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Advice on using Cleco/Cleko fasteners
JAG - 4/3/20 at 01:18 PM

I'm making some new Aluminium panels and I want to temporarily fix the panel in place while I make something else that has to butt up to the panel.

I've bought some Cleco/Cleko type fasteners from eBay. Has anyone else used them? What do you think of them?

The set I've bought has no Cleco/Cleko Pliers - do I need some?

Will I be able to fix and un-fix the fasteners without the Pliers?

number-1 - 4/3/20 at 01:42 PM

I have only ever seen them used with the pliers. They work a treat.

trialsman - 4/3/20 at 02:41 PM

Get the pliers. You won't regret it. You could fab something up but....... You can put the cleco in and pull it out multiple times and still have a good hole to put the pop rivet in. Clecos and the pliers last forever. Russ

theconrodkid - 4/3/20 at 04:35 PM

it,s what they build aircraft with so cant be that bad

big_wasa - 4/3/20 at 04:54 PM

Once you have them you won’t do panels with out them again.

[Edited on 4/3/20 by big_wasa]

jacko - 4/3/20 at 05:09 PM

I use them most days at work but the ones I have have a nut you twist to tighten and untighten no pliers there great on aluminium
Graham

jps - 4/3/20 at 06:24 PM

I bought clecos and pliers from LAS Aerospace https://www.lasaero.com. Very useful to keep a panel aligned when drilling rivet holes.

Slimy38 - 4/3/20 at 06:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jacko
I use them most days at work but the ones I have have a nut you twist to tighten and untighten no pliers there great on aluminium
Graham


Same here, they were a similar price to the pliers type but I didn't have to buy the pliers. The only thing I regret is not getting enough!!

The other issue is that there is a plastic face to them, which is great to not mark the aluminium. But welding (and even grinding) nearby causes them to melt slightly. I'm fairly sure the Cleco's are all metal and would be ok with a heat source nearby.

Mr Whippy - 5/3/20 at 08:04 AM

Have to admit I regret not buying them many years ago after seeing how much swarf drops out when I take the panels off... also lets you paint the holes before finally installing the rivets, great tools

JAG - 5/3/20 at 09:17 AM

Thanks for the replies and all the advice; I really appreciate it.

I ordered the Pliers to go with the Cleco's last night

Bluemoon - 5/3/20 at 11:51 AM

Tend not to use Celcos, skin pins with Kerneld nuts are much cheaper... (about £1 each!)...

tims31 - 7/3/20 at 02:43 PM

Skinpins for me too, again used to using when doing panels on aircraft.

You can get them from here and not too expensive.
They also do the Cleco but I could nevr get used to those after using skin pins, the skin pins hold much firmer



[Edited on 7/3/20 by tims31]

[Edited on 7/3/20 by tims31]

mcerd1 - 7/3/20 at 03:35 PM

I've got a mixture of skin pins and cleco's - both have uses

Personally I like the firm grip you get with the skin pins - so I'll use these at the key points / corners...
but cleco's (with the special pliers) are so fast and easy to fit/remove they are great for less critical bits like in-between the skin pins on long edges etc...
thats what I did for this lot (although for some reason I only took pic's with the rivets in afterwards) every rivet just dropped in as easy as the first one
compulsory floor panel pic
compulsory floor panel pic

Saying that the cleco's alone still hold panels pretty well - so the skin pins are defiantly not required


these things make it even easier too, perfect spacing with almost no measuring (defiantly not required, but great if your lazy like me)
my new favourite tool
my new favourite tool



[Edited on 7/3/2020 by mcerd1]