Stanley FatMax Hammer Tacker, Type G Staples 8-12 mm, FMHT81394-9

Stanley FatMax Hammer Tacker, Type G Staples 8-12 mm, FMHT81394-9

Stanley FatMax (article number FMHT81394-9) is a hammer tacker for Type G staples in 8, 10 and 12 mm. The magazine holds up to three sticks at once, and the tool weighs 820 g. The housing is nylon composite with a rubberised handle.

What a hammer tacker is for

With an ordinary tacker you squeeze a trigger; with a hammer tacker you swing it like a hammer and the staple fires on impact with the surface. The difference is pace: one-handed and without aiming, you drive staples at a rate a hand tacker cannot match. That is why the tool exists only for high-volume, low-precision jobs - roofing felt, insulation, vapour barrier, underlay, carpet. Where the exact position of the staple matters, use a conventional tacker.

Three sticks in the magazine

The magazine takes three sticks at a time. On roofing felt or vapour barrier that is the difference between working continuously and climbing down to reload - and reloading at height is precisely what slows the job. Loading is from the bottom, dropping the sticks straight into the magazine with nothing to dismantle.

Staple level indicator

The body carries a fastener reload indicator. On a hammer tacker that is more useful than it sounds: an empty tool keeps swinging and striking exactly as before, so without an indicator you discover several metres of felt fixed with nothing at all.

Composite housing, 820 g

The housing is nylon composite rather than cast steel. On a tool swung for hours at a time, 820 g is materially less than metal equivalents - and shoulder fatigue is the real limit on this kind of work, not durability. The handle is ergonomically shaped and rubberised. There is also a reversible belt clip that mounts on either side depending on which hand you work with.

Which staples it takes

The tacker fires Stanley Type G staples in three lengths: 8 mm (TRA705T), 10 mm (TRA706T) and 12 mm (TRA708T). Type G is the heavy-duty series - thicker wire and a wider crown than the fine Type A staples, which is why it holds in rough materials. Staples of any other type will not load.

Choosing the length

The rule is that the staple should penetrate the substrate at least as deep as the thickness of the material being fixed. For thin film onto board, 8 mm is enough; for roofing felt and underlay, 10 mm is the usual choice; 12 mm suits thicker insulation and soft substrates where a short staple does not grip.

Technical specifications

Questions and Answers