How To Use Wing-Nut Cleco Fasteners

Wing-Nut Cleco fasteners are used in many different industries, but most commonly in aviation and automotive work. They’re often utilized to temporarily hold together multiple sheets of material (such as aluminum or sheet metal) during the fitting process. Here’s a basic guide on how to use them:

Mark your material: Begin by marking the points on the material where you want the Cleco fasteners to be placed.

Drill the holes: Using a suitable drill bit, drill a hole at each marked point. Be careful not to enlarge the hole too much. The hole size should match the Cleco diameter.

Prepare the Cleco fastener: Wing-nut Cleco fasteners have a spring-loaded mechanism. You would typically use a Cleco pliers to open the fastener. However, with wing-nut Clecos, you open the fastener by simply twisting the wing nut counterclockwise. Do this until the jaws at the other end open up.

Insert the Cleco fastener: Place the opened Cleco fastener into the hole that you’ve drilled. Ensure that the Cleco’s jaws are on the underside of the material, gripping it from beneath.

Tighten the Cleco fastener: Now, you can tighten the wing nut clockwise until the Cleco is firmly in place. It should hold the material together securely, but without causing damage. Be careful not to overtighten.

Check the alignment: After the Cleco is in place, you can check to make sure that your material is aligned properly. If not, loosen the wing nut, adjust the materials, and then tighten the Cleco again.

Repeat for additional Clecos: If you’re using more than one Cleco fastener, repeat this process for each one.

Remember, Clecos are temporary fasteners, so once your permanent fasteners (like rivets or bolts) are in place, you can remove the Clecos. To do so, simply turn the wing nut counter-clockly until it’s loose enough to remove from the hole.

And that’s it! Using wing-nut Cleco fasteners can be a great way to ensure that your materials are perfectly aligned before you make any permanent attachments. Be sure to use the right size for your material and project to avoid any damage or inaccuracies.

Uses For Wing-Nut Cleco Fasteners

25 Specific Uses For Wing-Nut Cleco Fasteners

1. Aircraft assembly: Holding together aircraft panels during the riveting process.
2. Car restoration: Aligning sheet metal parts before welding or riveting in auto body work.
3. Boat building: Securing hull panels during assembly in both aluminum and wooden boats.
4. Motorcycle customization: Holding bodywork in place before permanent attachment.
5. Construction of metal buildings: Keeping sheets of metal aligned during assembly.
6. Ductwork assembly: Holding duct sections together before sealing.
7. Installation of metal roofing: Keeping roofing panels aligned before final fastening.
8. Sheet metal artwork: Holding together pieces during assembly.
9. Race car fabrication: Aligning panels during the fabrication process.
10. Building custom furniture: Keeping metal sections together during assembly.
11. Welding projects: Holding parts together before welding.
12. Installation of metal siding: Keeping panels aligned during installation.
13. HVAC installations: Securing pieces together during assembly.
14. Installation of metal doors: Keeping door panels aligned before final fastening.
15. Creating metal sculptures: Keeping parts aligned during assembly.
16. Building metal toolboxes: Keeping box sides aligned during assembly.
17. Installation of metal railings: Keeping railing parts aligned before welding or riveting.
18. Bicycle frame building: Holding tubes together during welding.
19. Custom trailer building: Holding panels and frames in place during construction.
20. Installation of metal shelving: Keeping shelves aligned during assembly.
21. Building metal greenhouses: Holding frame parts together during assembly.
22. Building metal gazebos: Keeping panels and frames aligned during assembly.
23. Building metal stairs: Keeping steps and risers aligned during assembly.
24. Metal gate fabrication: Holding gate parts together before final fastening.
25. Construction of metal bridges for models or miniatures: Keeping pieces aligned during assembly.