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aircraft tool suppy ?

Its time for me to get my tools, kits on their way.

Are Aircraft-Tool Supply tools good, or should I think of them as the HF of aviation?

They have some stand out pricing deals during Osh.

Thanks
 
I've ordered from them several time. I'm pleased with their pricing and prompt shipping. They are on my approved supplier list.
 
I've had mixed success. A couple of tools that would seem like a no brainer turned out to be rather poor. Others, I am quite happy and satisfied with.
 
Come visit me at 8A7 Twin Lakes airport

John, you are fairly close to me at 8A7, and I have an RV-4 that I built, my next door neighbor has built an -8 and a-7. We may be able to show you what you need , and recommend various options. I am also in Moorsville occasionally at Miller Airpark or on Lake Norman. Lots of builders in the region, several RV's at 8A7 where I'm based.
Bill E. three three six-202-0574.
 
Its time for me to get my tools, kits on their way.

Are Aircraft-Tool Supply tools good, or should I think of them as the HF of aviation?

They have some stand out pricing deals during Osh.

Thanks

Agree w/Steve - more like MAC than Snap-On. Rugged, get the job done, some fall short.
 
Great service!

Have only placed small orders through them but amazing service and good products. They have a huge range so some stuff seems on the cheaper side and others on the more solid side, like anywhere, do a bit of digging to find your balance between cheap and solid.

Can't fault the service. Particularly when compared with other suppliers. My experience may be different being overseas.
 
I wasn't thrilled

...With the few things I ordered. The tools worked as advertised but it was impossible to get questions answered as the help there didn't have basic mechanical knowledge. Overall I'd give them a "C" rating. At least on this site, Cleveland has a better reputation.

-Marc
 
I have tools from Cleaveland, ATS, yard store and aircraft spruce as well as brown aviation tools. My take. CleAveland has the best dimple dies by a long shot, I bought my reamers, squeezer and many many hand tools off them. I have absolutely zero tools I want to give back to them. They sell quality. But the cost is higher. I bought second hand 3x rivet gun from yard and second hand cleco clamps plus few sacrificial tools (dimples dies to hack on) and some cleco pliers that I had to glue the vinyl handles back on as they slip off. Clecos….get this right….get both clecolok and kwik lok. Wedgelok no longer avail. I have 400 of each. Clecolok for undimpled holes and kwik lol for dimpled holes. Ask me how I know. Cleaveland has kwiklok now as they cannot supply wedgelok. Brown tool has some good prices on Sioux drills and I bought my 2x rivet gun new off them. Aircraft spruce sells pretty good gear and ATS good for some stuff but can have some average stuff. My pick. Cleaveland, aircraft spruce, brown, ATS and yard a tie.
 
I have tools from Cleaveland, ATS, yard store and aircraft spruce as well as brown aviation tools. My take. CleAveland has the best dimple dies by a long shot, I bought my reamers, squeezer and many many hand tools off them. I have absolutely zero tools I want to give back to them. They sell quality. But the cost is higher. I bought second hand 3x rivet gun from yard and second hand cleco clamps plus few sacrificial tools (dimples dies to hack on) and some cleco pliers that I had to glue the vinyl handles back on as they slip off. Clecos….get this right….get both clecolok and kwik lok. Wedgelok no longer avail. I have 400 of each. Clecolok for undimpled holes and kwik lol for dimpled holes. Ask me how I know. Cleaveland has kwiklok now as they cannot supply wedgelok. Brown tool has some good prices on Sioux drills and I bought my 2x rivet gun new off them. Aircraft spruce sells pretty good gear and ATS good for some stuff but can have some average stuff. My pick. Cleaveland, aircraft spruce, brown, ATS and yard a tie.

I recently, within a year, bought wedgelock clecos. Not sure about the rules on posting links to non paid advertiser suppliers though. As I recall they were around $0.75 each
 
I have tools from Cleaveland, ATS, yard store and aircraft spruce as well as brown aviation tools. My take. Cleaveland has the best dimple dies by a long shot....

Agreed. Of those, I'd put Cleaveland best for some things like the dies, Brown and The Yardstore both good for lots of things, ATS good for things the other stores might not carry, and Spruce handy for a few others.

I bought a Sioux drill this week from the Yardstore, same price as Brown and cheaper than the others, and free shipping. The Yardstore has always treated me very well indeed, and I'm just some guy.

Dave
P.S. The drill.... I had three, one borrowed. That one needed to be returned after a decade. My ancient Ingersol developed an annoying leak, so I ordered the Sioux.
 
John, you are fairly close to me at 8A7, and I have an RV-4 that I built, my next door neighbor has built an -8 and a-7. We may be able to show you what you need , and recommend various options. I am also in Moorsville occasionally at Miller Airpark or on Lake Norman. Lots of builders in the region, several RV's at 8A7 where I'm based.
Bill E. three three six-202-0574.

I am also near by (NC25) and can do the same things as Bill. My RV-6 is flying and I have an RV-8 project. I have almost all the tools that were used to build the RV-6 and purchased additional nice to have tools for the RV-8.

I did buy some ATS dimple dies early on. They are no were near the quality that Cleaveland and or Avery provided. I no longer have them as I found them too soft and they were discarded.

My RV-6 will be 25-years old in September. I have been trying to spend my airplane tool money where it goes back into the RV aircraft community. It may have been about 30-years ago, but Cleaveland Aircraft Tools founder built an award winning RV-4.
 
Agreed. Of those, I'd put Cleaveland best for some things like the dies, Brown and The Yardstore both good for lots of things, ATS good for things the other stores might not carry, and Spruce handy for a few others.

I bought a Sioux drill this week from the Yardstore, same price as Brown and cheaper than the others, and free shipping. The Yardstore has always treated me very well indeed, and I'm just some guy.

Dave
P.S. The drill.... I had three, one borrowed. That one needed to be returned after a decade. My ancient Ingersol developed an annoying leak, so I ordered the Sioux.

Agreed….yard store is quite handy. I would not be put off buying a few of their second hand tools although my older sh Sioux 3x from them does not have the trigger control of the brand new 2x Sioux I bought. I figured2x would do most jobs on my 7 and I’m not wrong. The 3x good for those larger rivets.

I just bought an angle drill head for my electric drill from ATS and to be honest I think it’s great quality.
 
I recently, within a year, bought wedgelock clecos. Not sure about the rules on posting links to non paid advertiser suppliers though. As I recall they were around $0.75 each

I have had good luck with some of the standard consumables. For example they recently had the same 6” 3M cut and buff wheels that Vans and others sell on sale for much cheaper. I was going to post it here, but didn’t know if that was frowned upon.
 
Good maintenance tools

ATS has good maintenance tools. Compression testers, Mag timings buzz box, brake bleeder (alternative to DIY version), etc.
 
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