Jicafold

So I recovered 3 seats so far with mixed results. I used contact cement to do so. Strong stuff. But one started to peel off in the hot Texas sun. I need more to secure it. Many seats have staples. The smaller staples look particularly handy. So where can I get these small size staples and a manual or pneumatic gun for them? The staples would ideally be both narrow and short. See photos.

cxwrench

Have you tried searching online? I just took a very quick look at there are lots available. .25", .375"...stainless, galvanized. Manual guns, pneumatic guns from HF. Lots of moto guys put new/different seat covers on their bikes. Take a look.

HillRider

Home Depot and Lowes also sell all of the above.

JoeTBM 

Those look like either T-18 or T-25 staples, I find that most saddles use a T-50 size. I purchase 1/4" Stainless Steel T-50 at Home Depot.

These are the shortest size made and the stainless steel version helps prevent rust-out. We use a hand-held T50 Arrow stapler for recovering saddles. We do about 25-30 a year.

Jicafold

I spent quite a bit of time searching. I couldn't seem to find enough information on the staple guns to indicate what size staples they used and I wasn't sure exactly what size those were in the photos.

Jicafold

Excellent! Thank you.

Roadies_Rok

I don't know about an air driven stapler but you can get a manual or electric stapler just about anywhere like Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, most fabric stores and the list goes on. Good luck and watch your fingers :-)

Jicafold

Well, right, But it's the size of the staples they use that is the issue.

HillRider

What do you use as the covering fabric? I have an old Avocet 02 Air that originally came with a Lycra cover that has worn completely out. The base and padding are in decent shape and I'd like to recover it but I'm not sure what with. This model is no longer made so I'd like to put it back into service. Suggestions and sources for the cover? Stapler and staples are already available.

Juan el Boricua

Denim, leather (from an upholstery shop or an old thrift shop jacket or bag), marine grade upholstery vinyl...just a couple of ideas. Good luck, and please post pictures when finished!

Jicafold

I used just regular vinyl from the upholstery store on the other ones I did.

It seems the problem with the staple guns at Home Depot (I went there and back already) is that the head of the staple gun is twice or more the width of the staple. Would make it hard to use under the nose of a saddle. I need something closer to the width of the actual staple.

JoeTBM 

We use marine grade vinyl. As many of our clients are homeless and the bikes stay outdoors, this the best material as water doesn't soak in.
We have a local car/boat reupholstering company that saves us scrap/remnants of various colors so our cost is just staples and time to save a seat.

Gresp15C

I've used Household Goop to re-secure vinyl and leather skins on saddles. Also liquid electrical tape to repair minor cuts.

JoeTBM 

Yes that makes it difficult

As I said before, the staples you showed in the picture were either T-18 or T-25. They will not fit in a T-50 stapler. Those sizes are typical for wire installation like telephone or coax cable. Going to be hard to find in short, stainless steel staples. I believe the T-18 & T-25 comes as short as 3/8" but not in stainless, if not in the hardware section, check the electrical dept for the smaller sizes.

https://arrowfastener.com/

Jicafold

Ok. Those T50 size staples you mentioned would work well. I'll search the net to see if I can find a narrower stapler for them Thank you.

This one might work well. It has a narrow tip.

https://arrowfastener.com/tool/t50ac/

JoeTBM 

I think I saw that model at the Lowes website, I have been considering getting the Pro electric one based on how many saddles we have recovered.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Arrow-T50AC...e-Gun/50414720

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2old

Locktite Shoe Glue works well for me repairing saddles, and since it never rains in socal (my bikes are garaged anyway), a small Swingline stapler does an adequate job where necessary.

woodcraft

T18 and T25 staples are for stapling cable eg telephone and coax respectively. They have round crowns and are not driven flush by the guns that use them.