- Attaching the Handle

- Intro to Resin Plastic Snaps

- Intro to Dies for Plastic Snaps

- How to Attach Plastic Snaps

- How to Remove Plastic Snaps

Attaching the Handle:

Insert the base of the handle between the two walls of the top of the press, making sure to align the holes.

 

Slide the screw through the holes.

Firmly tighten the nut on the end of the screw.

 

Using the Press:

 

This is how each of the snap components are attached to the dies. 

  

The large cap die sits at the bottom of the press.

The socket and stud dies are attached to the top of the press.  Note that the DK-93 model has screw-in shanks, as shown, while the DK-98 has smooth shanks which will require the smallest allen wrench to tighten. If you have the DK-98, do not overtighten the screw.  Just tighten it enough to keep it secure.

 

We start with the stud die.

 

Lay the cap upside down, with the prong facing upward, on the cap die.

 

Attach the stud, with the mouth facing upward, to the stud die.

 

 

Press the prong of the cap through your fabric.  Using an awl to first poke a hole in your fabric may make this easier. 

 

Press the handle down hard.

When you release the handle, your fabric will be stuck to the top die. 

 

Detach the fabric from the die.

 

Remove the stud die from the top and replace with the socket die.  Follow the exact same directions to attach the socket.

Note that the prong should be fairly flattened.  If it is not, it will get in the way when you try to close the 2 sides of the snap so that they will not fasten securely.

In the picture below, the prong on the right has not been flattened sufficiently so it sticks up more.  To correct this, simply attach the socket or stud to the top die and re-press, this time applying more pressure.  Be sure to place the stud or socket back into the upper die, rather than just laying the cap on top of the bottom ie as that may cause off-centering.  If you continue to have this problem, read our Troubleshooting section below.

Removing Snaps

If you have made a mistake with your plastic snap, you can remove it in a number of ways. You can try applying a small amount of heat to the cap prong at the center of the snap which holds the snap together. The heat will melt the prong, which will allow you to simply pull the 2 pieces of the snap apart. You can use a soldering tool if you have one, or just heat up the tip of a fork tine or knife over a candle and quickly place it against the prong.

You can also try placing your fabric upside down under the press (cap side up) or sideways. Press down as if you were applying a snap, and it should fall right off.  We have a video here showing how to do this with both the snap press and the pliers.

Small pliers, wire cutters, or nail clippers can also be used to chip away at the sides of the snap or the snap prong until the snap breaks.  You can also use a dremel/drill with a small rounded tip against the prong until the snap can be removed.

Whichever method you try, be sure to go slowly so that you don't damage your fabric.

 

Maintenance:

You should lubricate the spring and threads that hold the dies periodically with WD40 or other type of machine oil/lubricant.  If you notice some difficulty in attaching the dies to the press or in removing them, please do not continue to force the dies in as they will eventually get stuck.  At the first sign of difficulty, lubricate the dies as well as the hole in the press where the dies go so that the dies slip in and out smoothly.

 

Attaching Metal Snaps:

The concept behind metal snaps is mostly the same as for plastic snaps.  We have the following instruction videos for metal snaps:  

- Intro to Open Cap Metal Snaps

- Intro to Open Cap Dies

- Attaching Open Cap Metal Snaps

- Removing Open Cap Metal Snaps

- Attaching Full Cap Metal Snaps

 

Troubleshooting:

If you are having problems attaching your press, in almost all cases the problem can be solved by following these steps.  If your snaps are falling off or not fastening properly, then that means the prong of the cap has not been flattened sufficiently.  It could be due to user error (not pressing down hard enough), improper settings on  the press (bolts not tightened enough), insufficient fabric (fabric too thin or too thick), or the wrong snaps being used.  You can follow one or more of these steps to correct the problem:

- Press down on the handle harder.

- Place the press on a lower surface so that you have more leverage when pressing down the handle.

- Lower the screw that sits right behind the handle (A in picture below). This will provide greater pressure when the handle is pressed down.

- Make sure the top die is tightened firmly to the press (D in picture below).  It needs to be tightened securely, not loosely.

- Make sure the handle itself is bolted firmly to the press  (B in picture below).

- There's a horizontal screw just above the springs around the black bar. You can play around with the tightness, which might also help  (C in picture below).

- If your fabric is very thin or you aren't using enough layers, this can also cause the prong to not flatten properly. Try adding some layers of fabric.

- If your fabric is too thick, on the other hand, the snaps will not secure to the fabric and they will just fall off completely.  If this is the case, consider using our long prong snaps.