Hi guys & girls
I don't normally do much in the grommet line, so I just have the old cutting punch, hammer & closer.
Now I have about 20 #2 grommets to get through three layers of sunbrella plus one layer of medium weight webbing. Any tips on how to punch through that lot ! ::)
Please ;D
Setting grommets (common sense fasteners, or snaps) in webbing is a drag. Eat your wheaties and then be prepared to really get busy with the mallet. It really helps if the punch is sharp and you have one of those plastic/rubber pads to put under the work.
I never had trouble putting snaps into webbing
Nut sommon sence and lift the dot grometts the punch tool is extremely hard to go through webbing.
Grometts like on a t top I cand pinch webbing. In fact I don't have webbing but only 3 layers of canvas.
Wheni tried to put a frometts in webbing getting the hole is the hard part punchwhat gou can a d then try burning the hole with a soldering iron.
Once you have a hole setting the gromett is not hard
I use only stainless steel grommets and as such a hand punch is a real pain if not impossible
I use a 2 tonne press with the dies in it and it goes through without problems
It is not the best thing for site work though
Allan
I like to use a sawn-off wood piling under the fabric. MUCH easier than the rubber/plastic/starboard base and easier on the die cutter. It won't dull the die nearly as fast.
June
Quote from: bobbin on March 15, 2011, 12:09:52 pm
Setting grommets (common sense fasteners, or snaps) in webbing is a drag. Eat your wheaties and then be prepared to really get busy with the mallet. It really helps if the punch is sharp and you have one of those plastic/rubber pads to put under the work.
Yeh that's what I thought :'(
No miracle cure then, will have a look around for a lump of wood.
June, I've never used anything but the rubber pad thingys. I didn't know it would dull the punches faster, thanks for that tid bit!
Would an arbor press do the job for you? Here is an example...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-2-TONNE-ARBOR-ARBOUR-PRESS-/330513208763?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cf41f55bb (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-2-TONNE-ARBOR-ARBOUR-PRESS-/330513208763?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cf41f55bb)
Quote from: ajlelectronics on March 16, 2011, 04:28:59 am
Would an arbor press do the job for you? Here is an example...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-2-TONNE-ARBOR-ARBOUR-PRESS-/330513208763?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cf41f55bb (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-2-TONNE-ARBOR-ARBOUR-PRESS-/330513208763?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4cf41f55bb)
Funny you posted that. I was thinking the same thing.
Harbor Freight sells these arbor presses. I have used them before for pressing out bearings or pressing them in. They really apply a lot of force.
I was wondering several months ago if they could be adapted to upholstery projects.
Chris
Chris
I use a press like that to set my snaps it is a 1 tonne one however it will not set the stainless steel grommets although I haven't tried the nickel ones as I only use the stainless ones
Allan
I keep looking at my button press, I am sure I could something with it.
Just never get the time to have a good look, may be today is the day. ::)
Cuppa tea first. ;D I can't face all that hammering yet.
Hammering? Tou have to get a gromett press still cirri v the home I. Webbing is a pia
did a buggy top last spring and bought a set of dies for my press n snap from manart and the self piercing grommets in stainless. the dies were NOT the ones that come in the press n snap kit. No problem with them through the sunbrella and webbing I used. Common sense I use the 'ol hand punch and a mallet. On my second punch as I nicked one. Block of wood does it for me.
Easier than you think! I keep a propane torch handy and heat up the punch head before easily pushing it thru the webbing and sunbrella. I've found that gently spinning the punch as I push it through helps leave a cleaner cut. Only light hammer / mallet use is needed if at all!
Quote from: Bob T on March 16, 2011, 08:44:25 am
Easier than you think! I keep a propane torch handy and heat up the punch head before easily pushing it thru the webbing and sunbrella. I've found that gently spinning the punch as I push it through helps leave a cleaner cut. Only light hammer / mallet use is needed if at all!
There's a thought.
I like that one, too! So, Bob, do you have to wear oven mitts? ;)
Surprisingly, no oven mitts. I can usually do about 20 holes before it gets too hot to hold, then I let it cool while I put in the grommets. Otherwise, I just dip the handle in cold water. On sails, sometimes I need to go thru 10 layers or more.
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fusera.ImageCave.com%2Fthombiz%2FIMG_0285.JPG&hash=5f323996d7b7675206b54f9c697302d7)
Here is my press mi had ro make a t top canvas this morning
indont put webbing were the grometts will be only 3 layers od canvas.
http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/photo-91.jpg
Nice Mike. :D
The webbing is customers request ::)
But I am pretty fed up with bashing the table everytime I need to fit them so I am going to invest in the grommet dies & button cutters to fit my osborne W1 button press, that should do it. ;D
Sorry to hikack but has anyone had trouble with selfpiercing grometts latly
For me they just don't cut anymore maybe it's cheap metal.
Sorry I didn't get back sooner. Here is the setup I use for the smaller grommets. I heat the cutter and use the drill to spin it. Cuts easily.
