The PHILCO Phorum
Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Printable Version

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RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-21-2016

Made the new frame ang glued the cloth.

Question: I want to staple it to the front.
What kind of stapler do I need and where could I buy it?


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Eliot Ness - 05-22-2016

This is a wood cabinet right?  If so you want something like the Arrow T50 staple gun:

http://www.arrowfastener.com/ccrz__ProductDetails?viewState=DetailView&cartID=&sku=T50&&store=arrowfastener

Available at HD and Lowes make sure the staples you buy are not long enough to pierce through to the outside of the cabinet.  Arrow is still made in the USA and I have one or two still going strong after hanging many rolls of insulation in a previous house years ago.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - KCMike - 05-22-2016

 + one on making sure your staples are not too long. I did that once to a little table radio I had spent much time restoring. The staples punched through the front in two places. I was able to refill the holes but felt dumb for not checking the length first. Icon_eh


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Ron Ramirez - 05-22-2016

+2. The same thing happened to me on a wood 38-14 I had carefully refinished. Icon_sad Icon_crazy


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

Thanks guys.


Yes I specifically am !ooking for shallow staples as I do have a regular Stanley gun (which is Arrow) with regular staples and it would not occur to me to use it as they are too long, and this is the reason I asked.
I thought the staple gun that uses smaller staples is a smaller gun in the first place.
Sorta like using an elephant gun to shoot a sparrow Icon_smile

I guess I will go to Lowes and take my gun with me to compare to T50 and see if this one also can use the same staples.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Eliot Ness - 05-22-2016

(05-22-2016, 08:56 AM)KCMike Wrote:   + one on making sure your staples are not too long. I did that once to a little table radio I had spent much time restoring. The staples punched through the front in two places. I was able to refill the holes but felt dumb for not checking the length first. Icon_eh

(05-22-2016, 09:19 AM)Ron Ramirez Wrote:  +2. The same thing happened to me on a wood 38-14 I had carefully refinished. Icon_sad Icon_crazy

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I learned the "short staple" rule on a nice little Emerson tombstone many moons ago Icon_redface


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

Ha-ha Icon_lol

Anyways, the Lowes proved to be a fiasco, the shortest staples there is 1/4" which is what I have already.
The Hobby Lobby is closed today.

In my desperation I am thinking of a possibility of taking quarter-inch ones and vrinding them down to 1/8 of an inch.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

Guys what size of staples do you use?
Seems like 1/4 is the smallest around but I think it is too large?


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Eliot Ness - 05-22-2016

I don't think you can get smaller than 1/4" unless you go to a fine wire upholstery stapler, and all that I've seen are air powered.  If you think 1/4" is too long put a small piece or two of cardboard between the backer board and the stapler.

I think John Goller uses a regular office stapler with the base removed.... that seems like a pretty thin staple to me, but it works for him.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

Are you using 1/4" for small cabinets?
Office staples look too thin, I am not sure if they can pierce plywood.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Eliot Ness - 05-22-2016

I have, but my backing board might be thicker than what you are using.  I think I used a framing mat from Michael's and I may have used 2 thicknesses.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

Aha...I am fhinking to maybe pad the staples with pieces of the same material I use for the frame but then it might create push back agsinst the speaker...or not if it is outside the speaker's rim. Have to look.
But... what do you think of grinding the staples? Should be fairly easy.


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - Eliot Ness - 05-22-2016

Grinding them down might be an option, but be sure to wear eye protection!


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

I will Icon_smile

Also has to be held by pliers or it can end up in your finger Icon_smile


RE: Philco 39-6 dial cover and grill cloth. - morzh - 05-22-2016

I have just successfully stapled the frame to the front.
I used my staplegun, my 1/4" staples and the leftover pieces of the frame material as padding.
Plus a little glue to keep it from vibrating.