Pop Studs and Eyelet Fixing - Any Secrets? Tips?

[David_Old_Jersey]

To date I have been using whatever drifts etc that come with the packets of Poppers or Eyelets........and whilst they work (well, I am up to a 90% success rate nowadays ) nonetheless really fiddly things to do ......and fingers / thumbs do not always survive unscathed

So far I can live with all that for the odd job now and again, but I have one eye on some changes to my Winter Cover and maybe, just maybe, an aft cover for the cockpit...........so a faster way to go would be useful.

I can't beleive the proffessionals struggle with the same method?? - a clever gadget (I have Googled a few times!) would be ideal...........

Any ideas?

[Jim Cate]

g'Day David,

There may be a nomenclature disconnect here, but I think that what you are talking about what us Yanks call snaps and grommets. If so, I share your feelings! I've found that the tools that come with the "kits" are pretty poor stuff just as you have. I gave up and bought professional level grommet sets and they (hammer operated, but well made) have made our canvas work far better.

But, the snaps... oi vey! I stuff up about half of them, and all too often the ones that don't actually fall apart immediately fail soon thereafter. I've noticed that the pros use a tool that looks sorta like a pair of vice-grips with appropriate dies in the jaws. Those guys just bang the snaps in in a few seconds and with 100% success -- I hate them! Anyhow, such tools are available from Bainbridge and/or Contender in the US and in Oz... don't know about your part of the world. Not cheap, but boy do they work well.

Hope that you can resolve the issue and get some good results.

Cheers,

Jim

[David_Old_Jersey]

Thanks for that - gave me the headstart I needed on WTF I had to Google for (Press 'n' Snap tool)



UK - £200 US $106

Press 'n' Snap tool Professional quality, Snuggtopz® Marine Canvas Supplies

Upholstery Tools - Hoover Press-N-Snap Tool, Grommet and Upholstery Fastener Snap Tools

I will do some more Googling on (UK) price later

This is how life should be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNJoymytfww

[anjou]

I just used a cleverly fashioned 4'' nail and block of wood. Worked ok.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by anjou

I just used a cleverly fashioned 4'' nail and block of wood. Worked ok.

I like me gadgets

[anjou]

Fave old tools are like old friends, when they inflict wounds, they are like love kisses and the scars serve to remind of good times spent in loyal service

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by anjou

Fave old tools are like old friends, when they inflict wounds, they are like love kisses and the scars serve to remind of good times spent in loyal service

I will try and remember that the next time the cordless drill slips from the piece of wood I was drilling........on my lap ........close enough to the important bits to check

Fortunately I was wearing baggy trousers (Urban Combats - one thing I have learnt from CF is to be ready for the EOTW ).........and they snagged the drill before it carried on into my inner thigh - including when I pressed the trigger again

This is a cheaper (and slower) version - $20

Upholstery Snap Setter | DIY Upholstery Supply






This one seems a bit like an old style Company Seal Press - I was wondering whether I could make something up with one.



Upholstery Button Machine | DIY Upholstery Supply

$140

(Yeah, I'll be back to this thread )

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

..... for the EOTW ......

OK, I give in, WTF is EOTW.

[David_Old_Jersey]

End of the World

[Wotname]

Thanks, well I don't have to worry about that until next year.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

g'Day David,

There may be a nomenclature disconnect here, but I think that what you are talking about what us Yanks call snaps and grommets. If so, I share your feelings! I've found that the tools that come with the "kits" are pretty poor stuff just as you have. I gave up and bought professional level grommet sets and they (hammer operated, but well made) have made our canvas work far better.

But, the snaps... oi vey! I stuff up about half of them, and all too often the ones that don't actually fall apart immediately fail soon thereafter. I've noticed that the pros use a tool that looks sorta like a pair of vice-grips with appropriate dies in the jaws. Those guys just bang the snaps in in a few seconds and with 100% success -- I hate them! Anyhow, such tools are available from Bainbridge and/or Contender in the US and in Oz... don't know about your part of the world. Not cheap, but boy do they work well.

Hope that you can resolve the issue and get some good results.

Cheers,

Jim

I have been downb this roiad and have a box of sexond rate grommets, studs, snapts, etc. to prove it. Not to mention the crappy tools I started out with.

If you do this yourself, find a friendly canvas shop and buy your tools and fiddly" pieces there. Trust me.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I have been downb this roiad and have a box of sexond rate grommets, studs, snapts, etc. to prove it. Not to mention the crappy tools I started out with.

that rings a bell

If you do this yourself, find a friendly canvas shop and buy your tools and fiddly" pieces there. Trust me.

I live on a small island - and one of our (many? ) endearing ways is to double the price of everything on the basis that "You can't drive 100 miles down the road to another town"......in practice that means will need to be an internet purchase.

For the expensive solution will need to think carefully about what use I will actually be getting from it / what I will be making over the next few years.........and not just what I'd like to be able to do