Aviation tools for knife making...

[Heikki]

So I was trying to figure out how I'm going to drill perpendicular holes in some antler today. I was going to make some kind of jig to hold the antler squared up for my drill press when I thought of some aviation tools I have that I could use (My day job is a sheet metal mechanic building helicopters).


Spring Cleco's and drill bushings. The cleco's are used to hold assemblies together for drilling, and come in #40, #30, #21, and #10 drill sizes (same as the bushings I have).




I just clamped it up, squared the bushing to the tang and used a hand drill to make the holes.


#21 cleco's worked well to hold it all in place.


Got me wondering what other aviation tools might translate to knife making.

 

[MTBob]

Very creative! Never heard of Cleco's, but after a brief lesson from the University of YouTube, I see how this is an awesome tool to have in the bag.

Will you use the Cleco's to hold both scales together when you finish the ends of the scales next to the Ricasso?
It would appear that this technique would not work on a full tang with a distal taper... right?

 

[Heikki]

Will you use the Cleco's to hold both scales together when you finish the ends of the scales next to the Ricasso?
It would appear that this technique would not work on a full tang with a distal taper... right?

I typically use pins to hold it all together while finishing the top of the scales. The clecos might not have the grip length. Everything would have to be perpendicular for the clecos to work right, so maybe they’d work on a tapered tang? Not sure on that one.

 

[KenH]

I had never heard of Cleco fasteners either. Doing some looking, watching the video on how they work I just might have to get a set of those (small set). Seems like they are one of those tools that once you have it, you'll find more uses than ever expected.

 

[Heikki]

You can get aviation tools at The Yard Store or Brown Tool. I see Amazon has some too now.

 

[bladegrinder]

Heikkila, since you build helicopters you might find this interesting.
this is carbon fiber that came out of the Boeing Vertol plant in Philadelphia, this is the first carbon fiber I had ever seen, at the time they were using it, it didn't even have an msds for it and was somewhat of a trade secret at the time.
it was eventually used in the Osprey helicopter rotors.
can't say how I got it other than it came out of a lunchbox in the early 80s.
I've got two sets of scales of this stuff.

 

[Owl]

I haven't used that type of cleco fastener, but I have been using these small clamps to hold patterns against a piece of steel stock for marking it out. They also make a small "C-clamp" style.

Metal Magery 1" Heavy Duty Side Grip Cleco Fasteners Clamp Set of 5 - - Amazon.com

Metal Magery 1" Heavy Duty Side Grip Cleco Fasteners Clamp Set of 5 - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

They hold really well with just 2 or 3 in place.
They can really pinch your finger too....or so I've been told...

 

[Heikki]

I haven't used that type of cleco fastener, but I have been using these small clamps to hold patterns against a piece of steel stock for marking it out. They also make a small "C-clamp" style.

Metal Magery 1" Heavy Duty Side Grip Cleco Fasteners Clamp Set of 5 - - Amazon.com

Metal Magery 1" Heavy Duty Side Grip Cleco Fasteners Clamp Set of 5 - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

They hold really well with just 2 or 3 in place.
They can really pinch your finger too....or so I've been told...

Yup, we use that style too. I need to get some for my toolbox at home.

 

[Heikki]

Here's another one. We use a lot of threaded drill bits at work for some of the different air drills. These also work really well for pins to hold things together. I like to use them when finishing the tops of my scales prior to glue up, as well as when I'm drilling the scales to the tang.

 

[Gliden07]

Cool idea! I have Clecos too! Used them for repair panels doing body work on cars!

 

[One Armed]

I just use pins... Corbys... bolts... whatever I have that’ll work, but Clecos are a good idea for some things. They are only for thin materials though. I don’t really do much in the sheet metal thickness range of projects.

 

[Heikki]

I just use pins... Corbys... bolts... whatever I have that’ll work, but Clecos are a good idea for some things. They are only for thin materials though. I don’t really do much in the sheet metal thickness range of projects.

I’ve actually got 1/2” grip clecos. Also thought about draw clecos too. They can hold even thicker material.