PlanePliers
Solving a painful problem
By Jeff Rockwood
Since I was a kid, I have always wanted to fly, but that wasn’t all: I wanted to build my own airplane.
I finally purchased a Zenith 750 STOL kit and got started in February 2024—deburring and clecoing parts like crazy.
By the time I finished the tail feathers, I noticed a searing pain in both of my forearms and elbows. My brother and doctor diagnosed the issue: “tennis elbow” from all the clecos. Tennis elbow in aviation? I’m going with “cleco elbow.”
What to do? I’ve seen and purchased pneumatic cleco pliers, but I don’t always need the compressor running. Watching videos from the Zenith Annual Homecoming, I saw exactly what I needed: a locking pair of cleco pliers. I reached out to the owner of PlanePliers LLC, Andrew Womack, and purchased a pair. The website said it was sold out, but I was able to get mine in just a few days.
The handle is wider and more comfortable in your hand than traditional cleco pliers, and the pliers are super lightweight—Womack says about 10 percent lighter. I tested the three that I have: The silver, no handle, are 9.6 ounces; the black rubber handled pair are 8.8 ounces; and the Plane Pliers are 6.6 ounces. It’s not much, but squeezing and holding hundreds of times it’s no wonder I developed cleco elbow.
Now, with one quick squeeze, the plier locks, allowing me time to work the cleco in or out of its intended spot. A quick flick of my thumb releases the plier. A pair of magnets in the jaws allows you to pick up and orient a cleco for quick use with one hand. My elbows love it, and I can get rid of my ugly elbow straps. 
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