JuneR

I use zippers and Red Snappers just like Gators. I like being able to zip off a quilt and work on something else. 

I, like Lisa, first used zippers.  I now use red snappers attached to a piece of muslin that has 1/2 zipper on the other end of the muslin.  This way if I need to quickly change out a quilt, I can just unzip.  I use the red snappers on the backing top and bottom.

I use zippers. I use the basting stitch on my DSM to attach the backing and top. Sometimes I pin, but I prefer not to.
Deb.

Before I even ordered my Millie, I bought a set of Red Snappers.  They are still sitting in the bag, leaning up against the corner of the room.  I need to hire someone to "install" them for me, and maybe I'd use them.  I don't mind pinning, but then I've only been doing this for six months.  I might get sick of pins eventually. 

I started out using zippers, then switched to Red Snappers. I liked them, but as a couple of people have said, they sometimes got in the way, particularly if the backing was a little shorter than we'd like. After using them for a year or so, I went back to zippers. I don't mind the pinning time - but don't like getting stuck once in a while! All in all, as much as I liked the Snappers, I prefer zippers, so I sold mine.

If you are looking for zippers I have a couple of pairs that I do not use that I can sell ya if you want them.  I used them once or twice when I was going to Louisville to see if I liked the APQS machine before I purchased one.

I had a set of red Snappers for a while, but sold them.  Like Oma, they got in way near the take-up roller, required more extra back to attach, and I never felt confident I had the back (or the top for that matter) was attached parallel to the rollers.  Jim

I was beginning to think I was the only one out here who uses zippers!  I love them.  I sit and "listen" to a tv program while pinning the backing to the zippers.  I float my tops so don't use that third zipper.  Haven't really had a lot of problem with getting stuck by a pin ... knock on wood ... love being able to remove quilt when I need to work on a "rush" job.  

I love my zippers. I also baste the quilt and the tops on with a long stitch on the DSM. My friend had Snappers and forgot to fully release her brake and the Snapper popped off when she rolled the quilt. It was a mess. We also encountered the machine getting hung up on them if the backing was not long enough to roll under the leveler bar and away from the quilt. But really, I never minded pinning and still do it on small projects. People either love zippers and Snappers or they hate them. I got my zippers before Snappers came out but I have no plans to replace them. I also take quilts on and off occasionally and zippers are best for that.

I'm just starting to use Lucey for myself.  I put zippers on but when it is time to attach the backing to the zipper I baste them on with my DSM with the longest stitch possible.  Then just zip them on the frame.  When all done quilting I just rip/pull the zipper tape off the fabrics.  I have no desire to pin either.

All great tips.....I watched Renae's video and really found it helpful.  I think I am going to go with the Red Snappers to begin with and see how that goes.  I'm sure almost anything is
better than pinning.

All great tips.....I watched Renae's video and really found it helpful.  I think I am going to go with the Red Snappers to begin with and see how that goes.  I'm sure almost anything is
better than pinning.

All great tips.....I watched Renae's video and really found it helpful.  I think I am going to go with the Red Snappers to begin with and see how that goes.  I'm sure almost anything is
better than pinning.

Yep, I have my snappers sewn into canvas that zips on the leaders.    I originally had Leader Grips and hated them.  I had the originals which you had to shrink wrap the pieces together to fit your size of frame.  My Leader Grips kept folding in the middle and the Leader Grips were not flexible so they were hard to install in a small space.  I watched Renee's video and decided to switch to Red Snappers, it was a great video (none provided for leader grips).  I bought the snappers and tape measure and haven't looked back since.  I've had the same set of Red Snappers for years and they are still like new.  Love them. 
 
Oh I have the zippers because they were the first "gadget" to come out, I hated pins!!!!!  Took me longer to pin a quilt then to actually quilt it, LOL.

I do EXACTLY with Lisa does.  I have 2 pair of snappers sewn into canvas that zip on.  Then, I have one set of zippers alone, that incase I have something SMALL or a quilt sandwich where the backing is NOT quite the big enough size to snap on that extra fabric, I then pin it.
 
Never tried leader grips.

I have the same set up as Lisa C  as I rent my machine and many customers have zippers. 

I have the red snappers.  I do really like them.  I don't bleed as often!  I will tell you that when you first get them they are a little stiff.  At first I wasn't sure I should have ordered them but as I worked with them they were better.  As Mary Beth said Renae Haddadin has great instructions and youtube helps.  Also as Lisa mentioned I too make my back a bit longer so the leader part goes under the bar.  Because I baste my batting and then pin my top to the batting and backing I can take the quilt off and put it back on with the red snappers without too much trouble.  If I know I am going to turn the quilt I make the sides a little wider than usual also.  

I had zippers on my old machine. I absolutely hate those pins. They tear my hands up. I always had a feeling they were not perfectly centered, so I was not real happy with them.
 
When I purchased my current machine, I ordered the Red Snappers. I went to Youtube and found out how to attach them and purchased 6 cheap tape measures to apply to the leaders to make sure I had my quilts centered. That was on youtube too. Renae Haddadin had great instructions. 
 
If I can avoid pins I will do it!!

I can give you my opinion because I have all three.  Leader Grips were fine, but I almost immediately upgraded to Red Snappers which I still use.  I don't remember why I did that.  
 
I usually pin the top of the back and I use the Red Snappers on the bottom of the back.  I do this because I have a Liberty with a 20 inch throat and some of my quilts are fairly big.  If I use Red Snappers sometimes the tube gets in a position just right to take up ½ inch or so of my throat space and I have trouble getting the needle to the other edge if I'm using my CL boards.  I hope that makes sense, anyway, I float my tops. 
 
I had (and still have) several sets of zippers and hated them from day one.  It was way more work than pinning or using the Red Snappers.  The zippers are nice if you have to remove the quilt in the middle of quilting it in order to put another quilt on.  I don't sew for others so that was never an issue.

Well, I can't help you in the comparisons, but I have leader grips and I love them.  They cut down the pinning of your quilt to minutes.