Pneumatic squeezer or 2nd rivet gun?

[N941WR]

There are a lot of posts out there about how important it is to have a pneumatic squeezer. It makes me wonder if I?m one of the only people who built their airplane with an Armstrong squeezer.

Anyway, how about providing some guidance to future builders?

Given enough excess tool budget to buy either a pneumatic squeezer or a second rivet gun (leaving you with both a 3x and 2x gun), which would you buy?

In my case it would be the second gun. Having built my plane with a 3x gun and borrowed a 2x from a friend, I can see a real desire to have booth. The squeezing can be done by hand, so I don?t feel a need for that.

 

[Rick S.]

I did my entire RV-10 without a hand squeezer. The funny part was I didn't buy the armstrong version because I thought it cost too much for what it was. Don't get me wrong, the moment I couldn't get the pneumatic one to work I would have bought the manual version. I love the using that tool and letting people try it out. It does have a draw back...and if you own one you know (extra dimple) what I mean! I have a Sioux 3x gun that I can turn down so low that I can bounce a jelly bean on the rivet set and never break the shell...never needed a 2x gun.

 

[flytoboat]

In order to afford the pneumatic squeezer I'd use a 16oz ball peen hammer instead of a rivet gun.

I've never used anything but my 3X rivet gun from Isham, but don't see why it won't work for anything on a -7A. I have a pneumatic squeezer with bench mount and foot pedal and IMHO it's worth every penny. I've had carpal tunnel issues before and I have arthritus so I'll take the easy road when I can... Besides he who dies with the most tools... (is still dead!)

 

[roadrunner20]

I used a pneumatic squeezer I bought on ebay. Sold it 3 years later for the price I paid for it.
It saved me many hours especially when you're dimpling all the ribs, buckheads and edge riveting. I couldn't imagine at the time, having to do it using a hand squeezer.

 

[videobobk]

Gimme one of them nice quiet air squeezers. Can't hear the radio with all that hammern goin' on.

Bob Kelly

 

[OneCharlieKilo]

I've never heard anybody that had one say they'd be willing to give up their pneumatic squeezer, but no Bill, you're not alone.....I built my -6A using only the hand squeezer and a 3x gun. The only tool I wish I'd bought sooner is the band saw I didn't get until sometime at least half way through the airframe build when I got really tired of my hacksaw.
I may just not know what I'm missing, having never used a pneumatic squeezer or 2x gun, but I finished the plane not really thinking I needed to buy either.

 

[hydroguy2]

I wanted to vote Budget, but for a different reason(i'm broke). So, I voted for 2nd gun....but only because I have a huge gun safe and you can never have enough guns.

But you're not alone. I used a hand squeezer (borrowed) and an old 3x gun. Borrowed a C-frame also.

 

[rv9aviator]

Tough question but the 2X rivet gun sure is easier to run on all those million #3 rivets. I have both guns and only use the #3 gun when I have too. I would get a job sacking groceries to pay for the pneumatic squeezer if I had to, that's how much I like it. BTW, there is nothing wrong with sacking groceries. When I was young I had a job for a short time as a Fuller Brush Man. Now that's a bad job.

 

[PaulR]

I've done all my building to date with a pneumatic squeezer, tatco hand squeezer and a 2x gun. If I were starting again, I'd spring for the "main squeeze" and a 3x gun. I've used a 3x a couple times on another plane and you can easily adjust it for smaller rivets.

From what I've done, the pneumatic is just too easy to do without.

 

[rodrv6]

I built my -6 with a hand squeezer and a 3x gun. If you crank the air pressure down to around 30 PSI, the 3x works great on the small rivets.
To be honest, if I decide to build another one I'll probably spring for a pneumatic squeezer and a nice dimpler...........

 

[Experimental Chaos]

more tools is good tools

I?ve got a 3X gun, hand squeezer, and a pneumatic squeezer. There are places where the pneumatic squeezer is too fast. Like when you are trying to hold too many things lined up at once. With the hand squeezer you can very lightly set the rivet double check everything and then finish setting. On a side note when I first got my pneumatic, I spent some time trying to figure out how to disable the ?safety? in the process I squeezed my thumb, luckily it wasn?t set for a short rivet .? I?ve left the safety in place.

 

[bruceh]

I have the 3X gun and pneumatic squeezer from Avery. I don't have a manual squeezer and there are some times when it would be nice to have one. As mentioned above, the pneumatic squeezer can be hard to control. There is no halfway. You either have it off or it is going all the way. It is very hard, almost impossible to feather the control. For setting lots of rivets quickly it can't be beat, once you get the adjustment depth set (definitely spring for the adjustable set). It works great for dimpling and I can't tell any difference between pounding the dimples with a C-frame or using the squeezer. Some downsides to the pneumatic squeezer is the weight and bulk. It can be hard to get it into some tight areas - that is why a manual squeezer might be a nice alternative. I have the longeron yoke, no hole 4" and a 3 inch yoke. So far those have been essential to using the squeezer. Everything else has been with the gun and bucking bar.

 

[Greg Arehart]

For production work, the pneumatic can't be beat. Now that I'm done with the huge number of rivets, I'm thinking about buying a hand squeezer for those times when I just want to set a few rivets in a small project without getting out the pneumo and setting it up.

greg

 

[Rick S.]

I'm not sure about the too fast thing on the pneumatic squeezer...I bought mnine from Professional Air Tools and I can tease the ram well enough to not adjust the tool if I wanted to. BTW they have a fantastic dimple die rivet set...VERY precise, even more so now that he is using a super CNC machine to turn them out. Small company and great to deal with.

http://www.rivettools.com/