Problems with standard plastic snaps

688 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by ustasmom, Jun 23, 2005

3inclothdiapers

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2005

Hi everyone. I wrote Jess at diapershop.com an email about this, but in case she's not able to respond, I figured I would ask here too. I just got my new snap press Saturday. I am using standard plastic snaps, size 20. So far I've done about 10 sets and I can't get them to snap together. Which would make me think I'm pressing too hard? I feel like I'm BARELY pressing as it is. I did double check all the snap pieces and I snapped together a socket and stud before applying them to fabric, and they are the right sizes that go together. It's just once they are on the fabric they don't work anymore. Should I have gotten industrial instead? A bit late now to change my mind though, isn't it? I did read on here that both kinds of snaps work very well, so I decided to go with standard since the snaps themselves are cheaper.

Any advice???? Please????? I REALLY want to have fun with my new snap press, and was quite disappointed that I'm doing something wrong.

Thanks!

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tippytoes26

· #2 · Jun 20, 2005

If you got them from OSDS, they most likely have a longer prong in the center than most plastic snaps and you'll need to press a lot harder to get it to squish down enough so when you snap, they aren't too high preventing the snap from locking.

If it's just a weak connection that doesn't seem to stay snapped, that's a different problem. I've never had that problem with snaps from Jess, but do have that issue with the snap studs I got from other places. Most likely, you just aren't pressing hard enough. I find a lot of times with the longer prong ones from OSDS, I have to go back and re-press them because I didn't press hard enough the first time.

Try it on a sample piece and see if it helps. I'm not a small gal, and I have to lean a lot of my weight on the press handle to get that little prong squished enough. It's so you can go through thicker fabrics, but when you are doing something thin, it's especially hard to get it squished enough.

Amber

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jaye_p

· #3 · Jun 20, 2005

It sounds like you're not pressing them enough, like Amber said. I use sz 20 standard polyresin snaps too, and I've found that I need to first set the snap, then re-press it a couple of times, pretty vigorously, to get the stem part of the cap to smoosh down enough to make the snaps snap properly. Does that make sense? If the stem isn't smooshed down enough, then the snaps won't make that lovely little clicking noise when they snap together.

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3inclothdiapers

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 20, 2005

Oh, so I need to press harder? I guess I didn't want to press TOO hard because in the instructions it said that the standards don't need to be pressed very hard, and if you do, they might crack. I'll try again and see if it works.

thanks!

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Lynski

· #5 · Jun 20, 2005

I agree, press harder. The prong should be almost completely flattened into the socket or stud. Good luck!

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jaye_p

· #6 · Jun 21, 2005

Don't press it really hard when you're first setting the snap. I mean, don't get it all set up, and then slam the press down with all your weight! That will definitely break the snap. What works for me is to use average pressure (i.e. no straining or slamming) to set the snap, then I press the upper die back into the snap and press it down again a few times with a little more force. BTW - you don't want to do this if the die is not snapped into the snap, b/c you'll break the snap. I know this from bitter experience. :LOL

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ustasmom

· #7 · Jun 23, 2005

Are you making snap holes with an awl? I found it is much easier to attach snaps if the prong is extended through the fabric. I got smooshed snaps when I didn't do this.

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