What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

CHEAP cleco caps.

Roarks

Active Member
Okay... so I drank the koolaid on cleco caps. Unfortunately they are A: My preferred vendor has them no longer available, and B: the others are almost half the cost of a cleco itself... There had to be a way. Here it is.

McMaster.com part number: 9753K16 $4.33 for 100 caps as of this post.
Amazon leather punch ASIN: B07D28DBC6 $6.63

How to make:
Urrthlbl.jpg


It took maybe 20 or so to get the hang of it. Put it over the punch, make it concentric with the brass stopper opposite the punch with your fingers. squeeze. Mine doesnt cut all the way through, but if ya pinch it, it pops up and you can peel it out.
I just got finished doing all my K-1/8" K-5/32" and K-3/16". The punch pretty much has every size ya need.

Finished product:
DwCePfQl.jpg


EFY1l0nl.jpg


So for about $30 total I've been able to outfit 400 clecos.
 
Last edited:
Brilliant!

Great stuff - I always wondered why those things were so expensive. Excellent idea!
 
Thank you

At the price charged elsewhere, I always figured that I didn't need them - now, thanks to you, I can. I appreciate your helpful tip. Thanks again, Ed:cool:
 
Home-made punch

I made a punch from a scrap length ( apx. six inches) of 1/4 inch copper tubing. Overlaid it with a shorter length (apx. five inches) of 3/8 inch copper tubing for stiffness and a simple handle. Sharpened the outside diameter of the 1/4 inch tubing with light touches of the grinder. It’s very important to ream the id with the reamer tool of a tubing cutter to get a sharp cutting edge.

If I had steel tubing it would work better.

But with some practice, and by tapping it with a plastic mallet onto a scrap of wood, nice clean cuts can be made all the way through the dome of the rubber cap.

Disadvantage of using copper is the necessity to frequently ream the tubing to maintain a sharp edge.
YMMV.

:)

Admittedly, the punch from Amazon will probably work better, especially with the various sizes. This is presented as an alternate method. I thought about it in the shower last week after becoming unhappy with the awl method.
 
Last edited:
Punch

I have that punch from amazon, and I find it works pretty good if you squeeze, then give it a little spin left and right instead of just squeezing hard and trying to punch through. Maybe that technique will make a clean hole without you having to pick out the center?
 
Thanks for the tip. Just bought 500 from McMaster Carr. Last ones were $35 plus tax from yard store for 100 caps. McMaster Carr $38 shipped with tax for 500
 
Great technique if your intent is to have a polished airplane IMO. I’m sure it will look great.
 
Great technique if your intent is to have a polished airplane IMO. I’m sure it will look great.

Not for me….painted….I have noticed the sharp edge on the hole in the clecos do mar the work up a bit and worst was on a “stuck” cleco that decided to let go and spring into the skin quite hard when it unstuck itself. I have a few clecos like that I have worked and oiled….USA made kwik lok clecos. Can scotchbrite out before dimpling however on the outside of the skins I’m not scotchbriting so the marring is there when dimpled….I tried a few of these and no marks at all so worth it for me.
 
I used a simple gasket hole punch tool. The body of it fits quite well in the cap…one smack on a block of wood. Hardest part is getting it over the barrel but they come out well and darn cheap. 100 down….400 to go.
 

Attachments

  • 695D1E00-EC20-4819-B5E0-C69B60C97452.jpeg
    695D1E00-EC20-4819-B5E0-C69B60C97452.jpeg
    773.1 KB · Views: 102
I put masking tape across the line of holes that need clecos. Only the ones I'm worried about getting that small cleco scuff.

Ocassionally I do get some masking tape in the hole that needs cleaning out. Slide an under size drill bit through the hole with my fingers and the tape is gone.
 
Back
Top