a shot. My elbows get pissed at me, even if I just look at a hammer.

[Howard]

Rex:

 

I switched from the monel staples to the Raptor, but am using the gun sold by Duckworks for the Redhawk system. Part of the reason I switched from the metal was the desire not to have to pull all those staples ( I was using about 15 to 20 per panel), and found it easy to break them during removal if not careful, leaving a leg or two in place anyway.

 

I liked my Arrow staple gun a whole lot better, but it won't work with the Raptors. If I was going to build boats from now on, I'd probably pop for the Omer gun, but so far, the gun from Duckworks is working.

 

But as for the Raptors, as long as you are careful to buck underneath them, they shoot just fine. If you fail to buck behind them, it will bounce and you won't get full penetration. But that is the way it is with either system.

[Don Silsbe]

Very interesting.  They show them being used in strip-built boat construction.  I wonder how you knock out the forms, if there are a biz-zillion plastic nails holding it to the hull.

[rexaco]

Very interesting.  They show them being used in strip-built boat construction.  I wonder how you knock out the forms, if there are a biz-zillion plastic nails holding it to the hull.

 

Apparently the composite fasteners have very little shear strength so you can give the forms a sideways whack to break the attachment.

[PAR]

The relatively low shear strength can be handy when trying to remove a molded or glued lap from the building jig. Instead of the pneumatic versions, consider a good electric or cordless gun. Most 18 and 20 gauge guns will fire Raptors and you can save some bucks over a compressor driven unit. A more powerful gun is handy if you're driving into hardwoods.

[rexaco]

 Instead of the pneumatic versions, consider a good electric or cordless gun.

 

Great idea, Paul! I will look into electric staple guns in Thailand. Thanks.

[Jknight611]

They work! I bought a small box of Raptor 7/16 plastic nails, used a cheeeeep electric stapler/nailer. I could only get 10-15 nails in the magazine at a time because the feed spring in the nailer would mess the bond up between the nails. But it is handy to have a way to corral plywood with a epoxy hydro wedge. A few nails once you get the parts aligned it retains them till you can get some clamps in place.

[PAR]

As a rule, boat builders are a cheap, I mean frugal bunch. Learn the tools of the trade, by incorporating the best materials, using the cheapest gadgets.

[TimE]

Thanks for your replies.

 

I am thinking about using them for a Ocracoke 256 build, in particular for planking instead of using screws and washers.

 

Would they be suitable for this?

 

Tim 

[Oyster]

While the Raptor staples work fine for holding layers together, it is my opinion after using them on a cold mold build with inverted and tortured surfaces, I would probably not use them on any area that has  stress on the planks enough to spring completely away when letting off of the veneer. Now they may work on really thin veneers such as 3 or 4 mm, but  on 6mm that would personally  be my break point.

[Scott_F]

Can anyone confirm that these can be used in any brand air gun, or do they require 'special' tools?

[GAP333]

Hello JP6210...

Where can I locate the "Red Hawk"  system?   Cheaper is my price range!

 

Thanks

[Scott_F]

Hello JP6210...

Where can I locate the "Red Hawk"  system?   Cheaper is my price range!

 

Thanks

 

Duckworks is where I've sen them: http://www.duckworksbbs.com/tools/redhawk.htm

[JPower210]

 

Hello JP6210...

Where can I locate the "Red Hawk"  system?   Cheaper is my price range!

 

Thanks

 

Duckworks is where I've sen them: http://www.duckworksbbs.com/tools/redhawk.htm

 

I got mine at Duckworks on the recommendation of the manufacturer-  And I continue to really like the system-  I have used it for seat tops and things as well as a clamping system that is easy and fast like for the rudder for my 17.