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Pneumatic Squeezers, HELP?

R

RV7ForMe

Well Known Member
Hello,

I have not driven or squeezed a single rivet. I am still shopping around for tools.

I have read over and over again that a pneumatic Squeezer is something that I should be getting for a SB RV7.

Are there any good, better or stay away from brands? I keep reading buy American for quality products. Does someone have any advice they want to share?

I have come across this combo that includes a Taylor Pneumatic T-3000C Rivet Squeezer with 1 CYOK-30 3" Yoke & 1 CYOK-25L Longeron Yoke.

Does anyone have experience with this brand? They all look the same on the WWW to me except for this one being orange...
 
I built an RV7A without a traditional pneumatic squeezer. While they make some jobs go faster, they can also cause damage in the hands of the newbie. I used a "Main Squeeze" from Cleaveland tool and would do it again. I eventually bought a used pneumatic squeezer towards the end of my project but didn't use it much. Much better control when done by hand.

Remember, only the rivets at the edge of the material can be squeezed with a pneumatic squeezer anyhow. Most rivets on an RV are driven with a "hammering" type of rivet gun far from the edges.

Bevan
 
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I'm just the opposite of Bevan. I only had the pneumatic squeezer for my build and not a standard hand squeezer. In my opinion, I'm glad that I went this way. I also used a pneumatic cleco gun as well, which is a godsend on the wings and fuselage.

To answer your question, I would give Bob Avery a call. He sells both new and used squeezers. Many of which he rebuilds at his shops. I'm sure he would be willing to discuss differences between the brands.

I had to send mine back for repairs twice during my build, due to me dropping mine on the concrete floor. Bob was very customer focused orientated in the promptness and repair costs.

bob
 
rleffler said:
To answer your question, I would give Bob Avery a call. He sells both new and used squeezers. Many of which he rebuilds at his shops. I'm sure he would be willing to discuss differences between the brands.

I had to send mine back for repairs twice during my build, due to me dropping mine on the concrete floor. Bob was very customer focused orientated in the promptness and repair costs.

bob
Click to expand...

I second this! Only I've never had to return my pneumatic squeezer for repair.

Cleaveland's Main Squeeze is an incredible tool, but I wouldn't trade my Avery pneumatic squeezer for one. Ideally, get both! Avery has the lowest prices on pneumatic squeezers, they sell both new and rebuilt ones, and they will stand behind their product 100%
 
Another opinion here....

I have squeezed many tens of thousands of rivets using a pneumatic squeezer at my day job. I am building a -14A and have helped build a couple of other RVs. I have used a pneumatic squeezer on less than 10 rivets....and that was just to make sure I wasn't missing anything that I didn't already know years ago. I strongly prefer to use hand squeezers on light structure. You have much better control and tactile feel using a hand squeezer than a pneumatic squeezer which will result in less structural deformation and damage. Due to physical size you will also be able to squeeze many rivets with the hand squeezer where the pneumatic squeezer will not fit. My favorite hand squeezer is a Tatco. I have used the Main Squeeze and it works well but is too large to get in tight areas, and the extra leverage is really not needed unless you are squeezing lots of -5 rivets.
 
Think about this too...

RV7ForMe said:
.....I have read over and over again that a pneumatic Squeezer is something that I should be getting for a SB RV7.......
Click to expand...

It gets personal every time, so here is another data point. Age and physical arm condition play a part here. I manually squeezed all possible rivets. After you consider dimpling, clecoing the same parts together as many as half a dozen times or more before riveting, and then squeezing, especially the AD4 or larger size rivets, you can easily get tendinitis in your elbows, shoulders, and wrists, not to mention lower backache from extended bending over during the by-hand process. Pneumatic clecoe tool was so nice. I often thought a pneumatic squeezer would have saved me months of tendinitis pain. I'll never know for sure.
 
