It's worth having some 3/16" gold clecos on hand for Adel clamps. It holds them when you're just figuring out where to put them and what their orientation should be, and MUCH easier than trying to get a screw or bolt in.
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Adel Clamp Tip
- Thread starter David Paule
- Start date
Smart!
I have had pretty good luck with a cheap set of straight and curved hemostat clamps. Able to hold the Adel clamp closed while a nut and bolt are attached.
Old chip chasers with a slot ground into them make great holders for putting Adels on bolts while trying to get the nut started.
David's tip for "temporary" holding Adel clamps for positioning is a very good idea. But for convenience at install, a simple draw bolt type clamp I make, leaves both hands free to get the bolt & attendant hardware in place without much fuss. It's small enough to get into those tight spaces in the motor mount area.
EZ-CLAMP - I make two "varieties", straight & 90* as shown below ...
HFS
Attachments
I use zip ties to close the clamp then cut them off but it's not always easy ... I too want to know where to get these EZ-Clamps!!!
I tried some of the modified wrenches out there but more often than not the space and orientation doesn't let me get them in a position that works.
I tried some of the modified wrenches out there but more often than not the space and orientation doesn't let me get them in a position that works.
.020 safety wire and safety wire pliers. It’ll hold everything snug til you get the threads started.
I use safety wire. Can even leave it in place after the hardware is installed so they don't spring open the next time you take them apart. Works ok but it has its own challenges. The EZ clamps look pretty handy. I'm handling lots of adel clamps at the moment building up the firewall forward so any tool to make that easier is welcome.
Yeah, the safety wire trick works to pull em together most of the time but it does nothing to align the holes. Also there are several cases where the wire gets in the way or causes the stack up to be too large for the bolt.
Us E-LSA builders don’t have much freedom in making changes to the hardware called out.
Us E-LSA builders don’t have much freedom in making changes to the hardware called out.
I use a pick today but that EZ-Clamp looks like the cats meow!
The 12 has some clamps with spacers in between them that make some of the methods not work so well like using hemostats.
I get the job done but not without cussing.
The A&P who was helping hang the engine on my Lance pulled these out:
View attachment 87034
Vice grips with forks welded to the jaws to clamp the adel in place until you can get the screw into it.
<SNIP> (Rules violation)
I immediately ordered a pair.
View attachment 87034
Vice grips with forks welded to the jaws to clamp the adel in place until you can get the screw into it.
<SNIP> (Rules violation)
I immediately ordered a pair.
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I think you may find, as more and more Adel clamps are installed (and where - interior motor mount area), there can be interference such that the vise grip type do not provide the convenience you expect.
HFS
rmartingt
Well Known Member
I stumbled across the Voris Tool adel clamp tool being pi......ed annoyed trying to put multiple adel clamps together firewall forward. I think it should last a few lifetimes. Pricey yes, but with the money I saved by not buying the safety cables, safety cable tool and ferrules (different thread, used instead of safety wire and wire twisters), I figure I'm ahead of the game.
voristool.com
Voris Tool, innovators of the patented Adel Clamp Installation tool - made in the USA
Voris Tool, innovators of the patented Adel Clamp Installation tool - made in the USA
voristool.com
Or you can switch to locking Adels......
Which means you still need to bring the tabs of the clamp together in order to lock - which is the issue I'm referring to of trying to bring a clamp together with limited access. And then they still sometimes pop open after locking. The Voris brings the clamp together for you, allows you the ability to position whatever your clamping (sometimes multiple clamps) and then holds it while you insert and tighten the correct screw or bolt. It's very well designed and quality built tool.
I've used an ice pick with modified vice grips for years - until I bought the Voris Tool, which I find is a much better, less frustrating solution.
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rmartingt
Well Known Member
Please tell me where I can buy them in large quantities... Especially sizes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12. I know they aren't a cure-all but there are a lot of places I could use them. Between these and a proper installation tool it would have saved my fingers a lot f pain...
By the way, D and D, the shop on evilbay, is a very good source for small quantities of older Mil-Spec hardware. I think they are the online store for Lance Aircraft, the T-6 people. I've been buy stuff from them for several years now for restoration projects. Shipping is fast and generally at a competitive cost.
walkman
Well Known Member
This Plus awl to align the holes
Since it's apparently a rules violation to post a link to a product I have no connection to, but found useful (and yes, I read the rules), just know that if you search for "adel clamp pliers", they'll pop right up from several vendors at several price points, probably all made in the same factory in China. Meanwhile, the "voris tool" link is apparently okay.
Sam Buchanan
been here awhile
The only VAF rules issue is posting links to a vendor that is not a VAF advertiser or appears on one of the aviation classified sites.
eBay requires the seller's ID to do a search via the seller. Searches using D and D, DandD, or D & D come up with either 0 or 43,000+ results. Give us a better clue here.
Thanks for the info. They are D and D Collectibles Inc, she also is listed as txsgal, which I believe is her eBay user name.
Took a bit to find them, but they have a lot of cool stuff. Thx
The RV engine compartment has great access compared to some. I learned the safety wire trick 25 years ago changing out the ignitor leads, EMB120, PW1000 engine, The exciter is mounted on the right side of the front of the engine. The exciters are a couple feet aft behind the firewall. The ignitor wire has to be secured with adel clamps every so many inches in a space you can’t barely get a hand in.
Every one of those adel clamps was a challenge. A 1/4” box open taped to the longest screwdriver in my toolbox (36”) just to hold the nut, and another guy on the opposite side of the engine with an 1/4” drive air ratchet spinning an extra extra long 1/4” drive extension twisting a 1/4” universal socket to tighten the bolt.
When we could, we positioned the adel clamps on the wire with .020 safety wire before feeding the ignition wire where it needed to be routed, and scooted the clamp along the wire if it wasn’t positioned correctly.
You would never get one of them fancy clamps in that space.
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I find it very rare that these work for me. Access is almost always complicated by other things in the way. I use the safety wire lasso trick.
I've seen ratcheting cable clamps for other applications. See: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/hellermanntyton/151-02009/7399850
Is there anything like this that is aircraft quality builders would feel confident using, especially firewall forward?
Is there anything like this that is aircraft quality builders would feel confident using, especially firewall forward?
DItto to using safety wire. I hold the adel closed with pliers. Then wrap safety wire around it to keep it closed during installation. You can leave the safety wire on or take it off after installation.
yep, and a combination of all the good tips given above, thanks guys. ACS sells this which works ok, if there's enough space...
Wish I'd known about them draw bolt type clamp from @HFS before my still in progress engine install...
Someone try this. I'm too busy right now. The tool isn't handling enormous amount of pressure so this might work and no welding. A lot of metal work, but that's the fun part making new tools.
1/4" ID Steel pipe. Should be 1/4" ID and 1/2" OD.
3/16" cold rolled steel plate. Small piece.
1/4-20 all thread
1/2-20 nut
1/4-20 nut
Run a die up the pipe far enough to thread the nut plus 1/4". Cut two pieces of the plate steel for the feet. Drill and tap one end of each. One 1/2-20, the other 1/4-20. Shap the end of the feet thinner and cut or grind the slots. Study #HFS EZ-Clamp.
Thread the nut and foot on the pipe. Lock them together. Same for the all thread foot. Slide the all thread into the pipe and spin on a washer and wing nut. Feel free to heat and temper so it's harder.
Edit...
I forgot the EZ-clamp self index. It's square. Oh well.
1/4" ID Steel pipe. Should be 1/4" ID and 1/2" OD.
3/16" cold rolled steel plate. Small piece.
1/4-20 all thread
1/2-20 nut
1/4-20 nut
Run a die up the pipe far enough to thread the nut plus 1/4". Cut two pieces of the plate steel for the feet. Drill and tap one end of each. One 1/2-20, the other 1/4-20. Shap the end of the feet thinner and cut or grind the slots. Study #HFS EZ-Clamp.
Thread the nut and foot on the pipe. Lock them together. Same for the all thread foot. Slide the all thread into the pipe and spin on a washer and wing nut. Feel free to heat and temper so it's harder.
Edit...
I forgot the EZ-clamp self index. It's square. Oh well.
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another way is to use what "we" use on the big iron... in a previous A&P life I encountered those self locking (ok, technically called top-locking) clamps, and those sure are the RR of Adel clamps 
Position, clamp with whatever pliers are around, and click they will by snapping in and holding their position. Also the cushion area is far superior to the standard Adel. Those sure are my prime choice
Position, clamp with whatever pliers are around, and click they will by snapping in and holding their position. Also the cushion area is far superior to the standard Adel. Those sure are my prime choice
Attachments
BINGO!another way is to use what "we" use on the big iron... in a previous A&P life I encountered those self locking (ok, technically called top-locking) clamps, and those sure are the RR of Adel clamps
Position, clamp with whatever pliers are around, and click they will by snapping in and holding their position. Also the cushion area is far superior to the standard Adel. Those sure are my prime choice
Anyone figure out how to use with a AN3 bolt? Even a 3/8 thin wall socket has no chance to work. Phillips head only it seems.I stumbled across the Voris Tool adel clamp tool beingpi......edannoyed trying to put multiple adel clamps together firewall forward. I think it should last a few lifetimes. Pricey yes, but with the money I saved by not buying the safety cables, safety cable tool and ferrules (different thread, used instead of safety wire and wire twisters), I figure I'm ahead of the game.
Voris Tool, innovators of the patented Adel Clamp Installation tool - made in the USA
Voris Tool, innovators of the patented Adel Clamp Installation tool - made in the USA
Attachments
Put a thin but wide washer under the bolt head until the nut is started? Would require using a slightly longer bolt.
Edit - after thinking about it, you wouldn’t be able to remove the washer either!
I bought a couple when they were on eBay a few years back. A bit of surgery and it was narrowed for the 1/2" wide clamps we use, it works better than all the others I have tried. Alignment is for the second hand and once clamped it is pretty tight and with the .063" width it worked in some very constrained places for me. My second one is unmolested dreaming of being reverse engineered.
YES - really too bad we can't get a quote to make a few hundred.
Me too!
I have the same Adel #561 and also been looking for a #560. Been searching for years.
GM
This is for those of you that didn't think EZ-CLAMP was for "stacking" Adel clamps, like using the MM tubes to hold clamps for wire looms, or ...
I just finished 50 more sets, if anyone wants one - because of the increase in raw materials cost, I have to price this batch at $20/ea + shipping (CONUS usually under $5).
HFS
Attachments
I recently found these and they work pretty good.
beataerospace.com
BEAT AEROSPACE, LLC
Discover top-notch aerospace aviation industry tools offered by BEAT AEROSPACE. We specialize in aviation aerospace and defense maintenance and manufacturing tooling for Adel clamp installation.
beataerospace.com
