Adapting Stimpson 405

[rktaylor]

I recently acquired a Stimpson 405. The driver and anvil are for grommets. Has anyone adapted one of these rivets or snaps? How about converting to another brand like Weaver?

Thanks, 

Randy

[DieselTech]

If adapters are not available. Then talk with a machinist to make you adapters for whatever brand dies you got or want. 

[mbnaegle]

Not sure if anything is available off the shelf, but bear in mind that Stimpson didn't sell hardware generically. In other words, you couldn't just buy dies and than fit them to any machine. They had different die systems for different machines, and each application had a different stroke, arm configuration, pocket mechanism, etc. 3/8" diameter hardware is more common though. At least if it was for the regular C-1 series rivet machines and for the 489 and similar series grommet machines (which were the foot and electric powered versions of that hand operated press). It wouldn't be a hard job for someone with a metal lathe to make an adapter to at least get the hardware to fit in the hole.

You'll also need to consider how you'll hold your fasteners in place. Most of these machines relied on special pockets to do so which the driver would push the rivet or grommet through and they are really not meant to have the hardware swapped out frequently. You'd set it up for one job and a different machine/press for another job. Some drivers have a rubber sleeve or a magnet to help hold the fastener in place, but you'll need to consider it when choosing your hardware. Because it's a hand operated press, you only have one hand to hold the material and fastener in place as you set it. Grommets are often pre-punched, so you can set the fastener in the hole and then crimp it without any pockets, which is likely how that press was made to work, so I think it would do better sticking with grommets.

Edited 12 hours ago by mbnaegle

[kgg]

8 hours ago, rktaylor said:

How about converting to another brand like Weaver?

I agree with @DieselTech talk to someone that does basic machinist work and have a couple adapters made. Pretty simple stuff. Also get them to make an adapter with 8mm internal threads in the top adapter so you even use the inexpensive dies that the Chinese type presses use like punches, etc.

kgg

[rktaylor]

Thanks for the comments. I have a local machinist who works for beer so the adapters should be easy (at least for me). I currently don't have dies, so I was wondering if anyone has made a similar adaptation. The Weaver dies seem affordable, but I haven't priced others. I want to make use of the tool, but I don't know much about it and want to invest wisely. 

Randy

[Cumberland Highpower]

It might not be as hard as it sounds?  25 years ago when I was first getting into leatherwork I set up for snaps/etc.   I bought some surplus arbor presses (US made) and bought snap setting tools from DOT.  

I bought a variety of the tools, some for the hand squeezy deal, some for other machines.   It wasn't hard to work out how to use them on arbor presses.

Most US tooling of this type has a shank that is on some kind of standard.  5/16 7/16,3/8 1/2"   I don't know what the shank diameter of your riveter is, but it's probably one of those.  You might just get lucky and buy setters that bolt right up.  I feel like DOT brand setters for snaps are 3/8" as I sit here, I'll have to check later if I remember.  Weaver tends to just copy what's industry standard, or whatever was most popular/common..  For example I have a big foot powered Judson Thompson loop stapler that's 100 years old and I Bought a Weaver anvil for one of their machines and it dropped right in and fit perfectly.

If not, how hard can it be?  You can work out sleeve bushings from the hardware store if your new tooling is for example 3/8" and your tool takes 1/2" shanks. I kinda don't see a need to hire a machinist to make adapters.  

 

--I just watched a min of a video on YouTube showcasing a Stimson 405 out of curiosity, looks like the lower tool is a 1/2" shank, the top looks pretty slender, maybe 5/16"?  You could probably just bore the ram out to the standard of whatever tooling you wanted to switch to, if you actually wanted to do that.  It also appears that 405 tooling is readily available, snaps, eyelets, gromets, etc.   Seems like you likely have a non-problem?

Grommet Setting Tools Grommet Installation Machinery |Stimpson Web Store

Edited 5 hours ago by Cumberland Highpower