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Safety Wire Pliers

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RyanM

Well Known Member
So, working on my fuel tanks, this is the first time I've had to do real safety wiring. I found that my harbor freight tool doesn't work very well.

Since I know I'm going to need a good tool as I continue with the project, and for future maintenance. So, now the question is, what one should I buy?

Auto return vs. Manual (can someone explain this to me)
Reversible vs. non-reversible
6" vs. 9"
diagonal vs. tapered
Chinese vs. USA Made


I see quite a range in prices, anywhere from $22 from Spruce to $99 from Avery.


thoughts???
 
RyanM said:
Auto return vs. Manual (can someone explain this to me)
Reversible vs. non-reversible
6" vs. 9"
diagonal vs. tapered
Chinese vs. USA Made
Click to expand...

This is a case where you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out here.
Auto return...definitely. With the non-auto return you must stop, hold the pliers with the other hand and let the knob go back.
Reversible...I have the reversible but seldom use the left hand feature.
I like the 9". I have a 6" that I carry for emergency but I don't like them as well as the 9".
I prefer the diagonal.
US definitely.
 
Mel said:
This is a case where you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out here.
Auto return...definitely. With the non-auto return you must stop, hold the pliers with the other hand and let the knob go back.
Reversible...I have the reversible but seldom use the left hand feature.
I like the 9". I have a 6" that I carry for emergency but I don't like them as well as the 9".
I prefer the diagonal.
US definitely.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with Mel.
After 20 + yrs crewing F16's, learned real early the difference between good and bad SW pliers! This link should give you an idea of what is used today in the military. We got some junk tools in the unit but when we have the funds to spend will always stock up on quality.
http://www.browntool.com/productselect.asp?ProductID=469
 
Wikipedia has a fairly good writeup on what you are asking (search safety wire) and planetools web site has some good pictures of the various types. There are a number of manufacturers, my first set was on the low cost end. I actually pitched them into a muddy ditch and walked away:mad:. They just did not want to keep a grip on the wire. The next set was a bit more expensive...and they work. YMMV.
 
Hey Dan, I wonder why yours looks new? Hmm. :D My pair of 9" look like a Mack truck drove over them, but they still do the job. No lefty-righty, but auto return for sure. The key to a good set is making sure the teeth close all the way with no gaps. And, make sure that you never overlap the wire in the jaws. They'll be toast in no time.

Allen
 
Chief has Milbars (45W) for about $69.. which is cheapest I could find (didn't search too long)
 
<<Hey Dan, I wonder why yours looks new? Hmm. My pair of 9" look like a Mack truck drove over them, but they still do the job.>>

Don't get used as much as yours...and I didn't say they looked new <g>

Speaks well of Milbars in any case.

While on the subject, lemme pass along a scold I got a few years back from a friend who maintains Guard C130's. I'd never thought about it, but he was right. After you lock the jaws, take a second to bend the free wire ends so they point away from you. They had a maintainer who popped a wire while pulling and twisting, and one of the free ends went through his eye.
 
Probably never happen again, but.....

Believe it or not, I actually wore out a pair of Milbars. They were used when I got them in 1972. After many years, they fit my hand so well, I didn't want to give them up. Bob Avery sent them back to the factory to see if they could be repaired. They said only one old employee even recognized them. They were worn beyond repair. Milbar sent me a new pair.
 
While on the subject, lemme pass along a scold I got a few years back from a friend who maintains Guard C130's. I'd never thought about it, but he was right. After you lock the jaws, take a second to bend the free wire ends so they point away from you. They had a maintainer who popped a wire while pulling and twisting, and one of the free ends went through his eye.[/QUOTE]

Couldn't agree more. they can be dangerous if not used with some precaution. By bending the loose ends forward, you also save your forearms from the inevitable scars:eek:
 
6" USA Milbar Reversible.

I broke one pair and Milbar replaced them no charge. Not cheap but IMHO, they are the best.

I more likely have had one pair of all the other types. Spent more money trying to find something better. Should have just purchased the Milbar in the first place.

I carry a CHEAP non-reversible set in my airplane.
 
Maybe it's my not having used fancy wire twisters, but I have gotten along just fine with fence wire twister pliers from a farm supply store. Not reversible, but they otherwise do the job just fine and you let go of the knob & it retracts. I think I paid $8 15 years ago. They look just like the spendy jobs. Not FAA approved, but you are building an experimental.:)
 
DaX said:
Ditto. Haven't been safety wiring for long, but I really like my Milbar pliers. I prefer the 6" length with diagonal tips - the 25W.
Click to expand...

