Zenith provides a recommendation for Cleco fasteners here --->: Recommended Tools
I think you could build with their recommended quantities; however, I bought lots of used Cleco fasteners on eBay...CHEAP...and I'm glad I did. I have more than double Zenith's recommended quantities, but I'll admit to being a bit of a nut...inserting a Cleco every-other hole instead of every third or fourth hole...and leaving Clecos in sub-assemblies that I"m not ready to complete.
My opinion is to add at least 50% to Zenith's recommendation EXCEPT for the 3/32" (Silver) Clecos...I haven't used any significant quantity of those...but I haven't done the wings. I'm not sure where those would be used...based on what I have done (fuselage, stabilizer, and elevator) a couple dozen of those would be sufficient. So far, the only use I have had for those has been to hold nut plates in position.
The best price I found for new Cleco fasteners was Brown Tool...about 40% less than Aircraft Spruce.
If you're an eBay user, I would buy some new Clecos to get you going, then buy used on eBay...I averaged about $.26 each for my Clecos.
Also, I have 5 or 6 Cleco pliers...it's handy to have one in each bucket of Clecos...plus a couple laying on the table. :)
Mike Chapman
Rodger,
Zenith provides a recommendation for Cleco fasteners here --->: Recommended Tools
I think you could build with their recommended quantities; however, I bought lots of used Cleco fasteners on eBay...CHEAP...and I'm glad I did. I have more than double Zenith's recommended quantities, but I'll admit to being a bit of a nut...inserting a Cleco every-other hole instead of every third or fourth hole...and leaving Clecos in sub-assemblies that I"m not ready to complete.
My opinion is to add at least 50% to Zenith's recommendation EXCEPT for the 3/32" (Silver) Clecos...I haven't used any significant quantity of those...but I haven't done the wings. I'm not sure where those would be used...based on what I have done (fuselage, stabilizer, and elevator) a couple dozen of those would be sufficient. So far, the only use I have had for those has been to hold nut plates in position.
The best price I found for new Cleco fasteners was Brown Tool...about 40% less than Aircraft Spruce.
If you're an eBay user, I would buy some new Clecos to get you going, then buy used on eBay...I averaged about $.26 each for my Clecos.
Also, I have 5 or 6 Cleco pliers...it's handy to have one in each bucket of Clecos...plus a couple laying on the table. :)
Best of luck on your build!!!
Mike
Mar 23, 2020