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  #11  
Old 12-01-2014, 05:35 PM
aerhed aerhed is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Big Sandy, WY
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I use only a hand squeezer. 95% of the time its a TP116. Lighter, faster, never punch a skin...or a finger.
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  #12  
Old 12-01-2014, 05:57 PM
Stockmanreef Stockmanreef is offline
 
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I use a Numatx pneumatic squeezer (http://www.numatx-tools.com). It is awesome. small and foot pedal activated. not all or nothing.

I attach it to a Cframe and use it for dimpling skins as well.

I have a hand squeezer which I never use, but who knows maybe I will need it at some point..
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  #13  
Old 12-01-2014, 06:01 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Location: SC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwilbur View Post
How did he dimple ribs and other bits ans pieces?

...
No idea, C-Frame maybe? I do know he ripped right through his second and third builds.

Here are links to the yokes I recommend. I'm sure others will have a different opinion. Avery's is having a Christmas sale, and the prices listed reflect the sales price.

4" No hole yoke - $139.00


Longeron yoke - $124.00


Optional Deap Reach yoke - $84.55

(I do not have one of these and have never used one. I just saw it while grabbing the URL for this post.)
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Last edited by N941WR : 12-01-2014 at 06:10 PM.
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  #14  
Old 12-01-2014, 06:32 PM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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I got a good deal on a pneumatic squeezer before I started my first build - and have never, not once, used a hand squeezer. Pneumatic does many jobs well, and having a hand free to hold the work is a plus.

Paul
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  #15  
Old 12-01-2014, 06:42 PM
HeliCooper HeliCooper is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Des Moines, IA
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This is one thing I debated for a while when I started last year. I got the pneumatic with the adjustable set holder. I honestly don't know why anyone would build an airplane without one. It is the number one tool I use the most and also the biggest time saver. I dimpled all wing ribs, stiffeners in about 10 minutes. I can't believe anyone on here referred to a hand squeezer as faster...

As far as setting rivets it definitely is not all or nothing. You can ease in the set but ideally you want to adjust the set to squeeze the rivet perfectly at full open. Once you set it, you forget it. Every rivet that you need to squeeze that size will pop out the exact same every time. (I still always check about every 20th rivet or so) Takes about 1 min to set a perfect squeeze and then you can just blow through the rest.

In summary it is well worth the money. (this and a tungsten bar) I do not know anything about the squeezer you are looking at. I used the one from Cleaveland Tool.
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  #16  
Old 12-01-2014, 06:49 PM
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wirejock wirejock is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
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Default No hole

Bill
Thanks for the tip on the yokes.
I've wanted a "no hole" for a while. That's a great Christmas present to myself. Now if I can find a way to wrap it and put it under the tree without Sweetie finding out.
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  #17  
Old 12-01-2014, 07:02 PM
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JonJay JonJay is offline
 
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Location: Battleground
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Many of us early kit builders built ours entirely with a hand squeezer.

Pneumatic squeezers are production tools ideal for repetitive tasks with hundreds or thousands of like operations on a production line. Only recently have they become popular for home building.
They are handy for 1/8" rivets that take more grunt to set, but the bulk of your repetitive tasks are setting 3/32" rivets or dimpling flanges and skins, easily done with a hand squeezer or C-frame, and you avoid the dreaded figure 8 hole or miss hit as aerhed noted. I buck 1/8" rivets wherever I can.
There is little to no advantage in speed or quality in my opinion unless you are in a production setting. That said, I would be curious to know what Vans QB guys use?

I consider a hand squeezer an essential tool in any sheet metal fabricators tool box.
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  #18  
Old 12-01-2014, 07:53 PM
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rv6rick rv6rick is offline
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Default My experience

I rarely make long posts but feel you newer builders may need some insight from a 'not so new' builder .

Background:
- I've built/owned over 30 RV's and Rockets.

