Red Snapper ??
 

Wondering if any of you have the Red Snapper loading system for your long arm??
Do you like using it better than pinning?
Is it worth what you paid for it?
Where did you purchase it and what did it cost?
If you use a different loading system what kind and how much was it?
Does anyone ever put these things on Sale?

Many thanks in advance....

I love my Red Snappers. It is so much quicker and less painful than pinning. I think it takes some hand strength when you start. They loosen up but are stiff at first. That is something to consider if you have hand weakness. I use them on the backing. I lightly pin the top at the top edge and float the bottom of it. I would definitely recommend them. I have had them several years so I cannot remember exactly how I bought them. I think I went through the maker's website.

I also purchased them thru the website (Renae Hadden???). As glassnquilts mentions, they can be a bit stiff, especially if they are cold. I always use them on the take up roller. I can use the table that you lay your pantographs on to apply the clamp strip. I also cut one of the clamping strips into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces and sometimes use the short pieces instead of the long one. Because I'm applying the clamp on a table, it's easy to get the top of the backing on straight. The bottom, not so much. I have a hard time getting the clamp on without the table and keeping the backing even. I eventually removed the rod from the bottom leader and just pin that. Just using it on one of the leaders still saves me a bunch of time. I think Nancy's Notions carries them, so with a coupon or site wide sale you can get them a bit lower. If you use the search option above and search this site, you can find posts where folks have developed home grown versions using inexpensive materials from the hardware store.

I love my red snappers! So much faster than pinning was. I purchased mine from my machine dealer when I upgraded/ bought my new longarm

I paid $79 for a set. I tried them for awhile but ended up selling them. I couldn't push hard enough and it felt like I needed 3 hands. So it felt like I couldn't get the quilt on accurately.
I know people who swear by them. I was swearing at them.

Ditto on what everyone says. I love my red snappers, so much easier, especially after they get limbered up. Some people say to use a hair dryer to make them more pliable at first. Got mine from my dealer the same time I got my LA.

I think my Red Snappers are the best add-on I have gotten for my frame! I let my first set go when I sold my Gammill and had another set ordered before the Innova was delivered! They can be a bit snug when you first get them, but they loosen up with use. I use the heel of my hand against the belly bar as I don't have as much hand strength as I used to. Renee Haddadin is the inventor/dealer and you can find her at http://www.quiltsonthecorner.com/

I have the "Leadergrip" system, very similar to the Red Snapper system. I really like them and wouldn't do without them.
As noted by others, the grip part is a little stiff at first, but what I did was buy a length of dowelling and put the lengths of gripper on them to slightly stretch them out a bit before using - that really helped to make them easier to put on. I just put a length on the dowelling and left it for a few days before I wanted to use it. After awhile, I'd managed to use the dowelling on all the rods.

I use red snappers always with my Innova. Yes, they are sometimes hard to push on especially if you have medical issues making it harder. Put the tiny snappers on first, keeping your top in place. Then put on the longer one and remove the tiny ones as you do. I put the longer snappers on starting and one end working over step by step to the other end. I have also pinned and used zippers on other people's longarms. If I would not use red snappers I would use zippers, I think. I bought them with my longarm from my dealer.

I have Leadergrips (very similar) and absolutely love them. I can't imagine having to pin my backing. The Leadergrips are easy to use, very fast and hold my quilt backing steady and secure. A set was $80 Canadian and worth every penny!

i have leader grippers to they are clear and i can see where the edge of the quilt is under them ...love them ...i still baste the top edge of the top of the quilt and gripper the bottom good investment

I love my Red Snappers.

I made my own because I didn't want to spend $80 on something I didn't know if I'd love.

One trip to Home Depot for 1/2 in water line, tube lighting tracking and a headless screw and about $20 and I was set. They worked great and wayyyyy better than pinning!

