Clekos (again) in NZ

[IBob]

I am about to begin fastening bits together, the box says Savannah S, so I am hopeful the end result will resemble that. I am looking for Clekos:

 

Copper 1/8" 100+

 

Black 5/32" 50+

 

Silver 3/32" 50+

 

Also a pair of Cleco pliers.

 

If anyone in NZ has Clekos they are willing to sell, please contact me.

 

 

[Nobody]

you can never have enough clekos. If you cant get them locally I have bought them from here before and the shipping wasn't too bad.

 

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/1_8-Wedge-Loc-Fastner-100_bag/productinfo/CL18-100/#.VkU2PnYrK70

 

 

[IBob]

Thank you for that. Yes, I have the feeling the more clekos, the better some of this will go. And certainly a number of the pics here show what appear to be cleko hedgehogs with bits of aeroplane inside.

 

There must be idle clekos here in NZ...but it looks as though i'll be ordering new, as you suggest. Did you have to set up an account with them, or was it a simple one-off transaction?

 

 

[Nobody]

No need for an account. Perhaps email them to confirm international shipping rates as their web site didn't seem to calculate that correctly.

 

 

[rankamateur]

100 copper ones won't go far on a wing or the rear fuselage. Best to get it all clecoed before your start riveting so everything can align properly and you don't end up with tension that you have to absorb in just a small area of the assembly

 

 

[rankamateur]

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Clecall-Lightweight-Cleko-Pliers/productinfo/CLP75/#.VkWz5Mvot1M

 

Note : ** NOTE: These do not work with extended grip 'clekos' or with 'cleko clamps'.

 

Cleco pliers don't work with cleko clamps

 

 

[IBob]

Thanks for that. So, can you give a suggestion as to how many of each size?

 

And are you saying that the above pliers are good, apart from them not working extended & clamps?

 

And does that suggest I will also need extended & clamps?

 

 

[rankamateur]

I used about 400 copper, 132 black a few more would have been handy and just enough silver to do every fourth hole in one wing trailing edge. I borrowed not bought them though. The ones in the kit are just enough to tease to tease you into starting and just enough to get you into trouble if you go any further than the fin. Certainly don't progress to the rudder.

 

 

[IBob]

Thanks. Will get local VG to count his trailing edge, and get an order together. I had hoped to be able to beg/borrow/buy here, but they seem to be very thin on the ground in this part of the world.

 

 

[rankamateur]

When you get the fuselage or a wing done in every fourth hole it will need supporting to stop the clecos from denting the sheet on the bottom. Don't lean too hard on it as you work. Wrap timber in bubble wrap making the bundle deeper than the cleco and put one under each end right next to a row of clecos and get help to urn it over as you rivet it off.

 

 

[IBob]

This is good info: I see the bubble wrap in some of the pics here, but had thought it was anti-scuff. I can see now how it would support the metal while allowing clearance for the clekos.

 

There is an old adage "spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar". I'm old enough to know what that means, and have revised my cleko quantities after listening here.

 

I will also start a thread in the Savannah section once I finally get rolling.

 

Thanks, all.

 

Bob

 

 

[Litespeed]

When it comes to Cleco's, it is a bit like having fuel on the ground, useless.

 

YOU can never have too many cleco's, the more the better the alignment and easier the job gets.

 

I also like the clamps- very useful.

 

Also get many sets of the pliers, two is just a start. Especially as you will need a helper with some parts.

 

Get as many as you can afford - a few hundred extra spent on the tools can make a big difference. They will last a lifetime of builds and you can always rent/borrow them out later.

 

Do you have a good rivet gun and rivet sets for the solids?

 

Do you have a hand rivet setter for solids?

 

Do you have dimple sets for flush if needed?

 

Do you have a pop rivet gun running on air?

 

I once did about 1000 rivets by hand- never again.

 

The better the tools available the better the end result can be, faster and with low fatigue/boredom/pain for the builder.

 

Every single rivet should be perfect, practice and the right tools makes this easier. Every bad rivet is a chance to wreck the job when replacing it. And aircraft rivets are expensive as well.

 

It is in my view a case of " tools maketh the man and man maketh the aircraft"

 

 

[eightyknots]

...

I will also start a thread in the Savannah section once I finally get rolling.

 

...

 

 

[IBob]

I used about 400 copper, 132 black a few more would have been handy and just enough silver to do every fourth hole in one wing trailing edge. I borrowed not bought them though. The ones in the kit are just enough to tease to tease you into starting and just enough to get you into trouble if you go any further than the fin. Certainly don't progress to the rudder.

Survived Christmas, finally about to order.

 

Just to clarify:

 

The clekos that come with the Savannah kit are marked "CLEKOLOC USA"

 

The clekos at Cleaveland Aircraft Tool are referred to as "Wedge Loc", cleko Type

 

Is this two different brands, and if so are there any important differences between the products?

 

Thanks

 

Bob

 

 

[rankamateur]

Not important for a single build. Old Clekoloc ones seem stronger in the spring than old wedge loc ones.

 

 

[IBob]

Not important for a single build. Old Clekoloc ones seem stronger in the spring than old wedge loc ones.

Thanks for that.

B