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Tools: Pneumatic vs Battery

E

ebrendan

I'm New Here
The Vans Required Tools list includes pneumatic 2x & 3x rivet guns and an air drill.

Is there any technical reason a pneumatic drill is specified over an electric cordless? Is that for convenience; or has anyone found a specific application in which an air drill proves superior?

Also; the list does NOT include an air compressor. Is this simply assumed? Perhaps I'm missing something and it's not required.
 
We do use cordless drills a lot, but there are a whole lot of holes to drill and the air drill is very light weight. Also, for a #40 hole, you should have the high speed of the air drill ~3000rpm to cut a clean hole. I don't think most cordless drills turn that fast. You're surely going to want to have at least a small compressor to run a pneumatic rivet puller for all those pulled rivets on a -12.
 
One answer...

You wouldn't need a 2x and a 3x rivet gun, just one or the other. Since you posted this in the RV12 forum, I'm assuming that's what you are building, so you actually won't need either of them very often, and can maybe get away with borrowing when required (disclaimer... I don't really know how many solid rivets there are in an RV12, so could be way off on this).

It's assumed that if you have air tools, you will have to have a compressor.

You will probably hear (or can find using the search function) from some who swear that an air drill is well worth it, and others who'll tell you they didn't drill a single hole with anything other than their trusty Makita cordless. Though I'm sure you'll still have to drill a LOT of holes, as I understand it the CNC holes in the kit are already full size and don't need drilling on the 12 (other models the holes are there for alignment, and all have to be drilled out to full size). This might make the value of having an air drill lower for a 12 than other models. The quoted benefits of air drills tend to be faster speed, no batteries to run out, lighter and smaller, long lasting, and they make a much cooler sound:p

One air tool you may want to consider is a pneumatic rivet puller. Lots 'o' pulled rivets on a 12.

I'm sure other 12 builders will chime in with their experience as well. Good luck!:)
 
EBrenden... I don't see that you need a solid rivet gun, but the Avery RV12 toolkit did come with a hand rivet squeezer for squeezing solid rivets and dimpling aluminum. The air drills just make way too cool of a sound and spools up almost instantly. Ya just got to have one. The Avery pneumatic pop rivet puller looks like a quality tool, but you need to be smarter than I, and put on the proper size nose piece for the rivet that you are pulling :). Luckily I test de-burred on a bench grinder, drilled, dimpled, machine countersunk and riveted on some test aluminum first. Using a solid rivet gun is fun, but I don't see where you need it to build a RV12 so far.
 
having finished the 12 wings my favorite tools/equip were:

1. Harbor Freight air rivet puller
2. two 8 foot long folding tables (thanks jim cone)
3. power drill (all holes are not drilled)
4. battery drill (its a pain to switch back and forth) just to final drill a hole
5. 4 foot long magnet to pick up steel mandrels off the floor
6. file kit and scotchbrite and deburing tool (edges and holes are good but not always complete.
7. small pick to line up holes for clecos
8. air cleco tool
9. air nail gun (to build wing sled)
10. 4 "moving" quilts
11. band saw (1/4 inch min)
12. wasp spray
13. country music

Pete
 
It's a matter of preference. I like my trusty 14V DeWalt and have almost finished an old school "no hole" RV6 using it, not to mention building a deck and many other household chores in the meantime. I do have a pneumatic dill that I gave up on very early into the project many years ago. The trailing hose is a pain plus it is noisy and empties an air tank in no time thus creating more noise as it re-pressurizes.
Just my 2 cents.
Jim Sharkey
 
jsharkey said:
It's a matter of preference. I like my trusty 14V DeWalt and have almost finished an old school "no hole" RV6 using it, not to mention building a deck and many other household chores in the meantime. I do have a pneumatic dill that I gave up on very early into the project many years ago. The trailing hose is a pain plus it is noisy and empties an air tank in no time thus creating more noise as it re-pressurizes.
Just my 2 cents.
Jim Sharkey
Click to expand...