I bought a fairly inexpensive hand squeezer (the stainless steel Tatco clone type you see sold in the blue plastic box). I also bought a rebuilt pneumatic squeezer. I've used both throughout the build of my RV-7. If I were doing it again, starting from scratch, I'd have bought neither one. The pneumatic is nice to have, but honestly a little overkill. The hand squeezer is, in my humble opinion, junk. There is enough flex that the dies are usually not perfectly parallel.

If I were doing it over again, I'd probably skip them both and buy a Main Squeeze.
 
Another vote for the Main Squeeze

I'm a first time builder working on a RV-14.

I have both a hand squeezer and a pneumatic squeezer.

I probably use the hand squeezer more than the pneumatic one. I find that I have better control with the hand squeezer.

The cam in the Main Squeeze really let's you squeeze some big rivets pretty easily. If I only had a basic squeezer, I would need to learn a lot more curse words!

There are some places, however, where you do a bunch of rivets along an edge and the pneumatic one is a really nice thing to have! I would probably buy it again if I had it to do over. It's an expensive nicety.

There's more bang for the buck, though, in getting extra yokes (I got a longeron yoke and a 4" flat nose that I use all the time).

Good luck on your build!
 
If you get a pneumatic squeezer, take the time to learn to feather the trigger. Since the trigger is so sensitive it can appear to be an on/off thing. It's not. Before setting too many rivets on your airplane, you should be able to slowly close the gap between the ram and the stationary head, make minor adjustments to get the angle just right (insuring it's square) and then finish the squeeze.

My 2 cents...

You might also consider a foot pedal. Again, you'll have to learn to feather it. But get a good one. I picked up a cheap one and could not figure out how to feather it consistently. I actually ended up ruining a part when dimpling so I just tossed the foot pedal to the side....
 
I started with a cheap hand squeezer and it tipped every rivet for me. The jaws were not parallel... Junk!

The Cleaveland main squeeze I borrowed was excellent, but although easier than some others I tried, I still found it hard on arthritic joints.

I ended up with a hydropneumatic squeezer from Cleaveland tools and it was also excellent, and small enough to get into places where a pneumatic would not. The foot control gave you both hands free for positioning... I do not see them currently on the Cleaveland website, but there may be some used ones floating around.
 
Advise

You got all the good advise.
Find a builder nearby with both and try them.
I second the issues with cheap manual squeezers.
I love my pneumatic and use it first. Learn to feather the trigged on all your pneumatics.
 
Wound up with both an Avery hand squeezer and a ????? brand pneumatic. Used both frequently depending on the task.

As others have suggested, care with the pneumatic - it can make a lot of scrap metal pretty quickly.

Dan
 
IMHO a pneumatic squeezer is a must - but, as pointed out, learn to use it. I started with a hand squeezer then moved up - I wrecked the first part I tried to build.

However, once you get the hang, it's a godsend. Start with a slight under-squeeze and then close up the jaws. Once you get the right setting, it's just perfect rivet after perfect rivet. And then there's the dimpling......... And -4 rivets can be really tough with a hand squeezer.

Having said that, you need options. I seem to remember using 6 different riveting techniques on one assembly!
 
Dimpling

Something to consider that has not yet been mentioned...

Half the dimples in the aircraft are done with a squeezer, nearly the entire substructure. So if you are not building a QB kit, I always recommend the pneumatic squeezer.
 
Thank you

Oh Boy. Thanks for all the input. Looks like this is a very personal preference. I am actually surprised so many said they prefer the manual. Wish I could go to the store and try them all out...
 
A lot of good info on squeezers. But not much on yoke size. If I were to buy a Cleveland Main Squeeze and a Tatco (for the tight places?) what sizes should I get?

Thanks in advance.
 
Yokes

B. Hoover said:
A lot of good info on squeezers. But not much on yoke size. If I were to buy a Cleveland Main Squeeze and a Tatco (for the tight places?) what sizes should I get?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If it's a financial choice, get the 4" deep yoke.
If you can swing several, get the standard, 4", longeron and no hole.
 
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