The International Cessna^® 170 Association

This is a Chicago Pneumatic Rivet Squeezer model T7871. An old relic from the tool cabinet at work. I'm trying to figure out if it is usable. Of course there are no manuals and I can't find any online.

It operates fine. The question is how to limit the squeeze so a rivet is squeezed properly. I can find no adjustment. Anyone know how to work this thing?

I don’t know about the alligator squeezer, but before adjustable anvils for the c-yoke squeezers, washers under the dies were used.

Maybe that is an adjuster knob at the bottom center in the picture? Just a guess.

They still make these so there should be a manual somewhere. They go for about $1500

Richard, none of the things I can adjust, the knob on the bottom or the allen screw on the top seem to adjust the travel.

Karl, I thought the same and so opened a manual for a new one and there are no instructions how to use the tool, just warnings how not to get hurt in 40 different languages.

Miles, I think you are on to it.

last time I used something like that, you varied the air pressure. Not very precision, but it was close and kind of repeatable.

Having used these tools many times in my career. We never varied the air pressure. In the best equipped shops, they had different lengths of mandrels for the jaws. In the less equipped shops, we used washers under the anvils. Most of these tools actually allowed a little control through the regulation of the trigger. Generally, when I was using this tool, it was often bench mounted in a standalone fixture. I had 100 parts that had multiple nut plates, edge seals, additional parts or something else that was being attached and using the same rivet that had to be squeezed exactly the same 1000's of times. An example would be assembling 100 wing close out panels for Boing 717's. We used a smaller version of this tool for riveting trailing edges.

Thanks Jim and Jim. There is a air adjustment, I'll have to see if that works. Otherwise I'll use washers. Looks like I'll be installing some Cessna flap tracks soon in a '65 172. Might be nice to use for the larger rivets.

I had to ask an old timer but Jim hit it, trigger pressure can affect the squeeze as does the adjuster on the bottom albeit the change is almost unperceptive . Also as Jim said its shines for repetitive shop assembly.
Bruce if you get rid of it you'll be needing one.

Well I'm glad to hear it appears to be working at least as well as it may have ever worked and I've not missed anything secret in making it work. Guess I have to make a test panel and learn whether it is actually usable.