Jim:

I am with you. My RV-6 has been flying 10 years 11 months and more holes were drilled with my DeWalt 12V drill than my air drill. It is fantastic not having to drag around the hose.
 
I bought this Harbor Freight plug in drill when it was on sale for $12.95 "just to have." I found that since, I use it a lot more than my $225 Sioux air drill. Sometimes only because I don't want to cycle the compressor. The Sioux is lighter and smaller but the electric drill is not noticeable much bigger or heavier in actual use. For riviting, you definitely need pneumatic tools, but if I had to do it again, I would not opt for the expensive air drill. An electric cord is easier to manage than an air line.
 
personal preference

I believe it is what you are used to or whatever you are most comfortable using (pneumatic or battery powered drills). I used a porter cable 12v, almost entirely, building my (9). Personally I don't like dragging around hoses or extension cords. Although I could not have made it without a drill press.
G.P.
 
If you buy an air drill...

...buy the smallest/lightest one you can find, and a 1/4 inch chuck is fine.

All good models will have a "teasing" trigger - which some Sears ones don't...

It's then much more convienient to use, and you will use it more....:)

A short (4 ft) section of very flexible hose at the end of your long hose will make a wonder of difference.
 
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Once you use one, you will thank yourself many times over for buying air tools! They are WAY better than electric battery operated.
 
I'm not sure about this clunky heavy hose thing that some people are complaining about above, but my Sioux drill will be one of those tools that someone will have to pry out of my cold dead fingers someday (along with the DRDT2 and Main Squeeze). :eek:

I do use a nice (relatively) lightweight 12V cordless occasionally, but usually just because I don't want to swap out bits. I can't imagine drilling wing or fuselage skins with a cordless drill!
 
My 2cents worth of experience builiding 1 RV7.

Air drills has high speed RPM giving cleaner drill cuts on smaller holes #40 and #30. (If I remember correctly I've read somewhere, to lazy to go find it now, ideal aluminum alloy cutting speed for #40 is +/- 7,000 RPM! Airdrills get you close to more than 1/2 that, but electric drills typically not) (#30 holes ion Alu was the sweet spot for airdrill mathcing airdrill speeds +/- 3500 RPM if I remember correctly)
Battery drill for BIG slow countersink the torq is linear so they make good slow speed cutting.
Electric drill for BIG holes where you need torq power but not extreme high speed. (Don't tease the trigger on electric drills and big holes!)
On Really big holes use your small Bench Drill press and slow it down with the mechanical belt and pulleys in the head of the unit.

Electric AC (alternating current) drill with teasing trigger are the worst for countersinking. The teasing trigger cuts the AC electric wave pulses to slow it down what it means it goes stops, goes stops, many times a second and gives a bad result on countersinking. Use your battery DC (direct current) drill teasing trigger for constant linear torq power effect when you want to go slow.

Regards
Rudi
 
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As I understand it, the main reason for pneumatic drills in the aircraft industry was to prevent a worn cord from arcing and burning a hole in the aluminum. Sounds like a pretty good reason, not even counting the chance of getting shocked. Dragging a cord over a sharp edge could do that.

If you go pneumatic, get swivels and the light hose (Cleveland Tool has one) and you will hardly know you are "attached." To me, Sioux drills are the way to go, although with the 12 you may not need one.

Bob Kelly
 
Electric vs Air

Hello
Aluminum drilling is best done by turning the bit faster than 3000 rpm. Also that air compressor will come in handy to air up the tires.
 
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Peterk said:
having finished the 12 wings my favorite tools/equip were:
...
12. wasp spray

Pete
Click to expand...

I have found a better wasp spray. Way more efficient and less harmful for the guy spraying.

Paslode air tool cleaner.

Since wasps bodies are part of their respiratory system, one short spritz and they are dead before they hit the floor.

Works good on the air tools too. :D
 
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