snap and rivet setters

[reesus]

What are or is the best rivet/snap setter?   I've seen several on Amazon under $100 but they are poorly reviewed. The best one I've seen (heavy duty) is the Master Tool Little Wonder for $450.  I want something heavy duty. Any feedback would be great. I am buying this as a gift for an experienced leatherworker/seamstress who is constantly cussing her hand held snap setter.

[bruce johnson]

My experience as a user and seller. Two words - "Little Wonder". They are durable, parts available, and lots of dies available for different jobs. I buy and sell 6-8 of them a year. The major reasons most people get rid of them is they step up to a foot press or they retire/expire. If this an experienced person then they should like it. If I was buying new, I wouldn't hesitate at all on a Little Wonder.  

As an aside and for comparison. My second favorite are the older red version that Tandy sold. I can't comment on the Tandy Pro they sell now because I haven't had one. Those older red ones are heavy and strong. They usually very true and simple. They use the same size dies as the Little Wonder also. 

The Amazon specials can be OK but some are not true at all. I try to avoid it but sometimes I have to buy them if they come in a shop set. I'd stay away from them as a gift.

[reesus]

Thanks for the great info Bruce!  I looked for Little Wonder on you website but didn't see one?

[Dwight]

I was up in "Amish Country" with my wife . . . we stopped for lunch . . . was a combination restaurant and fabric shop.  

I saw these hanging on the wall . . . they looked good . . . decided to give em a chance.

The pliers themselves were like 35 bucks . . . the pieces that match your snaps were another 18 or so.  

One of the best buys I've ever made . . . they work super great.  The only catch is you have to put on one set of dies to set the male part of the snap . . . then change them for the female part.

On the next trip up . . . I popped another 35 . . . have the males on one set . . . females on the other set . . . 

They also have a setup where you can drill a hole thru your work bench  . . . mount this . . . a wire goes down to your foot pedal . . . and you can do them with your foot.  I didn't go there.

Anyway . . . just my choice.

May God bless,

Dwight

[kgg]

On 11/18/2023 at 1:35 PM, reesus said:

I want something heavy duty. Any feedback would be great. I am buying this as a gift for an experienced leatherworker/seamstress who is constantly cussing her hand held snap setter.

I use the cheap Chinese manual press machine like ( https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0771NFSLZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ) at $56 CAD plus tax delivered ( $40 USD). They are cheap but do a decent job and the dies and hole punches are cheap, delivered at $10 -$12 CAD ($7 -$9 USD) if bought off places like Aliexpress. The downside to the lever handle presses particularly the ones with the lever at the rear is you only got one hand free to handle the item as the other one is used to operate the lever. That is where a kick press shines. I am now in the process of doing a proper press table and converting my two cheap hand presses to operate as kick presses. One to be used as a punch and the other as a setter.

kgg