Article reprinted from Western Roofing magazine July/August 2007.

No Air

Testing the Stinger CH38 Cap Hammer by National Nail

by Marcus Dodson, editor

National nail has introduced a new cap system technology, the Stinger CH38 Cap Hammer. The Stinger is the first airless cap system to deliver the holding power of a cap with the speed and ease of a hammer tacker. It sets a new standard for securing felt and housewrap.

Many roofing contractors use hammer tackers to fasten roof felt to the deck. The problem is that staples have a tendency to pull through or cause tearing during installation, especially if its windy. Because caps provide better holding power they significantly reduce the risks of blow-offs and tears. Some manufacturers are recommending the use of cap fasteners with the installation of their products.

For contractors wanting to promote best practice installation, but don’t want the hassle and expense of an air compressor, hose, and power source, associated with a pneumatic nail- or staple-gun, the Stinger is the perfect tool. Priced like a hammer tacker, the Stinger gets the job done at half the price of a pneumatic cap stapler.

We had the opportunity to test out the Stinger at a residential jobsite. We put the Stinger through a series of tests attaching felt to plywood and OSB. The Stinger is extremely durable; we never had a failure. Basically, it’s like using a tried and true hammer tacker with the added benefits of a cap fastener.

The Stinger is easy to use and easy to load. A strip of staples are placed in the tool, and then, a roll of plastic caps are inserted in a case at the back and are fed to the front of the unit.

Securing felt and housewrap is a fairly strait forward process. The light-weight and easy-to-use Stinger CH38, with its ability to put a stop to blow-offs, can make this process easier and even hassle-free.