Is there such a thing as a "brad press"?

[Stephen Tashiro]

I think it would be handy to have a bench top tool that would drive brads straight into a board using a gradual action like a manual press, instead of an action like hammering. Is there such a tool?

[John Coloccia]

I would think you could use an arbor press. If I had an arbor press, I'd try it for you :) What did you have in mind?

[Larry Rasmussen]

Try looking in the picture framing section of whatever woodworking catalogs you might have. I was looking at a device at my local Rockler that pressed various fasteners into wood frames the other day when I was there browsing around. Looked kind of useful but I didn't spend much time on it since I don't do a lot of frames.

Good luck,
Larry,
Seattle

[Jamie Buxton]

I have an escutcheon pin driver. (Escutcheon pins are brass headed brads.) It looks a bit like a screwdriver. The shaft is a hollow tube, with a rod sliding inside it. You put a pin in it and push the handle to push the rod to push the pin into the wood. I don't remember where I got it, but with that name you should be able to search it out.

[Keith Westfall]

I think some of the problems would be driving it straight with a slow pressure push. It would have to be 'perfect' in order to do so.

I think the power driver is so quick they just go in...

That's my theory and I'm sticking with it... :o

[Rick Lizek]

I think it would be handy to have a bench top tool that would drive brads straight into a board using a gradual action like a manual press, instead of an action like hammering. Is there such a tool?

What kind of application are looking to do this with and why would you think it better? Try it and compare it to hammering and a nail gun.

I can't see how it would be better. A nail gun is superior to hammering as you join pieces in awkward spots you could get as tight a joint by hammering and you need something solid to hammer against. You can easily hold two pieces of wood with one hand and fasten it with a brad gun. Pushing brads in slow would be more likely to bend them.

[Bill LaPointe]

I think it would be handy to have a bench top tool that would drive brads straight into a board using a gradual action like a manual press, instead of an action like hammering. Is there such a tool?

Very versatile tool. Not only works on small brads but larger fasteners as well. :D

[Mike Cutler]

Stephen

Yes, there is, it's called a Brad Driver. The one I have works by hand. It looks like a small screwdriver with a collapsable handle. The brad is held by a magnetic spring assemble. You just push down on the handle.
Many years ago I saw a used bench mounted one that looked like a bullet reloader press. If I would have known then, how many frames for beehives I would eventually make, I would have bought it.
The hand held version can be sourced by any bee supply catalog, ie. Brusshy Mountain, or BetterBee.

[Stephen Tashiro]

The application I have in mind is rather specialized! To make stock for a "strainer" for mounting canvas for a painting, I like to attach 1/2" quarter round to 1x2" stock. A flat face of the quarter round lines up with a thin face of the 1x2 stock, so they form a common flat face. I use glue and 1" brad nails to attach the quarter round.

I don't want the brad head to stick up and damage the canvas. So I prefer to drive the brad into the center of the quarter round and straight down into the 1x2. I do this by drilling a guide hole and manually hammering the brad in. Trying to use a pneumatic or electric brad gun doesn't work well. The nose of a gun doesn't fit snugly against the quarter round when I try to drive the brad straight down. It leaves the head of the brad proud. A gun would be fine for driving the brad into the quarter round at an angle, but the point of the brad might come out the side of the 1x2 (not a problem if I was nailing quarter round into flooring, but a problem in my application).

I'm looking for a better way to do the job than drilling, nailing, setting.

[John Coloccia]

Okay. I know exactly what you're doing now. For something like this, I would personally toss the wood glue and nails and do the whole thing with superglue. I've used everything from Pacer Technologies ZAP! to Hot Stuff to TightBond and a zillion more I can't remember right now (I built radio controlled planes for many years and it's all superglue), but I've finally settled on the 2p10 line of glues. Their blend has the best handling characteristics of all of them in my opinion.

If you're worried about needing a few seconds for alignment, simply don't use their "activator". It's really not an activator. It's an accelerator catalyst. The glue will set just fine without it. It just take a bit longer. Lay a bead, position the work, set a few spring clamps. By the time you get the next piece ready, you can unclamp the first one and move on.

The other way you can do it is put the piece where you want it and wick in the thin super glue from the edges. If you have a tight joint, it will go right in and bond fantastically.

[Lee Schierer]

Brad drivers or setters are fairly common and work well.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Images/products/web5337.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21GcHGgHOWL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Just do a google search for Brad pusher or brad setter for lots of sources.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Lee Valley has one. Look here

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32117&cat=1,43293

[Glen Blanchard]

I really don't think that there is, no. Exposure is exposure. You know what they say, "There is no such thing as bad press". Oh....wait. NEVER MIND!

[Stephen Tashiro]

Lee Valley has one. Look here

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32117&cat=1,43293

But I was hoping for a benchtop model, magazine fed!