Grommet Press Advise

[lkt1954]

We just got a contract to do 50 ACM signs for a local baseball league and they want 8 grommets per sign (that's 400 total). I have a hand grommet press and don't want to do that many signs with it. Any good suggestions on a foot operated and/or semi-automatic grommet press that will not break the bank? I am thinking along the line of a foot operated one. Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks
Larry

 

[CanuckSigns]

We just got a contract to do 50 ACM signs for a local baseball league and they want 8 grommets per sign (that's 400 total). I have a hand grommet press and don't want to do that many signs with it. Any good suggestions on a foot operated and/or semi-automatic grommet press that will not break the bank? I am thinking along the line of a foot operated one. Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks
Larry

I don't have any reccomendations on an automatic press for you, but any particular reason you don't want to do these with a hand press? we have a simpson hand press and it would make very quick work of those signs. I would put a mark in the print file so you don't need to measure where the grommets go and let er rip, total time to grommet all 50 signs would be around 4 hours

 

[Gino]

I wholeheartedly agree with a hand press. We've had ours for years and it has served us well. However, these are probably 3' x 8' or 4' x 8' for the home run wall. It might take more time than 4 hours to handle 50pcs 3' x 8's. That's a lotta wrestling around and stacking afterwards. That would be 5 minutes per sign. That's some hustling.
Ours is a fasnap. Cost is about $200 or so when we bought it, don't know what it is today, but compared to a floor stomper at around $2,200 to $2,500, it's a good deal.

 

[lkt1954]

I hear you on the hand press, but there is something to be said for being old (62) and shoulders that don't work like they did 20 years ago. That's my main reason for wanting something different than a hand press, plus with something else the employees (women) would have an easier time doing signs as well.

Thanks

 

[Gino]

I hear you on the hand press, but there is something to be said for being old (62) and shoulders that don't work like they did 20 years ago. That's my main reason for wanting something different than a hand press, plus with something else the employees (women) would have an easier time doing signs as well.

Thanks

:ROFLMAO: You're younger than me. Suck it up..... and tell the women the same thing..... suck it up, but be careful, ya might get in harassment trouble if you say it that way...................

 

[DirtyD]

and tell the women the same thing..... suck it up, but be careful, ya might get in harassment trouble if you say it that way...................

Now that's funny right there :Big Laugh

 

[TimToad]

I hear you on the hand press, but there is something to be said for being old (62) and shoulders that don't work like they did 20 years ago. That's my main reason for wanting something different than a hand press, plus with something else the employees (women) would have an easier time doing signs as well.

Thanks

Ours is a Stimpson hand press and we do tons of banners, similar sponsor signs for youth sports leagues and I cannot justify an expensive press.

This time last year, we did about 105 3x8 and several much larger banners all with grommets every two feet for a big cycling event here, only about 20 this year so far....... and even my hardly amazonian wife with a history of carpal tunnel from her restaurant kitchen days and now our primary production person buzzed through them like nothing.

IF adjusted correctly and regularly lubricated, a hand press is nearly effortless to get a secure pressing of the grommet pieces. Everywhere I've worked with a handpress, we've made an effort to keep it clean, properly adjusted to the right pressure for the substrate and regularly LUBRICATED the piston. This makes a HUGE difference!

 

[Andy D]

My one experience with a floor base grommeter was it was much more work and much slower.

I can tell you though that there is a world of difference in hand grommet press, especially when speaking
about shoulder torque. We always used Fasnaps (left pic), but when we got a a stimpson (right pic), that's the one everyone
wants to use, especially women... even though it's a more basic press, it takes way less force to press a grommet.

I would also suggest you try using whatever press you're using at different heights, it's all about getting the right leverage.
I find the higher the table top the better, that way you're pulling down the handle instead of trying to push it down.

 

[lkt1954]

Thanks for the information- maybe I just need a different hand press (hiker or stimpson).

My procedure for putting grommets in 3mm thick acm is: drill the holes, then press #2 plain grommets in place. Is there a better way? Can I use self-piercing grommets? Do I need a long neck grommet? It seems that I am missing something here, because I would rather have a root canal done than set grommets in acm.

Thanks

 

[FatCat]

After years of using a no-name press I purchased off eBay (and still going strong btw), the general consensus was that it was hard to use and the lever didn't generate the proper leverage for smaller/weaker/older persons who tried to use it. Now, it wasn't a problem for me, but I'm a big guy - for instance, my mother (65) would sometimes come in and help us hem banners but couldn't use the grommet press to finish them because she wasn't strong enough. Finally purchased a new Hiker end of last year and wow what a difference! Everyone can use this thing, loves to use it and it is always used before the older version.

http://www.solventinkjet.com/hiker-...rikbI4Wn1r-t_snl9kdP1NUbp-rhRdiUFdBoC7eLw_wcB

 

[Gene@mpls]

+1 on the Stimson- we suffered with a Fasnap style for 15 years and everyone would hide when it was time to grommet, now it is a pleasure (well... you know what I mean). And we grommet a lot of acm - it will punch right through. If you use the thicker aluminum acm (read expensive) it 'might' be different.

 

[player]

Hiker here. Totally self piercing.

 

[lkt1954]

OMG............... I got our new hiker hand grommet press in today and all I can say is WOW. It will set grommets in acm witn one hand and very little efforts.

Thanks for directing m at way. The old off brand had press is headed to the dumpster.

 

[FatCat]

OMG............... I got our new hiker hand grommet press in today and all I can say is WOW. It will set grommets in acm witn one hand and very little efforts.

Thanks for directing m at way. The old off brand had press is headed to the dumpster.

Yup, they are really nice and again, anybody should be able to set grommets with it. I bought it only after my Fellers rep told me they did tryouts in the office and EVERYONE could use the Hiker easily, and while the Stimpson is a great machine, a few smaller/older people had issues with getting enough force to set the grommets properly in certain materials. Happy with our decision, I'm sure you will be too.

 

[BigfishDM]

Has anyone had any experience using those Banner Up adhesive tabs? I was just curious if these things really work and if they really do eliminate the use for grommets.

 

[GB2]

Can anyone tell what type of grommets the Hiker press uses? I know they are specific for the Stimpson and the Fasnap and not interchangable, is that the same with the Hiker?

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

I hear you on the hand press, but there is something to be said for being old (62) and shoulders that don't work like they did 20 years ago. That's my main reason for wanting something different than a hand press, plus with something else the employees (women) would have an easier time doing signs as well.

Thanks

If it's an issue with your shoulders, you could always try a handheld grommeter. You'll probably have hand and forearm issues when you're done, but it'll save your shoulders.

Oddly enough, some of the women in our shop actually do a better job of grommeting than some of the dudes around here. Just sayin'.

 

[XtremeXccessories]

Hiker did a very nice write-up I found here a couple of years ago, post #9 specifically:

http://www.signs101.com/forums/show...rommet-machines-created-equal&highlight=Hiker

 

[trakers]

Hiker here. Works perfect every time. Doesn't take much force to work. Does take Hiker grommets tho.

 

[Murray]

We use a Hiker. Does a great job, easy to operate also!