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How to Make Canvas Boatsnaps

Canvas boat snaps can become damaged or smashed and stop working. It is expensive to remove the canvas and take it to a repair shop each time this happens. Making a new canvas boat snap requires removing the remains of the old snap first. Taking on this replacement yourself can save you time and money and allow you to fix your canvas right on the boat so that you can use it immediately

Things You'll Need

3/16 drill bit
Drill
Vise grip
Grommet punch
Grommet die
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the canvas from the snap-down area. Clamp the snap to a secure work area using vise grips or a clamp. This is to prevent the snap from turning when you remove the post.
- 2
  Place a 3/16-inch drill bit on the drill. Drill straight down through the center of the post. For larger snaps use a larger bit. The drill should remove the center post material of the snap. Pull the snap apart. This will work for either half of a snap if you are attaching canvas to canvas and have a damaged male base. Otherwise, the male base is already mounted to the deck of the boat.
- 3
  Insert the post through the existing canvas hole. The post side of the snap mounts through the back side of the canvas. Place the dome side of the snap on the outside of the post centered over the post.
- 4
  Turn the grommet die dome side up. Press the dome into the die so that the post underside of the snap is facing upward.
- 5
  Position the grommet punch centered on the post. Strike downward using a hammer. One average blow should deform the top edge of the post and press it down to hold the snap tightly together.

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