Abstract: A high speed, portable, rug binding machine in the form of an electric-powered hand-tool carrying and dispensing a roll of binding tape has floor-engaging canted wheels for directing the frame of the machine into a rug as it is rolled along a rug edge to which a binding is stapled by the machine as the operator pulls a trigger causing a solenoid to drive the stapler by way of a power linkage which automatically adjusts for rug and for binding thickness; the machine has adjustment for varying rug-to-binding holding force, prior to stapling, and rug introduction angle; simplicity of mechanism provides compactness and light weight suitable for one-hand manipulation by the operator under all conditions.