At the risk of becoming one of those guys who says "me too!" on the internet... me too! (on the internet!!!1) Ever since I got my 25W's, I don't know how I got along without them. The reversing feature is what really makes them awesome - now I can twist the wire in the right direction so the loop doesn't want to jump up off the bolt head. It's hard to describe how awesome this is until you try it.

cheers,
mcb
 
Just as a note to the beginning 'wirers' out there, it helps to have someone with experience show you how. I understood the basics and did an adequate, if not pretty, job on the tanks and brakes. Then, when I went to Superior for the build school, I got shown the trick techniques. To get the wire tight to the fastener, you have to start the twist before attaching the pliers. Sometimes it is not possible to get a good start due to clearance and you may be tempted to over-twist the wire to tighten it. Bad! But I was shown a little 'wrist over' movement that has to be shown (I have no idea how to describe it in writing) that tightens the run at the fastener without over-tightening the rest of the run.

That wiki article cited earlier in the thread says to make the runs 'barely taut' but the wiring I learned from Superior (and have seen on items pre-wired, like the prop governor) fairly twangs while my earlier work would wiggle a little. Needless to say, I went back and re-did it afterwards.
 
flion said:
But I was shown a little 'wrist over' movement that has to be shown (I have no idea how to describe it in writing) that tightens the run at the fastener without over-tightening the rest of the run.


We call it an inverted outside roll with snaproll a the top ;)

Allen
Click to expand...
 
grip

Hello Everyone! I have a set of safetywire pliers, I have the large set(I forget the name but I'll look.... and they were expensive). There are times where I wish I had the small set as well. I'll buy them sooner or later. I have and use the reverse feature on my pliers often. I have the wavy grip(to grab the wire) on mine as well. It looks like an "s" when you look at it sideways. It provides a much better grip than the ones that are flat. Mine also have the red pencil eraser material in the cutter region to hold safety wire when I clip it. Spin, clip and pigtail without touching but 1/8 in away. I clip the wire right after I grip it with a set of dykes so when I twist the wire, I don't flail the wire everywhere and scratch everything in sight.
Best
Brian Wallis
 
Reversible? eh?

Before I buy a set, can someone explain to me why you would want to have a reversible set of pliers? Since all our screw and bolt threads are right hand rule, a right hand set of twisters makes sense to hold tension on a bolt/screw head.

But why a left hand twister? Left hand threaded bolts/nuts? If so, where on any plane is that?

(I know this is an old thread, but its better than recreating a new one.)

Thanks for any help.
 
You will need both left and right hand twists when wiring multiple bolts. The EAA has some good videos that demonstrates best practices and the need for both left and right hand twists.

I finally broke down and splurged for a 9" Milbar, no regrets
 
Am I the only one who finds his Milbar pliers to be almost unuseable because the jaw hinge point is so tight? I've wired everything on the airplane with them, and have used them for several years maintaining a couple of other airplanes, and they still require two hands to open the jaws. I'm thinking it's going to be my great grandson who finally wears them in far enough that the jaws open and close with just the finger pressure of one hand!
 
Canadian_JOY said:
Am I the only one who finds his Milbar pliers to be almost unuseable because the jaw hinge point is so tight? I've wired everything on the airplane with them, and have used them for several years maintaining a couple of other airplanes, and they still require two hands to open the jaws. I'm thinking it's going to be my great grandson who finally wears them in far enough that the jaws open and close with just the finger pressure of one hand!
Click to expand...

I don't mind that feature of my Milbar 25W pliers, but what I do mind greatly is the fact that after owning them less than 1 year the plastic follower mechanism stripped and now they don't twist at all. I bought them because of the great-sounding lifetime warranty, but I've spent a lot of time getting a bit of a run-around from the company, and a couple reps seemed to hint that upon inspection they may not replace them under warranty. Not impressed.

Meanwhile my hangar mate had a pair of TH3602BS pliers from a company called Bright Solutions, that I used when my Milbar's broke. It's clear these pliers have all metal parts inside and feel like they'll last forever. Way smoother and easier to operate than my Milbar's ever were. I promptly bought a pair. Available at Avery Tools here:

http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3602
 
Hey that's great! Thanks for the info on BS. Seems like Milbar had the corner on the market....maybe not so much.
 
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