Safety Wire Pliers

[MrShoeBoy]

Discuss safety wire and safety wire pliers. Available tools, wire material, and using a tool VS doing it by hand.

The tool options I have seen so far...

-6" or 9" long safety wire pliers?

-Auto return or manual?

-Standard, tapered, or diagonal nose?

-What material works best for ring gear bolts?

-what SIZE material for ring gear bolts? .020, .032, .040 or .041?

-Is one brand better than another? Typically I have found you get what you pay for. Is this true for this as well (materal and the tool)?

Found this which explains how to safety wire fasteners... Anything anybody wants to add? http://www.whizwheels.com/Tips/safetywiring.html

I am currently building a Ford 9" and spent the cash on a Strange case, Strange 35 spline spool, Precision gears, Daytona pinion support, and 1350 yoke and dont want to skimp on the bolts since I had the ring gear bolts loosen up twice on my old axle.

Thanks!

AARON

[Straight8]

Get all your safety wire supplies at aircraft tool supply. good stuff good price.

[BumpyDodge]

Milbar makes the best ones. 9" unless you work with .020" wire (electrical/canon plugs). I'm not an avionics guy, so I usually do .020" by hand.

I prefer manual return. YMMV

Diagonal nose - debur them with a roloc wheel before use.

.032" 316SS covers 90% of aircraft fasteners. .040" for some heavy duty stuff.

8 twists per inch is about right for .032". (most online sources say 7-9, FAA says 6-8).

Do your pigtails by hand - left hand twist is preferred on the pigtail because it keeps the wire from slipping over the bolt head

It's all technique, there's an art to snugging the wire. I cannot explain the trick to it in text. If you've got good technique you can make perfect textbook safeties "by hand" - no safety wire pliers required. Have an A&P mechanic teach you how to do it in person.

- FAA licensed A&P mechanic since '93.

Read starting 7-122 (http://rgl.faa.gov/REGULATORY_AND_GUIDANCE_LIBRARY/RGADVISORYCIRCULAR.NSF/0/99c827db9baac81b86256b4500596c4e/$FILE/Chapter%2007.pdf)

[fj40guy]

MILBAR 9" DIAGONAL NOSE SAFETY WIRE TWISTERS

http://www.averytools.com/p-209-milbar-9-diagonal-nose-safety-wire-twisters.aspx

If you are working in tight areas, the 6" are nicer.

I have "tiger wave" (non nicking jaws) style, the rubber cushion on the cut off is a nice touch to you don't have flying piece of wire as you trim the end. Looks like Milbar has discontinued that style. Cheap import have jaws with sharp teeth, which nick and break the wire. Toss 'em into a trash can, or let your brother borrowed 'em.

If the bolts are pre drilled, then the wire matches the size of the hole in the bolt... 040 or 041 are usually on prop bolts, rest of the plane is 0.020 (up to 3/16" bolt) and 0.032 on 1/4" and up (need to look, but that is my guess on the safety wire).

If you'd had pinion bolts loosen up, look into ARP ring and pinion studs/nuts.

[FrkyMnky1487]

MILBAR 9" DIAGONAL NOSE SAFETY WIRE TWISTERS

http://www.averytools.com/p-209-milbar-9-diagonal-nose-safety-wire-twisters.aspx

If you are working in tight areas, the 6" are nicer.

I have "tiger wave" (non nicking jaws) style, the rubber cushion on the cut off is a nice touch to you don't have flying piece of wire as you trim the end. Looks like Milbar has discontinued that style. Cheap import have jaws with sharp teeth, which nick and break the wire. Toss 'em into a trash can, or let your brother borrowed 'em.

If the bolts are pre drilled, then the wire matches the size of the hole in the bolt... 040 or 041 are usually on prop bolts, rest of the plane is 0.020 (up to 3/16" bolt) and 0.032 on 1/4" and up (need to look, but that is my guess on the safety wire).

If you'd had pinion bolts loosen up, look into ARP ring and pinion studs/nuts.

+1000 on the tiger wave. I bought a pair of those after my cheapies fell apart to re-wire my bike and the difference is more than worth the extra $60.

[fj40guy]

Bumpy... good stuff. Why am I thinking the screws up to AN3 are 0.020 wire?

Good tip on doing a LH twist on the pig tail. Hadn't thought of that.

I'm the worlds slowest "EAA homebuilder". At least I've gotten all my 4130 and Aluminum sheet prior to these 50% price jumps in the last year. Ouch!

[MrShoeBoy]

Thanks for the replies guys. Now I just need to decide what I want to buy :D Will the $25-$45 tools work good enough for me to wire up my spool, or should I spend the $80 for a Milbar pair? This is the only job I have planned that uses safety wire. Not sure where else I will use it since I dont work on air planes for a living.

So would .032 Type 302 stainless safety wire be best for ring gear bolts?

AARON

[nissancrawler]

I had the 9" for 4 years, they broke and I got the 6" pair (only ones on hand at the time), and I like them MUCH better than the 9" pair. Milbar, tigerwave, rubber jaw, reversing. They can't be beat. I would probably go up to .040 on ring gear bolts if you fit it in the bolt. Depending on the bolt layout, you sometimes have to left safety in the middle of a 3 bolt run, the reversing is handy.

Edit: If that's the only thing you're using them on, just get an HF pair, or do it by hand.

[BumpyDodge]

If that's all you're safetying, like nissancrawler said - do it by hand.

Duckbill pliers (Channellock #718) were a mandatory tool when I went through A&P school. Safety wire pliers were nowhere on the list.

A pair of Milbars make the job go faster, but you can make every bit as good (if not better) safety by hand.

[MrShoeBoy]

From the sound of it, I can do it by hand since its only 10 bolts and this is the only job I plan on doing this to...

Is there something special about safety wire, or will any wire work? I have loads of .035 mild steel welding wire, will it make a difference or am I asking for trouble? Im sure this is a stupid question for thoes who know but Im going to ask anyways :shaking:

Thanks,

AARON

[nissancrawler]

You'll need safety wire. If you don't want to buy a spool, just go to a race shop, or any airplane hangar and flip them a buck or two for 5 feet of the stuff. Hell, if you really want to make your life easy, take your third member into the shop and have one of the mechanics wire it in about 2 minutes and be done with it. Just flip him $10 for the trouble.

[BumpyDodge]

From the sound of it, I can do it by hand since its only 10 bolts and this is the only job I plan on doing this to...

Is there something special about safety wire, or will any wire work? I have loads of .035 mild steel welding wire, will it make a difference or am I asking for trouble? Im sure this is a stupid question for thoes who know but Im going to ask anyways :shaking:

Thanks,

AARON

Safety Wire is annealed(soft) stainless. Welding wire will break if you try to twist it like safety wire.

[PTSchram]

I've always used needle-nose pliers. The guy I apprenticed under wouldn't let me use any nifty tools!

A&P apprentice 1981-1984, lost medical, stayed in college.

I used to get all of my stuff from Wag-Aero, now it's either Aircraft spruce supply, or Leading Edge Airfoil. A roll of wire will likely last you a lifetime, I'm still using a roll I bought in '82.

[tcorns]

where in the cincy area are you? i can do it if you still need it done. i have the wire and the pliers and i will show you how if you are interested. let me know via email please...

airframe mechanic since 96

trev
tcorns@cinci.rr.com