Squeezing #4 Rivets

[yankee-flyer]

I admit-- I'm almost 69 and had a desk job all my life and squeezing #4 rivets with Avery's hand squeezer is killing me. Looking at the fuselage (next week's task) there will be a LOT of them. I have a helper and we can buck rivets fine. The question for all you who've done the fuselage is-- are most of the rivets accesible for bucking? I really don't want to bite the bullet for a pneumatic squeezer unless I have to, and #3 rivets aren't a problem, But I don't know if I can hand squeeze a couple of hundred bigger rivets.

Thanks

Wayne
Emp kit done
Wing kit done

 

[zspivey]

Squeezing #4 rivets

You might want to try the Cleveland Main Squeeze. It provides more leverage. I am only a few years younger than you and have had a desk job since college. I found the Main Squeeze to be all I needed.

 

[Mich48041]

Main Squeeze

Wayne,
I have the Cleaveland Tool "Main Squeeze". It has a much better mechanical advantage that lets a small guy like me squeeze those 1/8" rivets. Economically, your best option is use what you have and get a helper if necessary to squeeze the rivets that can not be bucked.
Joe
http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SCH22

 

[FlyingArcher]

Get a Main Squeeze

Hi Wayne,

Maybe someone in your area can lend you a Cleaveland Main Squeeze or even better a pneumatic squeezer.

The Main Squeeze, while still manual, requires much less effort than all oher brands.
For my -9A construction, I have both the Main Squeeze and a pneumatic, but I use the pneumatic only for very repetitive squeezing tasks.

I understand you don't have that many rivets to squeeze in a -12 so it doesn't seem worth putting the extra money for a Main Squeeze compared to Avery's, but once you've tested both, you don't hesitate.

My 0.02 ?

 

[Geico266]

Wayne, I had a tough time with the -4's also as my wrists and hands are about worn out. I got a pneumatic squeezer and it made my rivets look much more uniform and it was much easier to use that a hand squeezer. Push a lever and that's it, perfect rivets every time.

They may look expensive, but you can sell if for about 75 -80% of what you paid for it after you are done. That is almost as cheap as a new hand squeezer.

JMHO.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

I have an inexpensive set of hand squeezers and found 1/8" diameter rivets tough to squeeze too. So made a pair of extensions that slipped over the handles on the squeezer. They added maybe 6" or 8" to the overall length of the handles and gave a lot more leverage.

The extensions were just pieces of steel pipe that had an inner diameter slightly larger than the outside of the round handles on the squeezer. Worked very well on a bunch of rivets. I think I used duct tape to keep the extensions from slipping off of the squeezer handles. In hindsight, a set screw would have worked well too.

 

[AltonD]

I. . . The question for all you who've done the fuselage is-- are most of the rivets accesible for bucking? . . .

I am not building a 12 but my thoughts are that if you can squeeze them, you can buck them.

One note, I am sure you are doing this but. . .
When you adjust the squeezer, with a fully mashed rivet, the two handles should be touching. If not, they will be much harder to squeeze and uniformity will vary.

 

[ARPENN]

Wayne,

No matter which squeezer you purchase, get a 1 1/2" yoke from Avery. Mounting holes are standard and interchangable with most brands of hand or pnuematic squeezers.You'll find many applications for this yoke. as an example, installing the nutplates around the triangular opening in the side skins where the 3" yoke will not fit. You can do most of your other squeezing and dimpling with it and use the 3" for those long reach situations. you will find it lighter and less tiring as well. It's also a good idea to have complete set of squeezing dies for reaching over flanges.

Art Pennanen

 

[gbumga]

What Cleveland told me

Hi, I also didn't like that much effort. I lost finese and layed a couple over and this was with the main squeeze. I called Cleveland and he said do the rivet in two sqeezes,half set then adjust for full set,don't wait to long though he warned[rivet hardening] do a bunch and then go back and finish them. I followed his directions and it works great. I had ordered a pnuematic in the mean time and having small hands that sucker is big and heavy. I'm going to get the foot control to help, so I can use most of my brain cells on rivet alignment instead of stupid juice[brute force]. I also have started working out,fast walking and the stretching stuff we used to do in HS jim class plus a little weight stuff 40#. Guys I feel so much better and actually have some strenght back, I think a 50 year old looked at me yesterday too! Gene

 

[MartySantic]

I also bought the Main Squeeze for the -4 rivets. It works just fine and YES, you have to make two passes. Set the rivet halfway, readjust it and then set the rivet to specification.

Found the Avery squeezer threaded rod would deform with the -4 rivets.

AND it s a very good idea to purchase the 1.5" yoke and the 3" yoke. It is so much easier to set the rivets with the 1.5" yoke and only resort to the 3" yoke when necessary. The Avery 1.5" and 3" yokes are interchangeable (Avery vs. Cleaveland MainSqueeze).