Spring loaded Cleco Pliers

[Rockable]

I have a Taiwan made pair of Cleco pliers that I find hard to use in awkward places. While looking for a better quality set, I happened across these from Aircraft Tool Supply. They are spring loaded open, which seems like a good idea, so I ordered a pair. Anybody here using them? Anybody found what they consider to be a quality set of Cleco pliers? They all look the same when you start looking at them online.

CLECO PLIERS, SPRING LOADED from Aircraft Tool Supply

CLECO PLIERS, SPRING LOADED - The basic horizontal cleco pliers have been around for generations, has always required input from the user to open it further, which is inefficient and uncomfortable.

www.aircraft-tool.com

 

[gtae07]

Clecos have enough spring to them already, and I just use a funky grip to work them. But I'm past the point of using hundreds of them in my build.

I have two sets (because one is always across the shop when I need it) but no idea where I got them 12 years ago. I've found that having the handles further apart when fully closed helps for comfort.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Pliers | Aircraft Spruce Canada

Aircraft Spruce is the trusted source for aircraft parts, pilot supplies, and aviation equipment. Serving certified, experimental, and homebuilt aircraft worldwide.

www.aircraftspruce.ca

This is where I got my Cleco tools

 

[GeoBruin]

There's some amount of finesse required to seat a cleco properly in my pliers. If they're too wide open, the "head" of the cleco rests on the lip of the "dish" rather than right in the middle. To that end, I don't know if a spring that held them open would be that beneficial since I have to kind of hold them partially closed to get the cleco to seat properly.

Also, once I have one set in the pliers, I find I often set them down, cleco still in the jaws, while I'm aligning my part or whatever the case may be. It seems like a spring loaded set would cause the cleco to pop out when I set them down whereas my current set just stays put.

Maybe I'm overthinking it.

 

[AJHD]

I'm just the tool guy at work, not a tech. But we have those at work.

We usually order from Brown Tool or Yardstore, but I've seen Aircraft Spruce before.

Brown Aviation & Aircraft Tools

https://www.yardstore.com

 

[MarkH]

In Kansas, if in Kansas City Epsteins should be a must. If in Wichita visit the yardstore. The Yardstore has become more focused than previously but I seldom fail to find something we need. It keeps me busy while the wife is at the Asian store packing a couple boxes to send to her family in the Philippines. Both are nice to order from but visits are the real deal.

 

[RTM]

I've ordered from Yardstore. Quite happy with the online knowledge on their site.

 

[Rockable]

Well, I'm not sure the spring loaded part will be better but what was immediately apparent is the difference in the seat for the plunger. My old cleco pliers have a smooth dish shaped seat for the plunger. You had to always move it to the center of the seat or would get cocked. The new pliers have a seat that looks like it was made with a drill point and the plunger automatically finds center. If you look online, nobody shows you that seat. To me, that's an important difference. I may order a non spring loaded from the same people, Aircraft Tool Supply.

 

[gtae07]

The new pliers have a seat that looks like it was made with a drill point and the plunger automatically finds center. If you look online, nobody shows you that seat.

I thought they were all like that