Metal Bag Crimper

Joe Knows Reefs · Apr 16, 2011

I know when I've received some stuff from different retailers, it has been in heavy 4mil bags with metal crimps used to seal the bags. I'd like to get my hands on one of those tools. Anybody know what tool it is and/or where to buy one?

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

What you're looking for is a pair of crimping pliers or a hog ring plier stapler. Hogrings.com and uline.com have the crimping pliers and the actual metal C rings.

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

If you watch the video on LiveAquaria, I think one of them shows some big automated machine that will do it as well.

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

btkrausen said:
If you watch the video on LiveAquaria, I think one of them shows some big automated machine that will do it as well.

Sounds expensive...I want one

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

Well, its not huge, but he just sticks the top of the bag in this machine and it clamps it. Getting the link now and where it is within the video...cause I'm that nice

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

Here it is....its about halfway through the video, looks like pneumatic tool that clamps it.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/media/players/product_player.cfm?videoid=65

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

Nice little tool. I def. need one! :bigsmile:

Joe Knows Reefs · Apr 16, 2011

Yep, I want one of those! Thanks for the info - I'm starting my search now

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

tripnbili said:
Yep, I want one of those! Thanks for the info - I'm starting my search now

Nice. Let us know what you come up with. Would be nice to have if you bag and tag things often.

Joe Knows Reefs · Apr 16, 2011

I'm looking at these and wonder which ones to get... General Applications

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

If you are looking for some machine type like above, it would depend on what it can handle. I would think 3/4 inch open would be sufficient to go around a bag closure on the top.

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

You could probably even get away with 1/2" if you're using smaller bags for stuff like frags. If you ship full colonies and fish, I would suggest the 3/4". I'd suggest goes with the smallest one you can because it will probably give a better seal.

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

I just looked at the site and it says the 1/2" open will give you either a 1/8" or 3/16" closed. That would be great for the little bags that are around a 1.5-2" diameter, but probably wouldn't work well for back beyond that. The 3/4" crimper has ones that get down to 1/4" or 5/16" when closed, so that would probably be better for larger bags.

Whatever you decide on, make sure you get the blunt tip, so that they don't puncture the bag

btkrausen · Apr 16, 2011

swannyson7 said:
You could probably even get away with 1/2" if you're using smaller bags for stuff like frags. If you ship full colonies and fish, I would suggest the 3/4". I'd suggest goes with the smallest one you can because it will probably give a better seal.

Or you could try to wrap it around twice if it were too big, haha. I'm sure that would be no easy feat if doing it by hand

swannyson7 · Apr 16, 2011

Im sure you could do it with a pair of crimping pliers, but kind of defeats the purpose of using the tool.

To the OP:
Have you ever looked into those things that melt the bag to fuse it closed? I've gotten a few shipments in from vendors that used that technique and it always intrigued me. Beats the heck out of rubber bands and you wouldn't have to keep buying the c-rings

AquaWorldPSC · Apr 16, 2011

THe pliers are cheap, but when you are talking about a rig they can run a few thousand dollars.

nixer · Apr 16, 2011

those are alright, but the best ive ever got was double bagged vaccum sealed from matt@ austin aqua farms.
i think you can use hog ring pliers

Joe Knows Reefs · Apr 16, 2011

swannyson7 said:
Im sure you could do it with a pair of crimping pliers, but kind of defeats the purpose of using the tool.

To the OP:
Have you ever looked into those things that melt the bag to fuse it closed? I've gotten a few shipments in from vendors that used that technique and it always intrigued me. Beats the heck out of rubber bands and you wouldn't have to keep buying the c-rings

I've thought about that too, but don't have the $$ for it. Just looking for something simple