Good to have Aviation tools

[P51Boilermaker]

OK A&P's, what are your favorite tools? Now, I don't mean the basics (aka sockets, ratchets), I mean less common tools.

Like: alignment bullets, adel clamp vice grips, hemostats, 4 way angle wrenches (30 60 degree wrenches)

What are things that make working on airplanes easier?

 

[beast30]

90 degree drill, brass punches, Teflon punches adel clamp vice grips, pin and socket adapters for your multimeter, 30 degree offset box wrenches. And my favorite (3m sr cutters) for cutting pro seal......way better then using phenolic scrapers. Another thing I've started to do is buy 5-6 harbor freight 90 degree air grinders and chuck different attachments into each one so that I don't have to keep changing bits for each job. just reach into my box and bam ready to go. I also have a full set on gearwreches and another full set of gearwrenches that have the sides ground down so you can get into tight spots that the normal wrenches wont allow. Torque adapters is another one...obviously used for torqueing items but can be used in tight spots where a normal wrench can't be used.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

90 degree drill attachment is a must. I'm also looking at getting a pancake drill attachment. I'll have to look at the 3m cutters you mentioned. Good stuff!

 

[Warrenator]

Solvent sprayer.... probably not so environmentally smiled upon these days, but we used to spray down the engines with a spray wand hooked up to the air compressor and a gallon can of stoddard solvent (mineral spirits.) Sure is nicer working on a clean engine. Big drip pan underneath, of course.

 

[espyking83]

Long reach wire twisters (Milbar 13W)
ATP MG 1300 zip tie cutters
Hanson extractor set
Makita screw gun (if allowed)
Bojo scraper set/sealant smoothing kit


Those adel pliers look pretty cool, Ive been using the Grip On 6" needle nose locking pliers lately.

 

[ZRX61]

A selection of AN bolts that have been taper machined in a lathe so the threads are gone & the end is rounded off for use in aligning ****.

Thin wrenches.

A large mallet for administering attitude adjustments to idiot engineers (like the clueless **** who came up the mounting flange design for prop governors on RR Merlins ferinstance). Can also be used on Pilots who show up at 5pm on Fridays.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

A large mallet for administering attitude adjustments to idiot engineers (like the clueless **** who came up the mounting flange design for prop governors on RR Merlins ferinstance). Can also be used on Pilots who show up at 5pm on Fridays.

This I like. haha I'll have to make some alignment bullets out of old AN bolts on the lathe. Good idea.

Zip tie cutters I'll have to look at. Hanson screw extractors definitely come in handy, saved my tail before.

 

[Rickster]

Do you guys need to have non-chrome tools??

 

[Marv's Shop]

A screw knocker with a 4X rivet gun has got me out of a jam a few times. Works great on rounded out screws or screws filled with paint. Multiple times I was sure I was gonna have to drill out the screw but was able to get it out with the knocker. Takes some trial and error to get proper usage down but once you got it your golden.

http://www.yardstore.com/browse.cfm/4,3701.html

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Solvent sprayer.... probably not so environmentally smiled upon these days, but we used to spray down the engines with a spray wand hooked up to the air compressor and a gallon can of stoddard solvent (mineral spirits.) Sure is nicer working on a clean engine. Big drip pan underneath, of course.

Have you seen or tried the Milwaukee Sure Shot Sprayer? First time I saw it was a Prevost Jacksonville. They had brake clean/solvent in a 55 gallon drum!

http://www.sureshotsprayer.com/

Be careful not to get the less expensive imitations. Only the Milwaukee Sure Shot uses special seals and material that resist corrosion, break down, and leaking.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

Do you guys need to have non-chrome tools??

No, we can use chromed tools. Just have to make sure they're all back in your toolbox when you're done (and all the pieces if you break it). Forgotten tools in airplanes = a mishap/crash

 

[Bronson]

A selection of AN bolts that have been taper machined in a lathe so the threads are gone & the end is rounded off for use in aligning ****.

Thin wrenches.

A large mallet for administering attitude adjustments to idiot engineers (like the clueless **** who came up the mounting flange design for prop governors on RR Merlins ferinstance). Can also be used on Pilots who show up at 5pm on Fridays.

Winner!

 

[Bagherra]

Torque adapters!!

 

[Jbizzle]

How bout this? Sealant mixer. Also in the drawer are turnbuckle chains and a wire spoon.

 

[Cypherian]

Microstop Counter Sink With Std Pilot bits, Johnson Bar ( Make Your Own with mods CHEAPER) http://www.browntool.com/Default.aspx?tabid=344&ProductID=1719 , Blade chisel made from these http://www.starrett.com/saws/saws-h...ades/power-hacksaw-blades/redstripe-solid-hss you can also make a skin knife / Chip Chaser from them. A large selection of clecos both spring and draw clecos. Double cut oval rotary file for when you strip out the head of a screw and do not want to break a drill bit. Grind out the left over slots then drill and easy out.

