sewhungryhippie: How to use a Snap Press

Using a snap press is about a gajillion times easier than hammering them in, sewing snaps in, or using those hand powered snap wrench things. Gross!

I bought my press in 2011 and have used it SO MANY times- it's paid for itself a jillion times over. Once you get the hang of it you'll see what I mean. It's probably the best $199 I EVER spent.

Here you can see I pressed in a snap for my Aragon Bag (sewing pattern by Sew Sweetness).

I close most wallets I make with snaps. I find it easier to get in, get my cash, and get out.

I use them on pockets, shirts, bags... The list is endless.

Mine sits on my table most of the time. I move it to the floor when company comes over. It's heavy enough for a quality press, but not so heavy I can't easily move it.

But then again, I'm practically Arnold. Bahahaa I HOPE NOT!

I only have needed one allen wrench size, but it does come with several as pictured below.

There are two pieces you must know- the socket attachment piece, and the stud attachment piece. I call them the girl and boy parts because that's how my mind werks. Basically when you are putting on your snaps, make sure you have the correct piece loaded on the press according to where you want the stud or socket to sit. I don't really care much, as long as my snap works. But some people DO care. A LOT.

I'll invite you to watch the video (at the bottom of this post) to really see how fast it is.

The BIGGEST TIP I can give you, is to MARK your spots where you want the snap to center.

Mark a dot EXACTLY where you want that stud to hit.

You THINK you could eyeball it, but trust me--it shifts easily, stealth like, --- some sort of witchery I swear. So mark it.

The stud attachment rod can ONLY hold in the stud piece. The socket attachment rod can ONLY hold in the socket plastic piece.

** The trick is you have to think about how you're laying/lying the fabric/bag/pocket/whatever on the press ---so that from the outside you only visualize the smooth shiny portion, and the socket/stud combo combine to form a love union.

Watch the video to enhance this description.

You need two shiny smooth pieces, 1 stud, 1 socket for a single snap. They are sold together most times, in your choice of size. I prefer size 20 snaps-they look nice and are substantial.

I buy them in packs of 500. They go fast once you get hooked.

You do want some thickness to whatever you're attaching a snap to. A single layer of quilting cotton is NOT GOING TO WORK. Add interfacing, foam, or batting to the project. Use fleece, canvas with interfacing, or denim on its own. I would suggest practicing on a scrap pieces first to make sure the pointy bit has enough to grab on to.

Here is the KAM website so you can browse the products and decide for yourself.