CLEKOS SHEETMETAL TOOLS

Introduction

Clekos are spring loaded clamps used for temporarily holding sheetmetal parts together while prototyping. As shown in figure 1 below, Clekos come in two basic types: fastener and clamp. Fastener-style Clekos are used with pre-drilled holes, typically 1/8”, 3/16”, or ¼” in size. Clamp-style Clekos resemble small C-clamps and do not require drilling any holes to hold the parts together.

Figure 1: Fastener and clamp-style Clekos and their installation tool.

Examples of Using Clekos

Figure 2 shows the use of Clekos to assist drilling holes to attach a complex piece of sheetmetal to a steel spaceframe. In this example the use of a few Clekos clamps prevents the sheetmetal from moving during the drilling process, ensuring all holes later align when installing the rivets during final assembly. The use of Clekos also allows the panel to be easily removed and deburred after drilling, but before the final installation with rivets.

Figure 2: Clekos used to attach sheetmetal panels to an automotive steel space frame.

Figure 3: Clekos used during prototyping of an airplane wing spar.

Figure 4: Clekos used to hold multiple sheetmetal parts together during prototyping.

Figure 5: Clekos used to position and clamp sheetmetal panels for welding.