Building an airplane requires the right tools. Fluting tools, for instance, are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Nearly all airplanes feature multiple sheets of metal or alloy. With a pair of fluting pliers, you can create flutes in these metal panels.
Overview of Fluting Pliers
Fluting pliers are pliers that are designed to create a patterned texture on metal workpieces. When initially produced, sheet metal typically has a smooth surface. There are no intentions or markings on the surface. But metal workpieces support fluting. Fluting is the process of scoring the surface of a metal workpiece with breaks or lines.
Flutes are superficial breaks or lines on metal workpieces. You can create them with a pair of fluting pliers.
How Fluting Pliers Work
There are different types of fluting pliers, but most of them share a similar design and method of operation. They look like ordinary pliers with a dual-lever handle that you squeeze or pull apart. The head of fluting pliers, though, features wide jaws. While ordinary pliers typically have narrow jaws, the jaws on fluting pliers are wide.
To use fluting pliers, you’ll need to grip the metal workpiece between the jaws, followed by squeezing the handle. Squeezing the handle will force the jaws to clamp down on the metal workpiece. As the jaws come together, they’ll leave behind breaks or lines.
Flute depth is influenced by how hard you squeeze the handle. For shallow flutes, you should gently squeeze the handle on the fluting pliers. For deep flutes, conversely, you should squeeze the handle with greater force.
Benefits of Fluting Pliers
Fluting pliers make fluting metal workpieces a breeze. You don’t need any expensive equipment or machines to create flutes; all you need is a pair of fluting pliers. With fluting pliers, you can easily create flutes on metal workpieces.
While they are used primarily for fluting purposes, fluting pliers support other applications. You can use them to straighten metal workpieces, for instance. Metal workpieces often require shaping. Assuming a metal workpiece is made of a relatively thin piece of metal or alloy, you can probably bend it into the correct shape using fluting pliers.
You don’t have to worry about fluting pliers scratching metal workpieces. Most of them are designed with special jaws that will only create flutes. Squeezing the handle will leave behind uniform break or lines without scratching the surface of the metal workpiece.
