Waterbury Eyelet Tool

[DELCOM]

Hi All

Does anyone have or know where I might find a squeezing tool for the waterbury eyelets that attach formers to a Champ. I have a new project plane and was wanting to keep it lightweigt by avoiding using nuts and bolts. Any help would be welcomed.

Del Chase

[GWestphal]

I bought some electrical eyelets from Home Depot but they lacked the engagement (LENGTH) that I needed so I made my own out of 1/4" copper tubing. Stick the end of the tube in your flaring tool and flare for the same as you would a piece of 1/4" aluminum or copper line. Cut off the other end approximately a half inch from the end of the flared end. Where you can reach with a squeeze riveting tool put a #10 or 3/16" male fitting in each end and squeeze.

The end with the flare won't move but the cut off end will now get a nice flare and compress down on the wood from both side of the metal retainer "U" fitting. Make up several lengths and practice on some wood scraps and a piece of .030" steel or aluminum U channel. For areas that you can't get to with your squeezer, I put one 3/16" flare fitting in a bar of steel and placed the other fitting also in a bar of steel and had a friend hold one fitting/bar up against the eyelet and hammered on the the bar/3/16" fitting till I had the new flare the way I needed it.

Hope this helps.............Gordy in Minnesota.