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Tip: Installing Adel Clamps Made Easy

N941WR

N941WR

Legacy Member
If you haven't installed an Adel clamp, you are in for one of the home builder's greatest challenges. That is, unless you follow this simple little tip.

I suspect others are doing this but I had never heard of it before and it worked out great.

Use some safety wire to draw the Adel clamp closed, making it a snap to install the bolt, washer and nut. Just remember to remove the wire before tightening the nut.

Click on this picture to see what I'm talking about.
 
I use this trick too, but have noticed that the safety wire can gouge the sides of the adel quite badly if you draw it all the way closed as pictured. Things that make the damage more severe seem to be:
- location of pigtail relative to clamp opening -- parallel to bolt direction makes it worse
- not compressing the clamp as much as you can by hand before tightening the wire

I don't know if it could cause a failure, but it could cut your hand at least. So I try to only tighten the wire as much as is needed to get a nut on, and I usually use longer cap-head screws to allow more wiggle room.

Also be careful for the wire breaking on you -- those clamps are strong!
 
I used nylon wire bundle lacing tape

I tied mine in the closed position with nylon wire bundle lacing tape but I agree that you need something to hold the clamp closed so you can focus on installing the fastener hardware.

Bob Axsom
 
Adel clamps

If you can't visualize the hundreds of times and places these will come in handy, then you have never worked under and behind an instrument panel. Maybe Doug can move this to "Tools"

 
flybill7 said:
You've convinced me. What are they called and where's a good place to get em?

... Bill
Click to expand...

Hemostats. Used by surgeons to keep things from bleeding all over the place during surgery. Also used by many pot-heads as a roach clip. Actually available from street vendors and hardware stores here in NYC.
 
gpiney said:
Hemostats. Used by surgeons to keep things from bleeding all over the place during surgery. Also used by many pot-heads as a roach clip. Actually available from street vendors and hardware stores here in NYC.
Click to expand...

Surgeons, pot-heads & fishermen. LOL. OK, thanks!

... Bill
 
Even Bettern Adel Clamp

I went over to David Richardson's hangar this weekend to see his progress and he showed me a big bag of used Adel Clamps that he had in a bag that he
bought used from Max Industries here in LA.

These Adel Clamps had a little locking toe on the front that would hold
the clamp closed. You close it all the way, the "toe" catches and it stays
closed. Very ingenious. So I did a little web search and found that there
is a similar product called Adelok. Do the google thing.

Link to Davids clamps...at the bottom of this page

http://rv-7.com/dailylogbydate.asp?id=360

I'm going to run over there today at lunch and get a few pounds.
 
Thanks for sharing that, Walter! Wish I knew about those when I was building my -7. I used the safety wire trick more times than I care to count.
 
Airshows

Usually someone at an airshow or car show in the "fly or flee market" sell used old surgical stuff.
 
also... just in the off chance that you end up getting stitches... when the er opens up the stitch kit... everything that they dont use they toss... just ask'm for the stuff... i have lots.... you can also get them through micro mark www.micromark.com, the yard, www.yardstore.com , i however haven't had to get them through a store yet.. got the scars to prove it.... i hate that band saw....
 
ADEL CLAMPS

OSHKOSH FLY MARKET.

Bought two for a buck each! Unfortunately, have to waite 7 + months! :-(

Wally Hunt
 
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