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Pneumatic Squeezer

Hornet2008

Well Known Member
It is not a good idea to leave the air connected whilst cleaning proseal from between the rivet sets, especially if the squeezer is laying trigger side down on the bench.
 
The good news is . . .

You probably are only going to learn that lesson once. I think we all learn it - unplug before servicing. After learning it once (drilled through the web between thumb and hand) I'm much safer, lol.

Good luck on speedy recovery, or your pending transition to left-handed-ness. ;)
 
Speedy recovery my friend..... we all do it dont we?

While a little off topic, I have purchased a used pneumatic squeezer and find it is weak on the rivets in that it wont sqeeze some of the bigger ones.

Do you know if you can rebuild theM? How does one tell if they need rebuilding... I hate ebay.... so much junk on there now and people selling it with disregard for the "other guy":(
 
While a little off topic, I have purchased a used pneumatic squeezer and find it is weak on the rivets in that it wont sqeeze some of the bigger ones.

Do you know if you can rebuild theM? How does one tell if they need rebuilding... I hate ebay.... so much junk on there now and people selling it with disregard for the "other guy":(

Most likely, you are not adjusting it correctly. The design is such that the maximum force is applied through only a very small portion of the stroke - you have to make sure that you're squeezing the rivet at that point. this has been covered so many times in the forums that I keep wondering when someone will actually draw a stroke/force curve, with measurements....and then a manual for these things! :rolleyes:

Paul
 
Paul is right, I only noticed it hurting right at the end of the stroke. I used words even I had never heard before. It is on the mend, thank you all for the kind words. I bought my squeezer second hand from "The Yard" and they had rebuilt it. I now disconnect air/electricity on everything before adjustment.
 
Paul is right, I only noticed it hurting right at the end of the stroke. I used words even I had never heard before. It is on the mend, thank you all for the kind words.

That's funny! I squeezed the edge (side) of my right fore finger 2 months ago. It's STILL not completely healed. Thank goodness it's not my stick hand, and I can push the throttle in with my palm...
 
Paul is right, I only noticed it hurting right at the end of the stroke. I used words even I had never heard before. It is on the mend, thank you all for the kind words. I bought my squeezer second hand from "The Yard" and they had rebuilt it. I now disconnect air/electricity on everything before adjustment.

Bone or just a flesh wound?
 
While a little off topic, I have purchased a used pneumatic squeezer and find it is weak on the rivets in that it wont sqeeze some of the bigger ones.

Do you know if you can rebuild theM? How does one tell if they need rebuilding... I hate ebay.... so much junk on there now and people selling it with disregard for the "other guy":(

If you don't have an adjustable set, get one. Adjust the set to just make the proper squeeze for the correct shop head and no further. The power is in the last portion of the stroke. If you have the set too tight, as in over squeezing, it will not achieve full power and will not squeeze the rivet. For dimpling, I would adjust the set to just touching the dies at full stroke.

Roberta
 
While a little off topic, I have purchased a used pneumatic squeezer and find it is weak on the rivets in that it wont sqeeze some of the bigger ones.

Dave,

I bought a brand new one before starting my RV, and I quickly learned that for the bigger rivets, it won't squeeze them unless I turn up the air pressure quite a bit. I normally run my air tools at 80 to 90 psi, but for the larger rivets, I have to turn it up over 100 psi to get it to squeeze those rivets. Have you tried turning up the air? That may be all you need. :)
 
+1

I run my rivet guns behind a secondary regulator - but my squeezer gets the full 120 psi from the compressor main regulator (175psi tank).
 
Bone or just a flesh wound?
__________________
Greg Niehues - VAF 2012 dues paid
Midland, TX
N16GN reserved, http://websites.expercraft.com/airguy/
9A tail and wings done, fuse nearly complete, finishing. 90% done, 90% to go.
Building an off-plan 9A with too much fuel and too much HP. Should drop dead any minute now.

I think it missed the bone, split the end of my finger, not in any pain now but will lose the finger nail. Just winged me.
 
Adjustable set for dimpling?

For dimpling, I would adjust the set to just touching the dies at full stroke.

Roberta

My instructions from Isham say in bold DO NOT USE ADJUSTABLE SET HOLDER FOR DIMPLING. I have a Model AP214C pnuematic squeezer and end up swapping out the adjustable set for dimpling. :confused:
 
My instructions from Isham say in bold DO NOT USE ADJUSTABLE SET HOLDER FOR DIMPLING. I have a Model AP214C pnuematic squeezer and end up swapping out the adjustable set for dimpling. :confused:

Interesting!! I put the adjustable set in my squeezer and never took it out for the entire build. Made beautiful dimples and never had a problem. Don't remember what squeezer it was, but it was a standard CP from Avery with their adjustable set holder.

Roberta
 
Interesting!! I put the adjustable set in my squeezer and never took it out for the entire build. Made beautiful dimples and never had a problem. Don't remember what squeezer it was, but it was a standard CP from Avery with their adjustable set holder.

Roberta

Yup - I have now built TWO airframes with my squeezer without ever removing the adjustable set. Can't figure why you wouldn't want to dimple with one....
 
Same for me, alway had an adjustable set and dimple with it(Chicigo pneumatic). I have a white board in the workshop and have noted each rivet and the gap between the sets for that particular rivet. For example a 3-3.5 is 15.4mm(1" = 25.4mm) and measure with vernier calipers. All distances are fully open and found by trial and error. I always now disconnet the air when measuring.
 
My instructions from Isham say in bold DO NOT USE ADJUSTABLE SET HOLDER FOR DIMPLING. I have a Model AP214C pnuematic squeezer and end up swapping out the adjustable set for dimpling. :confused:

I don't know why on earth that would be?? The adjustable set holder should be able to take the full force of the squeezer. We recommend tightening the ram until the dies will not turn with full pressure applied and no skin between them.

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