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05-14-2015, 07:11 AM
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 16
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Rivet squeezer or gun?
Soo... I'm tentatively starting the 10 journey and looking at tool choices. I see a lot of threads saying to just use the Cleveland Tools Main Squeeze for setting rivets, and that a rivet gun and bucking bar aren't necessary. However, this was over on the 12 forums.. Does that hold true for the 10? What about all those rivets that look like they're 2 feet away from a sheet metal edge?
Additional consideration: I have a 4 year old and wife.. I find it hard to believe either of them would be able to help with the rivet gun/bucking bar process other than holding the bucking bar.. However, it seems the hand tool requires less practice/skill and therefore I could get them involved and "on-board" easier?
Thanks,
Ray
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05-14-2015, 07:26 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 2,861
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You'll have to use both. The main squeeze is great for a hand squeezer but a pneumatic squeezer is a welcome addition to your tool kit too. I used all 3 on my project.
As for riveting help, my wife became Rosie the Riveter. She shot while I bucked. IMO it's easier for the inexperienced to shoot rather than buck.
__________________
Todd "I drink and know things" Stovall
PP ASEL-IA
RV-10 N728TT - Flying!
WAR EAGLE!
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05-14-2015, 07:30 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 440
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To build a -10 you have to have a rivet gun and bucking bar. No exceptions here. Also a squeezer is nice to have. I use both the hand squeezer and the air powered one. There are a also few pulled rivets so you will need a cheap gun for that.
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05-14-2015, 07:31 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Clarion, Pennsylvania
Posts: 550
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Ray, congratulations on taking the plunge. You will need both the squeezer and gun, a 2x or 3x. Many of us have both a hand squeezer and a pneumatic squeezer. Given the amount of time you spend riveting, you want good tools.
The 4-year olds may be a bit young, but it is helpful to get your spouse involved in riveting. You will need the help with the hard to reach rivets, and as has been observed in other threads, it is good to get the family involved.
After 100 hours, it still doesn't seem quite real when I fly my -10 .......
-Andy
__________________
-Andy Turner
RV-10 N784JC
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05-14-2015, 07:40 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Boston Area
Posts: 284
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Ray,
I think you are thinking of the threads where people debate a pneumatic squeezer vs a hand one (Main Squeeze, etc). A rivet gun is a must. My opinion is that you really need a tungsten bucking bar similar to this one and by the end will end up with several different ones including improvised ones (I have used random pieces of metal for hard to reach spots)
On the squeezer if you choose to go with a manual one only I would suggest the main squeeze as using the regular one can wear on your wrists and arms. a few different yokes can be helpful as well. I think the pneumatic is a great thing to have, although as I progress in my build I am finding that I pull out the manual squeezer more often as it gives me more control over the squeeze, unlike at the beginning where the pneumatic was the first thing I reached for.
Bottom line as others have stated is that better tools do make the job easier.
__________________
Jeff
RV-14A
Status: Wings complete(ish), Working on: Empennage. Fuselage kit on order
Location:MA
http://vans14a.blogspot.com/
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05-14-2015, 07:47 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Welcome to VAF!
Ray, welcome aboard the good ship VAF 
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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05-14-2015, 09:08 AM
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 16
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Thanks all for the warm welcome and good answers!
I don't plan on setting the 4 year old loose unsupervised just yet, but he loves to get involved and letting him think he's squeezing a few rivets would make his day :-)
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05-14-2015, 09:51 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,967
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What I did..
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayA
Thanks all for the warm welcome and good answers!
I don't plan on setting the 4 year old loose unsupervised just yet, but he loves to get involved and letting him think he's squeezing a few rivets would make his day :-)
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What I did with my daughter (2 at the time) was to let her use my pneumatic pop riveter (for use with blind, or pop, rivets). It's so easy to use, a child can easily do it.
I'd recommend picking up a cheap one of those to add to your toolbox. If you go with a Harbor Freight jobber, they only cost about $30 - $40, but be sure to pay for the "replacement warranty" for maybe another 8 bucks. That way, when it goes **** up, you can just go pick up a new one for free, no questions asked.
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05-14-2015, 09:59 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ramona, CA
Posts: 2,370
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Don't skimp here on tools. You'll be getting familiar with 20,000 rivets over the course of the project. Not having the right tools will frustrate you and lead to doing poor quality workmanship.
Get the pneumatic squeezer with an adustable depth setting, lots of dimple dies and rivet dies. I built my RV-9A without a hand squeezer, so you probably don't need that if you have the pneumatic one. get a long no hole yoke, a longeron yoke and a 3 inch holed yoke and that will suffice for pretty much every rivet you can squeeze.
Buy a good 3X rivet gun, mushroom swivel set, single and double offset sets and a back rivet set. Absolutely buy a tungsten bucking bar.
I bought all of this from Avery Tools and the quality is excellent.
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05-14-2015, 10:02 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Underwood, WA
Posts: 413
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I'm about 3/4 of the way through my empennage build. You'll definitely need a rivet gun/ bucking bar, a rivet squeezer and a rivet puller. IMHO, you will be very happy if you have:
- Good 3X rivet gun
- Tungsten bucking bar.
- Hand Squeezer (Cleaveland Main Squeeze isn't necessary with #4)
- Pneumatic rivet squeezer with 3", No Hole & 1" Yoke. 1" is optional.
- You can get away with a economic manual rivet puller but the pneumatic rivet puller is great. I smile after every pulled rivet. Love that tool! If you get a pneumatic puller, you'll still need a manual puller for tight places like the elevator rib attach.
Also remember that you can sell every one of these tools after your build for close to what you purchased them - especially if you buy used. I consider these tools an investment in my time and peace of mind. Can you get by with cheaper tools or fewer? - absolutely. But you'll be happy you have them when you could have been wrestling with a problem without them!
Just my 2 cents.
PS - Welcome to the party!!
__________________
Eric Rushing
RV-10
90% done, 90% to go.
Looks like an airplane!
Molalla, OR
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