I love my REd Snappers, bought them at the last MQS show in Cedar Rapids this past Spring for $79. I had used zippers--but you still have to pin or sew the quilt back to the zippers--so that wasn't a savings of time and tired of getting stabbed! I almost always float my tops, so I use the short ones to anchor the backing and then replace them with a long strip. Loosen up with little use; but my friend with major healthy issues used her hair dryer on them the first few times and that worked great.

I bought the clip n seal mondo set of 10 for $45. before Renee ordered them from this company is red.

http://clip-n-seal.com/pp_cart.html

Have them. Love them. Wouldn't be without them.

Ditto here. McGyver gene kicking in. The prices for some things are ridiculous. That said you can't use them if people aren't generous with the backing length.

I have them also...they are very very stiff but using a hair dryer to warm them up works....my biggest issue is that I struggle to get my backing on straight...I feel like I need to be a octopus. I still struggle with it at times it's soooo frustrating for me...I've watched more videos than I care to admit and still struggle. If I ever get the hang of it their going to be worth having....

I did the same thing....in fact I got the information from one of the posts right here on QB! It cost me less than $25.00 and I use them to load on the backing. They work great, but I will try this tip mentioned by one of the ladies....she said she cut the snaps into smaller pieces. It is hard to line up the fabric with the larger snaps. What I do is pin the back to the leader every few inches and then put on the snaps. Works like a charm.

Bought the tube lighting/water line, as it works the same and at a great savings.

I have the red snappers and I love them!!!! I got them at local quilting shop about 3 years ago, I think they are definitely worth the price. I did the pinning on before I bought the snappers. Ouch. Took too long and I always managed to get stuck at least once.

Leader Grips here and I love them. Did have hubby cut the snap on sections down to more manageable sizes...works better for me. Can't remember what I paid for them, but they have been worth every penny. No more bleeding fingers from pin pricks!

Love my Red Snappers! So much easier to load a quilt.

I started pinning and did that for years. I switched to Leader Grips and love them, but after a while I had problems with the Leader Grips cracking lengthwise from the ends. I called the Leader Grip company and they said it was because I had used them on minky. I had never done a quilt with minky back. I asked if it was possible to get just the top part, the part that had cracked. I was told no that I would have to get the whole system. I didn't need the dowels. I decided to switch to Red Snappers. But because of arthritis in the hands, we have trouble getting the Red Snappers on. I have also become aware that with Red Snappers you need more fabric on the top and bottom end of the quilt. I checked the web site for Leader Grips and found out you can now order just the part that cracked. You don't have to order the dowels too. I ordered replacement Leader Grips. I didn't want to go back to pinning and the hand pain was just too much. Also, when I have a minky back, I add muslin leaders to the quilt back so that the minky does not go into the grip.

Love my red snappers. I never minded pinning so I was hesitant to get these but a local quilt shop started carrying them and had them on sale so I finally purchased and am so glad I did. So much faster and so easy to use especially now that they have been used and are not so stiff. I cut mine into smaller sections making them even easier to put on and take off. Love not getting stuck with pins.

I love mine. I got the ones for the rails and the side-clips too. The side clips are especially nice, as instead of pulling two spots on the side, it pulls 12 inches at the same time, no decreases the 'waves' I was getting. Like others, I found the rail loaders very hard to use at first as they were stiff and it took a lot of hand strength to snap them on. But now they snap on easily but still hold everything tight. Don't remember what I paid for them since I originally got them 2 or 3 years ago.

Could someone please explain the 1/2 in water line, tube lighting tracking, and whatever do you do with a headless screw? What is a headless screw? I know what the $20 is....lol....

Love the Red Snappers. Great timesaver. 90% of the quilting I do is for a nonprofit and it saves so much time from pinning the quilt on. I got my set at Nancy's Notions. The set was $70.

I used to blog. When I made my version of snappers, I blogged about it. Here's the link: http://dangitange.blogspot.com/2014/...ight-bulb.html