Setting these $#%#@%#%$!! Snaps!

[Scott1952]

Does anyone have a good trick to setting these miserable line 20/24 snaps? Now I know why people but them in bulk.

Thanks

Scott

[wildrose]

ROTFLMAO! I'm soooooo with you on this. I could go through about 5 of the female halves before one takes right.

I told my father-in-law about the problem, and how the setter just didn't seem to flare the metal enough before pressing it down. He sent me a set of these nail setters. I find they work really well in helping set snaps better. It takes a little practice, but it has helped me tremendously. I use it to splay the tips just a little, then I use the snap setter the rest of the way.

[ArtS]

Whats the problem that you're having? I've had the problem where they didn't hold because the leather was too thick and then I started thinning the leather by the snap. I've also had the problem of them bending. This was usually due to the leather being too thin. Now I grind them down before trying to set them.

Art

[Scott1952]

Whats the problem that you're having? I've had the problem where they didn't hold because the leather was too thick and then I started thinning the leather by the snap. I've also had the problem of them bending. This was usually due to the leather being too thin. Now I grind them down before trying to set them.

Art

Bending is the biggest problem. The shank of the female tends to bend over prior to swelling.

Scott

Wild Rose,

Thanks for the idea, I used a tapered center punch, and it helped some. There has to be a better way....I think I will go play around in the machine shop tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

Scott

Edited March 8, 2009 by Scott1952

[CitizenKate]

Scott,

I'm not sure what specific problem you're having with setting line 20 snaps, but here are some photos to show one way to do it that has been successful for me, along with some tips to avoid the problems I encountered when learning how to set them.

Starting with the male half of the snap, set the post face-up on something flat and hard, like an anvil.

The post goes through the hole in your leather, then the snap goes over that.

There are different types of snap setting tools; this is the one I use.

One of the problems I had getting snaps to set right happened when the leather was thicker, almost the thickness of the post. There needs to be a small amount of the post showing up through the working part of the snap when the post is struck by the tool. If there isn't enough, the working part of the snap comes off as the end of the post as the post is struck, and the set is unsuccessful.

Art made a good suggestion to thin the leather around the hole to make sure there is enough post to grab the working part of the snap. Another way to prevent this problem is to use your fingertips to press down on the working part of the snap down while you're holding the setting tool, as shown here:

Tap the setting tool lightly until you start to feel the post giving way. Make sure you are striking the post SQUARELY. If anything starts to feel crooked or lop-sided, then stop, adjust and resume. Once the post starts to split, then give it a couple of hard whacks to set it. When you're done, it should look like this:

You can usually see the post splitting, but for the most part, it is flat, and spread around the hole fairly evenly.

For the female half of the snap, I use the concave side of my button anvil, since the cap has a slight dome shape.

Again, use your fingers to press down on the working part of the snap as you strike the setter, to keep it from popping off the end of the post while you're striking.

A few light taps until you feel the post starting to spread and give way, then a couple of hard whacks to set the snap. When you're done, it should look like this, with the post mashed nice and flat inside the working part of the snap, and evenly distributed around the inside of the hole.

If the post on this part is not flat enough, it will be very difficult to snap and un-snap the pieces. If you do have difficulty with it, give it a few more whacks. Sometimes, I have also resorted to whacking the post with the flat end of my setting tool to make it nice and flat.

If this doesn't help with your specific problem, give us more info and we'll try to help.

Kate

[Bob]

I can totally relate too, they can be quite miserable to set properly.

Like Art said, it can be for several reasons.

the post is too long for the material, or too short.... they are the most likely reason...

but the other over looked is the tool should be held straight, not crooked, sometimes you can get away with a tool long post, if you just hold it straight up.

it maybe too the quality of material used in making the snaps... some are better than others, I try to avoid the junk sold from tandy, it mostly made in the orient.

[CitizenKate]

Bending is the biggest problem. The shank of the female tends to bend over prior to swelling.

You must have posted this while I was working on my demo. When striking with the setting tool, be conscious of whether the tool is striking squarely. It may take some practice to get the feel of that.

Kate

[Elliot]

The Tandy setters I have are ruff in the face where the snap post is to roll over.

Take the setter and chuck in the fastest drill motor you have and polish the rings out.

These rings catch the snap post and wreck it, crush or bend.

Good way to sell more snaps, sell bad tools???????????

[ArtS]

If it's bending it's probably because they are too long for what you're using them for. Try grinding them down.

Art

[Elliot]

If it's bending it's probably because they are too long for what you're using them for. Try grinding them down.

Art

Polishing will help if a little to long, but not if way to long.

Also if a little short.

It sure stops the mashing down and not flaring.