Review: "tandy Hand Press" - For Snaps

[Relly]

This post is a short review of the Tandy Hand Press (AKA Craftool Hand Press).

I am using this press to set Tandy Line 20 snaps into leather bracelets.

The press itself cost $170 (Gold membership) but you have to buy the setting dies separately for about $100 per die set.

The press and dies cost more if you don't have the Gold membership with Tandy.

How I have set snaps in the past:

I use a 1/2 ton arbor press with a handmade jig - about $50.

I will set 40 snaps in one sitting.

First, the bad:

I found that the top die often won't come out easily when I am done with it.

$300 is a lot of money just to set snaps. It will cost me another $100 for the rivet setters.

Setting the press for bottom or top snaps requires changing out the dies (a nuisance).

An adjustable wrench is not included with the press, but there are plenty of bolts that could be adjusted.

The directions are very basic, and a manual would have been appreciated.

Now for the good:

Setting snaps is now a brainless, fast and easy task. The hand press does a great job!

I do sometimes have to make sure that I pressed the lever down all the way.

The tool needed no adjustment straight out of the box (so, no need for the wrench).

There is an adjustable "stop" on the top of the press that prevents me from crushing snaps.

The dies are spring loaded.

The press lever is on a spring, which is convenient.

This tool is probably great for rivets, I can see that some rivets won't be accessible to the press.

Using this tool is about 2-3X faster than using an arbor press, with no waste so far.

Using an arbor press required concentration and sometimes resulted in bent/ruined snaps (even with a jig).

If you set a couple snaps occasionally, using a hammer and the Tandy snap kit is probably all that you will ever need.

I would not recommend using an arbor press for snaps, although I once did. Fifty bucks could go towards better choices.

Overall, I like this tool. For the 40 snaps a week that I will do, it was worth it.

If I was doing larger runs, a motorized snap setting tool might be a better choice.

[McJeep]

Quick heads up on these presses - they can use the same dies that are used with *some* of the weaver machines - I was able to get the #104 tubular rivet dies from weaver including the die for setting them with caps - much moire solid rivets than the jiffy rivets and it works like a charm - need three hands sometimes but nice solid results

Cheers

Rob

[niftycurly]

For those still on the fence on spending $300 for the Tandy press + dies and looking for another option - I've had great success with the setting kits from CS Osborne https://www.osborneleathertools.com/product_details.php?pid=307.

Line 20 is $17 and line 24 $36. They work great with a mallet or in an arbor press. Quick, easy, perfect snaps every time.

**Disclosure ** I'm utterly snap challenged and couldn't set one properly with the Tandy hand setter to save my life.

[Mike516]

I was having fits setting snaps with the hand tools also. I like this hand press so much for snaps, I broke down and bought the rivet dies. None of the Tandy dies work for any other snaps or rivets I have other than the Tandy ones. But the sockets in the press can accommodate a lot of the dies other manufacturers make for their own snaps and rivets.

[Severen]

For those still on the fence on spending $300 for the Tandy press + dies and looking for another option - I've had great success with the setting kits from CS Osborne https://www.osbornel...ils.php?pid=307.

Line 20 is $17 and line 24 $36. They work great with a mallet or in an arbor press. Quick, easy, perfect snaps every time.

**Disclosure ** I'm utterly snap challenged and couldn't set one properly with the Tandy hand setter to save my life.

Have you tried to set any Pull-the-dot snaps with the Osbororne setter? If so, how well did it work?

[Chief31794]

I've owned one of these for several years, have all the dies to do Line 20, Line 24, Rivets, Segma, etc. With the Elite Membership I have a little over $500.00 in every thing for this and wouldn't take anything for it. Does an excellent job every time and I don't find changing the dies to be concerning, I change them often and rapidly and maybe it's because mine has been used a while but when I loosen the set screw on the top or bottom die they come right out (the top will actually fall out.) Now that I think, I may have a little less becuase I bought the press itself while it was on sale. Can't remember how much exactly but I haven't regretted it.

Ken

Edited June 13, 2012 by Chief31794