I hate Adel Clamps

[jjconstant]

I'll stick my chin out...yes, I have used screws with Adel nut launchers.

[Billvt]

I second the use of surgical clamps, also known as hemostats.

They work wonders for installing Adel clamps.

Harbor freight has 12" one that reaches most anywhere.

[Marc DeGirolamo]

Originally Posted by KayS

for everybody who doesn't want to know... i hate adel clamps. they just suck.

Kay
PS: needed two hours tonight to secure one simple wire.

Hemostats work great for adel clamps.....they are small so can get into the tight places also...

[Craig]

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...01&postcount=7

[GregMac]

Place your clamp on the mounting tube, take ordinary pliers and snug it around so holes line up, put a loop of safety wire around the base just tight enough that the clamp can be moved on its mounting tube to align it with whatever you want to attach. Attach the whatever with the bolt and nut but leave the safety wire at the base, most clamps have indents at base from manufacture which hold the wire out of the way and in place. By using this method you can align everything up just how you want without sweat and best of all, if/when you need to dismantle, the clamp stays ready for reassembly cause it's still retained by the safety wire. Also if you get really keen nut plates can be permanently riveted to adel clamps so you can simply screw in your bolt without even worrying about that pesky nut, and of course you've now effectively got a metal lock nut in the engine bay, the DAR has got to like that. Cheers from Western Australia

[Isaac]

The best solution that I have found to hold Adel clamp ends together while getting a screw and nut in place is using waxed nylon lacing cord.

Waxed nylon lacing cord in combination with a clove hitch knot works really well. The secret is the clove hitch knot. Tying a clove hitch is demonstrated on the AeroElectric web site (method 1).

http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles...able_lace.html

Loop the lacing cord through the screw holes in each leg of the Adel being careful to follow pattern for the clove hitch knot. When the clove hitch is cinched down, the waxed cord has enough holding grip to hold both sides together. Then secure it with square knot just like you would on a wire bundle.

Initially, it takes a little time to get lacing cord through the screw holes in the Adel clamp but after that working with the Adel clamp is literally a cinch (no pun intended). The lacing cord doesn't scratch or mar the Adel clamp and can be used in very confined spaces and saves your fingers much pain. Just leave the string on the clamp until you need to remove the clamp.

[rbibb]

Needle nose vice grips work as well?.

[Scott Hersha]

UNBELIEVABLE!! Three pages of suggestions on how to deal with these insanely USER-HOSTILE clamps. Dan H suggests a process that takes 5 (five) - count them, FIVE! steps. I'm sure it works, but really?? My RV6 took me nearly 3000 hours to complete. It would have been more like 2000 hours if weren't for these painful, archaic devices. There are builders that are substituting tie wraps for adel clamps in places that they should not be used, because of frustration. The only reason there isn't a good substitute for the adel clamp is money. It should be incredibly easy to come up with an alternative that is not only better, but actually easy to use. The problem is, the investment isn't worth it when you consider what you could sell them for. So we may be forever stuck with an item of hardware that causes more frustration, cussing, and religious backsliding than anything ever invented...... I really don't think there's any solution. We are all doomed to an ADEL clamp ****...... Sorry......

[Caveman]

Originally Posted by GregMac

Also if you get really keen nut plates can be permanently riveted to adel clamps so you can simply screw in your bolt without even worrying about that pesky nut, and of course you've now effectively got a metal lock nut in the engine bay, the DAR has got to like that.

Now that is a great idea! I wonder why they don't make a facory version like that? Patent time?

Joe

[Rupester]

Originally Posted by DanH

Put the clamp around the tube or wire, pull the legs together with some needle nose vice grips, twist a loop of safety wire around the legs near the base, position the clamp and start the bolt/nut, then clip the safety wire.

.... Remember to remove ALL traces of remaining safety wire after you clip it. I missed a tiny piece one time and got a nasty cut a year later when my hand brushed against the razor sharp clipped-end during maintenance chores.