#16 - Reducing Covering Times by Larry Fisher, Steel Stitch Corp.
If you're using a staple-in system of building awnings you might be covering those awnings in about the fastest method possible. Then again, you might not.
The answer to this seemingly paradoxical statement lies in the area of technique. Not all stapling techniques produce with equal efficiency.
Probably the most overly used technique is the clamp method
- where the fabric is first stretched and held in place by forked "welder's clamps". Then the fabric panel is attached with staples. Finally, the clamps are removed. Many fabricators simply use too many clamps when setting up a fabric panel for stapling. They place clamps around the entire perimeter of even the smallest panels before shooting the first staples. This approach is unnecessary, time consuming, and can over stress frame members as well as fabric.
How many clamps are enough?
Well that depends. Often, the answer is zero. For all but the largest panels, the fastest method of covering is without the use of clamps. For large panels, such as a 48" x 300" waterfall style sign face panel, you'll want to use four clamps: One at each corner of the panel. Of course stapling fabric without relying on clamps requires some practice: Typically 2 to 3 months of continuous practice at "free-hand" stapling will do. After which the free-hand stapler will probably be faster than most who rely upon clamps.
So you're skeptical.
One way to know for sure is to time your best clamp-and-staple person and see how they match up. You may use our times* as a benchmark: The following times are those for one experienced free-hand stapler to cover each type of panel defined: