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Newbie question

A

Alex44

Active Member
I am at the end of the diving board, bouncing and ready to dive in. My plans will be ordered on Monday Dec. 14th along with the practice toolbox. This adventure that is about to begin is one that I have dreamed about for years. So I am in the tool collecting frame of mind and have started purchasing the various immediately needed things. My question for right now,, Where is the best place to purchase a Pneumatic Squeezer, and which yoke should I get with it? Do I need more than one yoke or can I get by with one particular size?

Thanks You guys!!!

Alex
 
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Squeezers

I would strongly recommend the Avery Line:

http://www.averytools.com/pc-497-86-avery-hand-rivet-squeezers.aspx

In addition you should really consider also buying a Single Cylinder ?C? Squeezer ? 3? Yoke & Longeron Yoke ? Adjustable Set holder package from Bob Avery. The two yokes will also fit the hand squeezer and you will find yo use the pneumatic squeezer a lot.

http://www.averytools.com/pc-1066-1...yoke-longeron-yoke-adjustable-set-holder.aspx

Avery tools is the best place to shop for the majority of your tools.
 
Alex,

I bought mine from Avery Tools, too, when it was on sale. It's my favorite tool! You'll get a lot of use out of the longeron yoke, as already mentioned, but you'll use the 4" no-hole on the empennage more than for any of the rest of the plane. It reaches into places that no other tool will reach.
 
Just a thought...

...I'd forego the pneumatics and with the money saved go for an Avery hand squeezer and more yokes. It worked great for me - mind you I also have a thing about trailing air hoses and noisy compressors :)

Jim Sharkey
RV-6 Phase 1
 
another thought

I agree with sharkey, sold mine half way through, spend $400 or so elsewhere..
Ron
9A
 
Tools can be costly for Aircraft Building.

I am always amazed at how much $ you can tie up in the proper tools. You will be too.!

For starters get a Tungsten Bucking Bar and a good Rivet Gun. (Not a 4X; 4X is just too hard to tone down on those dash three (3/32) rivets. If only one Rivet Gun, make it a 3X.

I agree with Bruce (Bruce, loved the Champayne shot in the cockpit...LOL) and most others that you will LOVE your Pheumatic Squeezer. It's quiet for after dinner garage work; not like riveting which keeps the kids awake. ;)

But it saves TIME. For me saving TIME is important. I'am not in a big hurry, but I am NOT going to hand squeeze this AirSheen. Of course you can use nothing but a hand squeezer but you will really get motivated when you know you can crank out a riveting session while sitting down and just sliding along the work piece and doing it quietly and efficiently.

Bruce is also spot on about the 4 inch no hole yoke. You're gonna need 3 yokes Alex; the normal 3 inch, the longeron yoke and the 4 inch no hole.

Avery is great. But realize you need the Yoke with the Squeezer; you'll need an 'adjustable set holder' (so you don't have to stack washers under the Die everytime you change squeezing thickness) and those quick change pins are extremely handy. And you will need the basic dies for the squeezer. A Universal (470) Cup set in 1/8th inch and enough flat sets for various conditions for the Flush rivets (426). What I did was bought my Squeezer from Cleaveland tools. They had the Squeezer, yoke, adjustable set holder, change pins and the dies in a package deal for just over $700. Here:

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SNKITW

Then I ordered a Main Squeeze (see the video on their site) Kit, which INCLUDES ALREADY another Yoke. The yokes between the main squeeze and the Phenumatic Squeezer are interchangable. I just switched that yoke to a Longeron Yoke, then I bought the one extra 4 inch no hole yoke.

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SCHKITW

So now I can hand squeeze if needed as well. As long as your in a spending mood :D Here are a couple more suggestions:

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DIE4263DF


http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3MW77S6


This is nice. Watch the video at the bottom as well:

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CF80

Good luck!

15hjx93.jpg
 
jsharkey said:
...I'd forego the pneumatics and with the money saved go for an Avery hand squeezer and more yokes. It worked great for me - mind you I also have a thing about trailing air hoses and noisy compressors :)

Jim Sharkey
RV-6 Phase 1
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing until I saw a good deal on a used pneumo squeezer in the classifieds here, and had a weak moment. Unless I wear it completely out (not likely if I keep it lubed), I believe I can sell it for what I paid for it. I consider it free rental for the duration of the build. I still have and use my Avery hand squeezer for #3 rivets along edges that can be reached, as the hand squeezer is lighter and easier to manipulate than the pneumo. Where the pneumo really shines is in dimpling small parts like stiffeners and ribs. Just chuck the yoke in a vise and manipulate the part with one hand and the trigger with the other. Just don't get too trigger happy and end up with unintended holes. (No need to ask...)

Oh yeah... the adjustable set holder for the pneumatic squeezer is worth every penny.
 
Pneumatic all the way

gosh, I respect everyone who says go manual, but I gotta disagree. The pneumatic is probably my favorite tool in my shop (along with my tungsten bucking bar). Rather expensive, yes. But think of it this way, buy it use it for 2+ yrs and make your life much easier. Take good care of it and then resell it after the project is done. They go like hotcakes on this site...within a half hour it will be sold guaranteed for a price that is not far off what you paid for it new. When its all said and done, then look at the cost difference and it wont be much different than buying a manual. If you go manual, your forearms will be MUCH stronger at the end though! :)

by the way, I bought the Isham tool kit www.planetools.com specifically because it included the pneumatic squeezer...no complaints at all, good quality.
 
I agree with RV7Ron, Plane Tools treated me very well. The pneumatic squeezer and the DRDT-2 dimpler are 2 of my most used tools. $700 is a lot of money for just a squeezer, but it is easy to use, and once set up, I can do an entire line of rivets perfectly with no adjustments. Money well spent for me.
 
Avery Tools- great prices, good customer service. At a minimum the 3" yoke and the longeron yoke. You can borrow other yokes from guys but these two are the minimum. I have a thin nose yoke and a thin nose with female 3/32 dimple that are specialty yokes but you can order these later on or borrow. Welcome and have fun with your new project!
 
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