Small Leather Clicker

[Eccho]

I find myself thinking about a small hand operated clicker. I try to use up even my smallest scraps to make cheaper items for sales venues. I would love to sell a $75-$100 item to every customer that walks up, but the truth of the matter is, most folks are hard to separate from their money,At the end of the day the items that make or break a live sales event are the $5-$10 ones. So the cut aways that become ends for vest extenders, key fobs, braided bracelets, money clips, etc. become important once more. However, hand cutting the little devils out with these old hands is becoming tedious and I might add, a little painful.I have looked around the internet and I am having a difficult time finding a price line on a small manual clicker press. If I have to spend two or three thousand to get something I guess it wont happen, it would take to long to recoup my investment, and I don't know how long I have left. If anyone can point me in the right direction, offer some input into my thinking, and maybe offer up some places to order small dies from, I would be very grateful. Ya'll have a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.

[DavidL]

Elfita tools has one for 350 USD and shipping is something like 50 dollars if they ship it by boat. They offered me the machine at a special price of 300 USD at one point.. Shop press and heavy duty plastic boards or even a forged hammer die can work.

Hope that helps

[zikman]

you can get a shop press with steel plates and a custom die or two from weaver for about $500-600

[BDAZ]

Does anyone know if the Weaver clicker plate adapters will work in a Harbor Freight press?

Thanks,

Bob

[Eccho]

Thanks to everyone for your input. It looks like a harbor freight 20 ton press would do the job for the least cash outlay. That being said when I went to look at one in person, it does have a rather large footprint. I have seen what seem to be bench mounted ones that would be better suited for a small shop like mine, but it is difficult to find prices on many of them. Now that I have a better idea of what can be done, I think I will see if I can possibly create something on my own. Again thanks to all.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

For years I clicked parts on a $250 shop press. Mine stands on the floor and I would no way want one that sits on the bench. My bench gets cluttered enough the way it is without one more thing taking up space. But your situation may be entirely different. Even after I got my clicker, I still use the old press regularly for different things. Sometimes I only have one item to click, and it doesn't make sense to start up the clicker (and clean off the bed) for one item if I can do it about as quick with the press. I'd say even with the clicker, the press still gets as much or more use than ever. It was a cheap investment and I would never give it up. When my middle boy was between 10 and 14 years old, he spent a lot of time in the shop with me, and clicking parts with the press was a job he could do, liked to do, and was relatively safe. I paid him a couple bucks an hour and we were both happy!

[raysouth]

Hello Eccho,

I purchased a 3 ton arbor press from Northern Hydraulics and it is great. Recently used it to click out over 200 pieces @ 2 1/4" x 4" and the only thing that wore out was me. lol.

I do cut larger pieces as well but nothing to the extreme that would require powered clicker to accomplish. Have it mounted on a bench as I have to work from a seated position. Has a relatively small footprint.

Hope you find what you need soon.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Ray

[zikman]

Here you can see how small a footprint the weaver press has. http://i.imgur.com/8fyXA8B.jpg

I believe the price is about $450 with the plates and shipping.

I don't think you can use the plates in a harbor freight press without a bit of modification.

[threepets]

I have a small clicker for sale, pm I'll send you a pic. I live in Fort Erie.

threepets@sympatico.ca