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fusera.ImageCave.com%2Fthombiz%2FIMG_0287.JPG&hash=b1dba83597c2a8a2940314db05dff914)
QuoteI keep looking at my button press, I am sure I could something with it.
Yes you can. Check your local tool stores for a punch set where the different sizes share one handle. Think of a socket set that snap onto an extension. There is a set out at work if you want a picture Monday {I don't want to see that ignorant S.O.B until punch in Monday}
Plan "B"; find a piece of stout tubing the right diameter, sharpen the end on your grindstone and cut to the length you need.
Not only does the end grain wood /rubber pad * save your tool they make a cleaner hole because the die can go into them and any "low spots" on the cutting edge get a chance to catch up and do their job .
* My favorite for the button press is a men's heel lift [that rubber piece on the bottom of the heel of his shoe]. I buy them wholesale for a buck or two a pair. Tell your cobbler what you need it for and he/she should have varying densities to choose form. I punch into the back side. The face usually has something embossed on it.
Bob that looks lime how we usx to stud our snowmobile tracks carbide studs fir traction on ice
We did t heat it though just lit it in. Drill and cut the holes
Quote from: Darren Henry on March 18, 2011, 04:32:35 pm
QuoteI keep looking at my button press, I am sure I could something with it.
Yes you can. Check your local tool stores for a punch set where the different sizes share one handle. Think of a socket set that snap onto an extension. There is a set out at work if you want a picture Monday {I don't want to see that ignorant S.O.B until punch in Monday}
Cool thanks Darren, I will go look on Monday, everyone's closed today as it's Fathers day ::)
Suzi
Father's Day :o :o :o Oh crap!!! Do we celebrate it the same day over here in Canada? I thought it was in June. I've already overlooked one birthday this year. The girlfriend's 60 Th.
Darren down here it's called. "woman friend"
Quote from: Darren Henry on March 20, 2011, 08:18:38 am
Father's Day :o :o :o Oh crap!!! Do we celebrate it the same day over here in Canada? I thought it was in June. I've already overlooked one birthday this year. The girlfriend's 60 Th.
No I think Spain has it anytime they feel like it ;D Definitely not the same as the UK anyway. ;)
I have been around loads of shops this morning & not one has the set you are talking about >:(, I know exactly what you mean, there is a couple in the Osborne catalog.
I even went to an industrial ferreteria ( iron mongers I guess you call it ) & all they had where the single punches like I have anyway. So I got a couple of new one's & will cut down the old ones. :(
I might go & try the heat method just to get this job done. Thanks Bob. ;)
Suzi
This is one of the reasons I enjoy this site. When I saw the topic, "Punching grommets through webbing", I thought maybe one or two replies.
I have done grommets for shower curtains and a few times for drapes. And once for a tarp that a friend was going to use for camping.
I never knew that it was such an important part of marine work. I must have thought subconsciously that all those grommets came with the fabric.
gene
A single t-top can take hundreds of grommets.
http://www.centuryboats.com/images/uploads/boats/2102IS-ttop.jpg
I have a floor-standing, foot operated, Stimpson. Unfortunately, I don't have self-piercing dies for it so holes must be cut first. I have yet to find self-piercing grommets with spur washers anyway. No idea why the two concepts can't be combined. You can either get self-piercing, or spur, but never have found both in a single grommet.
June
Don't do grommets on a regular basis but the last job I did was about 4 gross with hammer
style punch, #1 spur grommets. Narrow storm curtains on a huge houseboat. The real trick
to cutting the hole in webbing is to cut with the webbing side up. Always worked best for
me. I've always just used plywood or Starboard scrap as a backer.
DBR what do you use ro cut the hole? I've got a had tool that punched the hole and it a bear to cut iwebbing. June I've found latly that self piercing don't cut? A d also no self piercing spur only the gromett is different as far as I cs. Tell so I winder why. I space mi e about 4" on q t top q d install about 75 I hate using my bench press the arm really get tired
Hey June I got self piercing spur grommets from miami Mike. They work in the same press mike8560 pictured
Quote from: JuneC on March 22, 2011, 04:18:34 pm
A single t-top can take hundreds of grommets.
http://www.centuryboats.com/images/uploads/boats/2102IS-ttop.jpg
I have a floor-standing, foot operated, Stimpson. Unfortunately, I don't have self-piercing dies for it so holes must be cut first. I have yet to find self-piercing grommets with spur washers anyway. No idea why the two concepts can't be combined. You can either get self-piercing, or spur, but never have found both in a single grommet.
June
Mike8560 - I just use the Osbourne punch. If you're punching a hole just through
webbing it is a pain because the loose weave of the webbing allows it to conform
to the end of the punch. But if the webbing is sewn to fabric, put the fabric side down and it will "stiffen" the webbing and punching the hole is no problem. If you punch the fabric side first the webbing will distort.
It works for me anyway. I'm typically sewing the webbing to Sunbrella or vinyl.
Thanks for the info forsale. I've got spurs from miami.
I'll have to check the part number to see if theese were selfpiercing ?
You don't ha e the # do you ?