Cypher

 

[Wamsutta]

Snap-on F4LBK + FP22E

 

[jdpflyer]

Not really a tool, but a dab of valve grinding compound on a screwdriver tip has helped to grip many worn screws for me.

 

[Air21]

Make your own Johnson bar with mods?

 

[Cypherian]

At work I linked one to get the idea , we used to make them out of bar stock alum and a 3/8's 4 inch extension , a bolt with 4 cap nuts drilled to accept #6,8,10,8 screw to attach to the panel and a short piece of pipe that slides out to give you leverage. I actually spoke to the guy who patented them after he got out of the Air Force because we had to get rid of all of our fabricated ones and buy the ones he made since we were " Infringing On His Patent" apparently USAF never thought to have it patented it was in our T.O's LOL. Oh and for mods make it with a 2 inch 3/8s extension so you can get it in tight spaces etc. Unless he has changed his patent you can change it up enough .

Cypher

 

[Jbizzle]

In my opinion Johnson Bar's are pretty worthless. Does anyone outside of the Air Force honestly use them? That is the only place I have ever seen them. A left handed drill bit will take out 90% of stripped screws. I honestly use a cheap set of Craftsman screw extractors. The kind that you drill into the screw left handed, then flip the bit that has a spiral easy out on the other end.

 

[zeke markham]

Really depends on what kind of aircraft you work on and what kind of maintenance you do. 727s are a different breed than 787s or anything GA. Working on commercial planes get your own laptop or tablet to access tech data. My tablet is so much faster and easier to use than the company provided computers. I can even download and analyze fault history with it.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

Not really a tool, but a dab of valve grinding compound on a screwdriver tip has helped to grip many worn screws for me.

Valve grinding compound is a must in any toolbox. I've also used EZ Grip which is basically the same stuff.

Really depends on what kind of aircraft you work on and what kind of maintenance you do. 727s are a different breed than 787s or anything GA. Working on commercial planes get your own laptop or tablet to access tech data. My tablet is so much faster and easier to use than the company provided computers. I can even download and analyze fault history with it.

Absolutely right. Composite aircraft and ones with high tech avionics require newer stuff. A tablet for maintenance manual stuff is a great idea for anyone.

 

[Paycheck]

A bucket of prop wash and a few yards of flight line were invaluable in my day ;-)
Then I became the pilot that always shows up at 1700 on a Friday :-0

Nobody said safety wire pliers?

 

[Alchymist]

Haven't worked on an aircraft in ages, and when I did it wasn't sheet metal, but I find these handy:

 

[P51Boilermaker]

A bucket of prop wash and a few yards of flight line were invaluable in my day ;-)
Then I became the pilot that always shows up at 1700 on a Friday :-0

Nobody said safety wire pliers?

I think safety wire pliers fall under the required tool list. Every A&P has safety wire pliers in their toolbox. I was looking more for uncommon tools that make wrenching a lot easier.

 

[Cypherian]

In my opinion Johnson Bar's are pretty worthless. Does anyone outside of the Air Force honestly use them? That is the only place I have ever seen them. A left handed drill bit will take out 90% of stripped screws. I honestly use a cheap set of Craftsman screw extractors. The kind that you drill into the screw left handed, then flip the bit that has a spiral easy out on the other end.

Let me know how that works out when you have to remove several hundred screws from panels after an over G been there done that worked aircraft for a total of 23 years as a structural repair specialist. The biggest job we did was in Italy , Aviano three shifts 1 guy per shift 1400 screws removed. We used easy outs, screw chisel , lathe bit and yep J bar. So do they have a use it is all dependent on air frame type and size and how fast does it have to be done etc.

Cypher

 

[P51Boilermaker]

Let me know how that works out when you have to remove several hundred screws from panels after an over G been there done that worked aircraft for a total of 23 years as a structural repair specialist. The biggest job we did was in Italy , Aviano three shifts 1 guy per shift 1400 screws removed. We used easy outs, screw chisel , lathe bit and yep J bar. So do they have a use it is all dependent on air frame type and size and how fast does it have to be done etc.

Cypher

Johnson Bars are definitely helpful. I've used them for sump plates on fuel cells. Never understood why they didn't put hex bolts in there..