Squeezers:
- I have 7 hand squeezers set up with a variety of dies. I can dimple for various size rivets or screws. And, I can rivet flush, cupped, or no hole and only switch dies if I need a modified or close quarters set.
- None of my hand squeezers is a 'main squeeze' unit. I used to have one of those but I didn't like it and gave it away. If the good folks at Cleaveland want to donate one I'd more than happy to give it another shot and offer a fair review .
- My favorite squeezers are my Averys.

- I have a pneumatic squeezer with standard and adjustable sets. I've got every yoke that you can think of and have quick release pins.

- I have 4 hand pop rivet pullers and one pneumatic pop rivet puller that is worth it's weight in gold.

- I have a c-frame that is only used for dimpling large skins. Never used for riveting other than demonstration.

- I have a DRDT that is only used to show folks why I don't like them and why I don't recommend them.

- I have an assortment of rivet guns. Only use a 3x to show folks why the 2x is so much nicer.

- never counted but maybe about 45-50 bucking bars. That said I buit my 1st RV with one bucking bar and a tire iron and won Grand Champion at Sun n Fun and a follow up award at Oshkosh. Just mentioning this so you know it can be done but I'll take my assortment any day.

Order of riveting for me is ALWAYS:
1-backrivet
2-squeeze
3-buck

I use my hand squeezers for everything that I can't back rivet. I almost always use one hand only on my hand squeezer. I do 90% of my riveting sitting down.

I can count the times I've used my pneumatic squeezer on one hand. The only time I really break it out is to show folks why they don't need it .

My hand squeezers are WAY more versitile, and MUCH lighter than pneumatic and less expensive if you are on a budget.

If I have to rivet one plate nut or run a row of 65 rivers down the trailing edge of a wing I go right for my hand squeezer.

Tip-the key to riveting is being creative and comfortable. NEVER forget this .

This will sound a bit bold but I'll say it anyway.....I challenge anyone to bring their pneumatic squeezer to my shop and work alongside of me. Bring it on, big smile .

This is my experience. I'm sure all you guys that are working on your vertical stab with your pneumatic squeezer will disagree.....big smile .
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Last edited by rv6rick : 12-01-2014 at 08:30 PM.
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  #19  
Old 12-01-2014, 08:48 PM
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rvbuilder2002 rvbuilder2002 is offline
 
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I agree word for word with (almost) everything Rick wrote.

The exception is that I think a pneumatic squeezer is a very valuable tool for a lot of riveting and dimpling work. Especially for someone that might be susceptible to carpel- tunnel, etc. Enough so that if people can afford it, I recommend they purchase one for their project, then, if they wont likely ever build again, sell it when you are done with your build project for $100 - 150 less than what you paid... consider it the rental fee to have it to use for your entire project.
The one condition is that the pneumatic squeezer either have, or you upgrade it to an adjustable plunger like one of THESE
It will make your pneumatic squeezer as quick to set-up as any hand squeezer.

A great way to get a lot of use from a pneumatic squeezer for riveting a lot of the little assemblies in an RV is to clamp the yoke of the squeezer in a bench vise. Make it stationary... then position the part as needed in the squeezer (instead of the other way around). This is particularly useful with assemblies that use 1/8" rivets. This works to some degree with a hand squeezer also in some situations. Gets rid of the need to
control the part and the squeezer at the same time.

Having said that, I would never own only a pneumatic squeezer. There are a lot of riveting jobs where having a much lighter and easier to control hand squeezer is the best way to get it done.... there are a lot of places you can get to with a hand squeezer that you can't with pneumatic squeezer because of the body size.

BTW, I think there is also value in a good 3X rivet gun, but I only use them on 1/8 or larger rivets. A 2X is best choice for 3/32.
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Last edited by rvbuilder2002 : 12-01-2014 at 08:56 PM.
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  #20  
Old 12-01-2014, 10:10 PM
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Arie Arie is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rv6rick View Post

- I have a c-frame that is only used for dimpling large skins. Never used for riveting other than demonstration.

- I have a DRDT that is only used to show folks why I don't like them and why I don't recommend them.
).
Very good post Rick, but could you please elaborate on these two points as I were under the impression that the DRDT is the best thing since... And to use a c frame for riveting is n nifty way to set good rivets.
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