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Does anybody on the forum have a pneumatic rivet squeezer for sale before i buy new?
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It was my experience that cap strips with 5 rivets can not use pneumatic squeezer @ 90 psi.
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Even the MAIN SQUEEZE - MODEL 22 can not do AD5 capstrip rivets.
I have a pneumatic squeezer but it was not as useful as I was hoping. Pneumatic squeezer can do ad4 but there are cheaper hand tool squeezers that can do ad4
With great effort I was able to get a yoke that could reach cap strips, but it was just to heavy to easily use
https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blprojentry&proj=7XFn3SHmH&e=7XxEiA3xe&listcat=&s id=
I had to use a 4x gun with a C-frame.
This is how I did back riveting with a c frame
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If you do not have a rivet gun this method will work:
The 1/2 inch drill rod has what is called a monkey tool to protect it from hammer damage
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Even ad4 rivets on the rear spar need every bit of the wood handles.
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I should have started with this kind of rivet squeezer for ad4
For AD5 a 3x gun with a bucking bar will work.
Or, AD5 can be done with a 4x gun and a c-frame with back rivet set.
Or, AD5 can be done with a sledge hammer and a c-frame.
nose.jpgLast edited by sjt; 01-27-2023, 07:24 PM.Stan
Austin Tx -
There are squeezers and then there are SQUEEZERS. 20210612_173024.jpgComment
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I bought that squeezer at the Oshkosh flymart in 1998. -
It will set a -5 easily. Never tried anything bigger. It's a CP squeezer generally called a "deep throat" used mostly for skin riveting. Even configured as is, I had to turn the spar assembly end for end to get to the center rivets. The stand was an old disc sander pedestal I repurposed with a foot control.
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I have a Chicago Pnuematics 351 C frame that is awesome for the AD5 s. They are a bit pricey though, Yardstore has rebuilt for $2000. There are some knock offs out there as well. Haven't heard of it but I'd guess the CP214 knock offs in a tandem version would do them as well??? $800 new at Aircraft Tool Supply, might be worth some research time.Comment
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If I was going to start again with no pneumatic tools, I would get a good used Chicago Pneumatic 4X rivet gun with a swivel pressure regulator. It will shoot every rivet in the whole airplane. Do not get a 2X or 3X. As shown by Chewy and Stan, if your clever, you will find innovative ways to get the job done to aircraft quality standards.Comment
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Gerald is correct. The number one tool for someone with a helper is a rivet gun. It can be done with one person but you have to have a lot of practice.
Everything else - other then a rivet gun - is something that allows for professional results with less skill.
The cleavland main squeeze uses the common c-yokes that are also used on cp-214 3000lb squeezers. It is very expensive.
A less expensive hand squeezer with a 4 inch reach can be gotten from https://www.yardstore.com/ $170
The yardstore.com is where you should get rivet sets also.
I and many others here have a pneumatic squeezer. Speaking for myself, I just want one of everything. (I would be to embarrassed to say how many rivet guns I have.)
I had to go to great effort to get it to be of any use on the main spar.
I had to make my own yoke. The commercial yoke does not work for the main spar.
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The custom yoke shape is needed clear the spar flange.
Even if you use the squeezer thru a hole on the inside, by the time you attach the rivet sets you will not be able to get around a rivet that has yet to be squeezed.
The custom yoke is very heavy.
yokes.jpgLast edited by sjt; 01-28-2023, 03:14 PM.Stan
Austin TxComment
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FWIW, I bought a US Tool US114CC high-output squeezer and used it for pretty much all my riveting that I could reach with the yoke. I did buy what is called a longeron yoke for getting around lips (used it a LOT) and a deeper throat yoke. Between the three yokes it has done very well for me. I do have an alligator squeezer that I bought at the beginning, but I have never used it..
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Well, this thread has gone sideways.
I was making a straw man argument for using cheaper tools.
Sure, everyone in this thread went and got a rivet squeezer.
sjt (stan ) got one
marcusofcotton got one
alaskabearhawk got two
And, I do not even know what that thing geraldmorrissey has is.
In my defense I have a disease that if I see another builder has something then I want one.
After building for some time it seems that a rivet gun would be the go to tool.
I admit that I could not have used a rivet gun in the beginning. I would like to think that I could do it now.
I also have to admit that I have my eye on a new and improved squeezer:
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For another $150 I could get a longeron yoke too.
Stan
Austin TxComment
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p.s.
In regards to Augman40's original question:
No builder will ever let go of his pneumatic squeezer. I do not know if that means something.
What the aviation community really needs is half and quarter size rivets in all diameters.Last edited by sjt; 01-28-2023, 07:06 PM.Stan
Austin TxComment
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For the squeezer: There is a ton of dimpling to do even on the quick-build kit. Granted, I went unnecessarily close on spacing the screws on access panels, but I’ve got well over 400 nutplates on the plane. That’s a lot of CS screws, and I pressed the rivets holding the nutplates with a squeezer. Then there are flush-rivets used in finishing various sheet metal parts of the plane, so dimpling is required to finish the kit. I don’t see how you can do this without a squeezer of some kind.
One pneumatic squeezer negative: I’ve twice poked a hole next to the intended spot with my pneumatic squeezer. It’s just so easy, so be careful. I suspect a hand squeezer would not be as prone to this risk and I doubt you could would crush your finger with it, a risk I find real and horrifying with my pneumatic unit.Comment
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