Cleco Pliers

From Matronics

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Cleco pliers are used to open/close clecos and install/remove them to/from parts being assembled. Pictured are various versions on the standard theme of cleco pliers.

When shopping for a pair of cleco pliers, it's worth taking a cleco along with you if you have access to the pliers before you buy. Some pliers cannot be used "one-handed," because the required jaw opening on the pliers to get a cleco into place is greater than your hand will comfortably span on the handles. It's difficult to tell by just looking at a pair whether this is the case, so it's best to try them yourself and see if your hand fits. With the right pair, the hand holding the pliers will not have to work as hard to remove a whole line of clecos.

Another alternative is a pneumatic cleco tool, which can be placed over the end of the cleco and a trigger pulled to disengage the cleco. Once the cleco is removed, releasing the trigger allows the cleco to fall free. Keep in mind that the larger the number of air tools you buy, the larger your compressor will need to be.