Line 24 Snap Setting

[Elmore]

I've been setting line 24 snaps with the 1/2 ton Harbor Freight press + Tandy's snap/rivet setter set.  A hole, in the ram of the arbor press, holds the Tandy setter, and rolls the post of the snap over nicely.

However, with some fancy new all brass Buckle Guy line 24 snaps, I've started to get some indentation on the domed top of the snap.  It looks as if the post is being pushed into the underside of the dome, and causing it to deform.  I trimmed a post down, thinking it might be due to excess post length, but it still had the indentation.  This is on a single thickness of 4-5 ounce leather.

Any idea what's going on here?  I'm tempted to buy Buckle Guy's snap setting hardware: https://www.buckleguy.com/bg-snap-setter-die-w-screw-fits-s15b51-snaps-requires-hand-tool-post-base-or-bg-hand-press/  and see if I get better results, but it doesn't look too much different from what I'm currently using!

 

[Rhale]

Barry King makes a line 24 and a line 20 snap setter that after you use it you will never use anything else and they are reasonably priced.  

[Dave Richardson]

Looks to me that you are pushing the post into the dome. The length of the post should be about 1/8 inch over thickness of leather. Your going to need a stop on your press to keep from bottoming out, thats what is pressing your post into the dome. Could be as simple as masking tape around the ram.

[Elmore]

The Barry King snap setter looks quite nice.  I'll keep an eye on it as it appears to be out of stock at the moment.

Dave - I believe the post is being driven into the dome as well, so as a test, I took a snap and put just enough force to begin rounding over the post lip.  Then instead of finishing setting it, I flipped the post over, and could see the beginnings of the indentations in the domed surface.  It almost seems like I need to support the dome of the snap around the perimeter, and leave it unsupported in the center.  If I can find a likely o-ring, I'll test this idea.

 

[Konapaniolo]

You could use the C S Osborne tool #230......

[NVLeatherWorx]

On 12/19/2018 at 11:13 AM, Elmore said:

I've been setting line 24 snaps with the 1/2 ton Harbor Freight press + Tandy's snap/rivet setter set.  A hole, in the ram of the arbor press, holds the Tandy setter, and rolls the post of the snap over nicely.

However, with some fancy new all brass Buckle Guy line 24 snaps, I've started to get some indentation on the domed top of the snap.  It looks as if the post is being pushed into the underside of the dome, and causing it to deform.  I trimmed a post down, thinking it might be due to excess post length, but it still had the indentation.  This is on a single thickness of 4-5 ounce leather.

Any idea what's going on here?  I'm tempted to buy Buckle Guy's snap setting hardware: https://www.buckleguy.com/bg-snap-setter-die-w-screw-fits-s15b51-snaps-requires-hand-tool-post-base-or-bg-hand-press/  and see if I get better results, but it doesn't look too much different from what I'm currently using!

 

Line 24 snaps are intended for use on thicker leathers from 7 oz. up; a line 20 snap may work better even though they are intended for use on leather that is at least 5 oz. (I do use them on 4 oz. with no issues though).  You can take the total thickness of your leather into consideration when determining the best snap, i.e. if you are using 4-5 oz. leather then a line 24 can be used with good results if your leather has been folded or is double layered.

 

 

[rfkoen]

I use a Harbor Freight Arbor press drilled to take the Tandy dies.  I also have a Tandy Hand Press, and have started using it most of the time for snaps.  The arbor press does great with rivets, but you really need a fine touch with snaps.  It is too easy to use too much force which distorts the snap either as you are seeing or in worse cases affects the snaps ability to function correctly.  If I'm using the arbor press I pretty much have to stop as soon as I feel a little resistance.  With the Tandy press I have to be standing up putting most of my weight on the handle, but I've never over done a snap with Tandy press.  Hope this helps!

[seabee]

Before I  would buy anything, I would would drill a hole the size of the snap post in a 1/8" thick wood and sand it down on a belt in sander.  Than use your press.

Seabee

 

I