 

[knobby]

556 Schrader valve fitting invaluable for tuning suspension or any application involving low volume air/nitrogen with a schrader valve
https://www.schraderinternational.c... America/High_Pressure_Valves_Connectors.ashx

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

You aviation mechanics get respect from me. I work on golf course equipment for a living. If something breaks, big deal, I'll fix it out in the field or tow back to the shop. If I worked on airplanes I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'd be afraid I overlooked something, left a tool somewhere, or just plain old fucked something up.

 

[ruffryder]

You aviation mechanics get respect from me. I work on golf course equipment for a living. If something breaks, big deal, I'll fix it out in the field or tow back to the shop. If I worked on airplanes I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'd be afraid I overlooked something, left a tool somewhere, or just plain old fucked something up.

I imagine this is where checklists play a huge part in consistency and responsibility.

 

[zeke markham]

I think safety wire pliers fall under the required tool list. Every A&P has safety wire pliers in their toolbox. I was looking more for uncommon tools that make wrenching a lot easier.

Along this line- zip tie gun. I can't count the times I've been cut up by or had to replace wires because of improperly installed zip ties. You can find really nice ones all day long on eBay for $50.00.

 

[dledmo]

A bucket of prop wash and a few yards of flight line were invaluable in my day ;-)
Then I became the pilot that always shows up at 1700 on a Friday :-0

Nobody said safety wire pliers?

Ahhh, prop wash, got to love the classics. Sometimes prop wash got stocked next to the bin stretcher.

 

[ZRX61]

J bars were invented right around the same nano-second as some chump tried to removed the first Tri-Wing...

 

[Provincial]

If you are going to work on field repairs in Alaska, here a few tools we needed at times:

Claw hammer, 6d sinkers, and 2x4 #2 or better Douglas Fir. A razor knife to cut the corrugated cardboard and duct tape for aerodynamics.
A large, hard rock with a fairly smooth, slightly concave surface for doing "body work."
Ribbed, steel roofing material, corrugated is preferred.
A bucket tooth makes an acceptable bucking bar. Weight determined by the rivet size. Something between a backhoe and a 100,000 lb. excavator.
Coins, preferably real copper pennies, to trim down to plug leaking hydraulic or fuel lines at the flared fitting.

Fix it right when you get back to civilization.

 

[Schurkey]

What is the difference between a rivet gun and an automotive-style air hammer?

Dear Old Dad gave me what I thought was an air hammer; I found out later--after I couldn't make it work--that it was an aircraft "rivet gun". I'm thinking that the shanks are longer for the rivet gun, my standard .401 air hammer tools don't seem to fit properly.

To this day, I don't know if it was defective or if it just works differently from an air hammer.

 

[Provincial]

The .401 shank is standard on both the air hammer and rivet gun. It should fit properly. I have used rivet sets on air hammers and air hammer chisels on rivet sets with no problems.

Most rivet guns (especially older ones) are slower than an air hammer, a rating in beats-per-minute. Bang, bang, bang, bang, versus Brrrrrrrrrrrrr. This is so the operator could control the swell of the formed rivet head better.

 

[DSLTRK]

Haven't worked on an aircraft in ages, and when I did it wasn't sheet metal, but I find these handy:

I think that's what the op meant by alignment bullets. I'd agree, Clecos are must haves. I guess if you need clecos, you'd also need a good variety of rivet sets.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

You aviation mechanics get respect from me. I work on golf course equipment for a living. If something breaks, big deal, I'll fix it out in the field or tow back to the shop. If I worked on airplanes I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'd be afraid I overlooked something, left a tool somewhere, or just plain old fucked something up.

Yeah, integrity is important for aviation mechs. Best to own up if you screwed something up than try to cover it up and kill somebody. If you're not sure ASK! Otherwise, follow the steps and get it looked at by someone else.

 

[ZRX61]

Yeah, integrity is important for aviation mechs. Best to own up if you screwed something up than try to cover it up and kill somebody. If you're not sure ASK! Otherwise, follow the steps and get it looked at by someone else.

Or make sure some other chump signed it off

 

[Provincial]

One time I was doing a 100-hr. inspection on a Grumman Goose and the owner (who was also the pilot) was hovering over us in a big hurry to take it on a charter. He jumped in and fired it up as we were putting away our tools. I couldn't find one screwdriver, and told him to wait until I found it. He refused, and took off. When he returned, we found the screwdriver jammed in the landing gear and it had sliced part way through the main gear tire. He was upset that it cost him a tire, but did admit that he should have waited.

I always inventory my tools after working on a plane.

I had a friend who did the final flight line inspections on 747's at the Boeing factory in the 1970's. One time while getting a wrench from his toolbox, I noticed that he had about 50 3/8"x7/16" double box end wrenches. I asked him why he had so many, and he replied that he had found them all in the new airplanes. He said that he could guarantee finding at least one in each plane!