I am sorry, I know this is a topic probably asked a lot, but when i search it, I cannot find the right topic post. How in the world do you position these babies to set them by hand? Where do you position them on your knee or do you stand on the jaws and pull up on the bottom of the spring?

If I ever have to set them without a setter, I usually stand them on the ground the way you would have it set in a trail, trench, whatever, hold on the the top of the jaws, and step on the springs pushing them to the ground and putting the safty catch on when done. Then I do the same for the other spring.

Setters are the best way...I've set them by hand but one seems to find unknown strength when his buddy's leg is in a 330

Buy a setter tool it's worth it. I won't mess with them by hand. I also carry a setter tool with me whenever I use or check them from a safety aspect. Think about it, if you can't set it with 2 hands how are you going to get it off your hand with only one if it bites you?

I use setters, and carry a rope, those things are tough, especially with brand new springs.

I always use setters after joining the 330 club

i feel like i'm going to break my hands trying to do it.. The bugger is wearing me out and I've not put one safety latch on it. I had one spring compressed and couldn't get the safety on it and It decompressed again. If there was a camera video taping me, it would easily win in any Funniest home videos contest.

Carrying a setter on the line is unneeded bulk and weight, carry a chunk of rope with a loop on one end, simple, light, and something I have with me anyway.

run a rope thru both eyes of a spring then back again.
stand on rope close to spring eye. pull up on rope where
it comes out of other eye.
then go buy or make a set of setters and keep that rope
within reach at all times

Watch Rick Hemseth do it! It's set in under 5 seconds and sometimes 3 seconds. Only in contest's I have seen this done.

I can set some of the older ones by hand by standing on it and pulling up on the spring to compress it. As far as the new ones go, I guess I'm just a lil too light in the britches to set em by hand!

Okay, just finished.. Trapperman89 I just stood on them to compress them.. But man its a job for me, I'm of smaller testicular fortitude. I'm running 1/8" wire to each of my traps. Is it okay to secure these to a tree by rope?

I just stand the trap upright, bottom jaws on something firm, hold in place with a foot and push down on the spring with both hands (the eye of the spring), hold in place and flip safety into position.

...not normal practice, just when I forget my setting tongs now and again.

Okay, just finished.. Trapperman89 I just stood on them to compress them.. But man its a job for me, I'm of smaller testicular fortitude. I'm running 1/8" wire to each of my traps. Is it okay to secure these to a tree by rope?

I would not use rope. Use chain, cable or at least some heavy wire.

later Longear

Hold the trap upright with your left hand under the bottom side of the spring.Push down on the top side of the spring up by the frame untill you can grab both sides with one hand.Then flip the saftey latch over.

I have never used any type of setter, have been setting them by hand as long as I've been using them. I've got to admit though at 63 I'm thinking about getting some type of setter. Here is how I do it. Bend the spring around the frame so that the spring eyes are pointing up on a little bit of a angle. Now with the spring pointing away from you put the palm of your hand on the spring eye above the frame and just push them together. When you have them close enough together geab the spring eye opposite your strong hand with your strong hand fingers and hold the springs together and set the safety with your other hand.

I've been setting 330's by hand since I was 16, a looooong time ago. I've tried the rope and other setters and always go back to by hand. It just takes practice. Now learning to set Newhouse traps by hand, that takes some serious WORK.

Pretty much what Coongrease is trying to say, but let me go a little further: Trapsetters will just slow you down and they are down right inconvenient on the line. Technique is everything when it comes to hand setting. Strength is also part of it, but I would guess if you're between the ages of 17 to 68 you have plenty enough strength.

Position the trap between your legs. With your right hand clasp the lower spring eyehole. With your left hand push the upper spring eyehole down all the way until it is close enough to the opposing S.E.H. so that the safety dog can swing over and catch. I use the thumbpalm area of my right hand to wrap over the upper springhole for a second which frees up my left hand so that it can grab the safety dog and pull it over. Repeat other side.

The trick is to push the spring eyehole down so that you have leverage on your side. It takes me just 5 to 10 seconds for each side and the trap has released an animal and been reset in under 30 seconds.

Here's a video I made a while back showing how to set conni with a rope.
Hope this helps.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthrea...html#Post881342