JerseyFirefighter Report post Posted October 17, 2016 So I've started to buy some dies to cut some of the repeated patterns of my straps as well as dies to make use of scraps (fobs, coasters, shield fronts etc) and was wondering about clickers (since I only know what i've read in random posts). My largest die will be about 18-20x2 1/2" long and I will be clicking a mix of 9 oz and 13-15oz leather. I've been going back and forth over Weaver's 8 ton clicker and just curious if there are other brands or machines that square up to theirs or are more cost effective (Tippmann, Cobra?). Any pro's or con's to them (besides being rather large and heavy) I reckon my price range would be anywhere between $1500-2500. Any insight from those that have had one or more different types of clickers would be greatly appreciated. I was going to wait until the beginning of next year to buy one but things have been going very well on the business front so I may just speed this purchase up. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Art Report post Posted October 18, 2016 I've had a couple of bottle jack type press/clickers, one hand pump and one air driven bottle jack. The air drive one has been setting for 5 or so years since I got the 10 ton hydraulic. The 10-ton does everything, and does it quick. Really large dies can be done in sections with either type. The 10-ton definitely holds down the garage, neither it or the garage has moved since it got here. I left it on the metal shipping pallet, and if I have to move it, the pallet jack comes in handy. To keep cost down, look to a used one from a reputable dealer, like Campbell-Randall or someone they recommend. The Chinese machines work ok, at least mine does, a used Atom would be good too. Check Craigs List. Art Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyFirefighter Report post Posted October 18, 2016 1 hour ago, Art said: I've had a couple of bottle jack type press/clickers, one hand pump and one air driven bottle jack. The air drive one has been setting for 5 or so years since I got the 10 ton hydraulic. The 10-ton does everything, and does it quick. Really large dies can be done in sections with either type. The 10-ton definitely holds down the garage, neither it or the garage has moved since it got here. I left it on the metal shipping pallet, and if I have to move it, the pallet jack comes in handy. To keep cost down, look to a used one from a reputable dealer, like Campbell-Randall or someone they recommend. The Chinese machines work ok, at least mine does, a used Atom would be good too. Check Craigs List. Art Thank you for your insight Art. After al these new toys my wife might get that new house she's been looking for so long as it comes with a much larger work area to comfortably space out work stations. :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shoepatcher Report post Posted October 22, 2016 Jerseyfirefighter, Used hydraulic clickers usually start at about $3000.00 and up. Their is someone in New Jersey that sells used machines. I will try to find their info and get it to you. glenn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaptQuirk Report post Posted October 22, 2016 Are there any cheap redneck engineered options? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted October 22, 2016 A bottle jack press. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaptQuirk Report post Posted October 22, 2016 14 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said: A bottle jack press. Dude... I guess I need to Goggle that, because it seems like you are leaving out a detail or two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) You know, a shop press with plates welded on it. They are all over YouTube. Thought you knew. You can build one out of a harbor freight press used for pressing bearings. TOTALLY REDNECK. Some people go ahead and replace the jack with an air or hydraulic cylinder. Edited October 22, 2016 by bikermutt07 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted October 22, 2016 What bikermutt is talkin' about is something like this, a shop press / hydraulic arbor press which some folks have modified with a plate top and bottom to make a clicker. There are threads about it somewhere here on LWN .. Here is one of them. Apparently, with bottle jack power, it's not all that fast, but no doubt still much faster than cutting by hand. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaptQuirk Report post Posted October 23, 2016 Thanks, I did find a few threads, and even mention of a fly press. Maybe someday I'll have the cash and the room for something like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyFirefighter Report post Posted October 23, 2016 The Weaver's 8 ton is $2000. Ive watched the videos and seem to be ok with going that route. I was also looking at say the Cobra ($$$$) looks a little overboard for my production needs (but really cool) Also i'm not running a new 220v line for it or hauling around 1k lbs Looking at the hydraulic bottle jack press, it would seem that it would take considerable time just to punch out once and reset. I wasn't sure if there was anything comparable or more productive within my price range. There is a lot less info on selecting the right clicker than say the right sewing machine, so your guys info is invaluable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Sioux Saddlery Report post Posted October 23, 2016 For years I used a $250 shop press with a bottle jack. It was slow but a heck of a lot faster than cutting intricate little pieces by hand. It was a great job for the kids. Slow enough that they couldn't get in too much trouble. I upgraded to a regular hydraulic clicker about ten years ago, but STILL have my shop press and use it occasionally when I need just one part cut and don't want to clear off my clicker bed or start it up for one part. The shop press gets used for a lot of other things also. I wouldn't get rid of it for anything. If you are ONLY going to click parts, the Weaver manual clicker is probably better suited for that than a shop press. If I had the room, I'd probably have one of those too for clicking those occasional small items! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted October 23, 2016 I Bought a used but very good "bottle jack" press last year that was already modified for clicking. I replaced the hydraulic jack with an air over Hydraulic 20 ton jack. I click with mostly steel rule dies I have made. The dimension between the steel plates on the press is very consistant so I made "stops" so the die doesn't bury itself into the cheater plastic board. I quite often want to click a number of pieces from same set of dies. For each cut I stack several pieces of leather so I can cut them all at once. I can click a half dozen pieces with no problems, taking about 30 seconds. BTW: It would be great to have a good sized clicker but my set up cost me less than $200 and suits me just fine. I also have a pancake compressor dedicated to the press. When I am not using the press I use this compressor to keep the multitude of tires on equipment I have, "Pumped Up". Ferg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyFirefighter Report post Posted October 24, 2016 Perfect examples! This in addition to everything else so far is the type of advice im looking for. While I cant spell out how my business will change over the next few years... I can ultimately say that the near future will be served clicking two to three dozen "sets" of parts (4 parts per set) every 2-3 weeks. I love the notion that I could finally include my wife in doing menial projects while im away to improve overall production capability. If I got 3-4 hrs of help a week i'd consider myself on easy street. Unfortunately.. Im at the cusp of "business is doing well" vs "not busy enough" to take on some part time help. Ive heard the old adage of being busy so prices go up.. OR some businesses just hold orders to catch up. To me.. getting some tools that the wife can use can help reduce some of the backlog would be A-OK for me. This seems to be the next logical progression. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
