Grommet dies for a Grommet Hand Press Machine

Grommet Setting Machine

A "hand press machine" makes setting grommets a lot easier, a lot faster and a lot healthier. A  "hand press machine" is actually a tool, unless it is motorized; but they are typically called machines anyway.  If you don't have a "hand press machine", then chances are you are using plier style hole punches mallet to  set grommets.  The pliers are hard on your hands and hammer setting grommets can be both time-consuming and inaccurate.
 
  There are several styles of "hand press machines"; some have handles that pull towards you, some have handles that pivot, and some have handles that get pushed down.   The one used in this article has a handle that gets pushed down.  Farthingales sells this one and one that pivot's.

Regardless of which type of "hand press machine" you choose to use the machine must be securely anchored to a stable surface.  .  The photograph shows a large C clamp securing the "hand press machine" to a tabletop.  .  You can also use bolts to permanently secure a "hand press machine".
 
Various dies can be purchased to fit the machine and serve different purposes.   Pictured below  are; "adaptors" in to sizes and a hole punch and anvil set. The "adaptors" consist of a post and a threaded hole .   The post fits into the machine, and dies gets screwed into the threaded hole. 

 

To set eyelets or grommets you have to use the dies that are specific to the grommets or the eyelets . They look very similar but setting a grommet with an eyelet die will not work as well as setting a grommet with the grommet die.

 

 

 

There is another type die available for setting grommets.  It's called pick die and has a spike that pokes through the fabric; creating the hole and setting the grommet simultaneously.   It sounds like a great idea and saves the time of hole punching but my experience is that it pulls the fabrics and creates marks aroundthe grommets.   So I don't recommend this die but there is a picture of it below.

 

 For more information on how to set grommets with a hand press machine / grommet setting machine / eyelet setting machine or to purchase one go to www.farthingalescorsetmaksupplies.com