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Empennage Rivet Head Question

S

Steve Kimble

I'm New Here
Hello all!

I have a question that I hope that some kind person can answer for me.

I am working on the RV-8 Empennage and in a few days I will be at the point where some actual Riveting work can be done.

Specifically,
1) Riveting of the Rear Spar Reinforcement Bar (HS-609PP) to the Rear Spar (HS-603PP).
and
2) Riveting the Splice Angle (HS-814-1) and the Reinforcement Angle (HS-814-1) to the Front Spar (HS-702).

Anyway, my question is:

Which way should the Rivet Heads face?

The instructions are clear that the Heads of the Center Four Rivets of HS-702 should face Aft. But they do not explicitly mention anything about the facing direction of the other Rivets.

I looked on several builder web sites and around the Vans Air Force Forum, and it looks like in most cases the Rivet Heads face Aft, but in some cases it looks like they face Forward.

Forward Facing Heads?
Aft Facing Heads?
Does it really matter which way the Heads face (except for the Four Center Rivets of HS-702)?

Thanks in advance!
 
except for the center ones you mention, it doesn't matter. i did extensive searching on this very subject when i did mine, and i found them set both ways. mine were riveted with the machined heads aft. i think it's just a matter of how you feel comfortable holding the squeezer.
 
Steve Kimble said:
Hello all!

I have a question that I hope that some kind person can answer for me...

Forward Facing Heads?
Aft Facing Heads?
Does it really matter which way the Heads face (except for the Four Center Rivets of HS-702)?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Generally speaking, for universal head rivets, the manufactured head should be on the side of the thinner material and the shop head (created by you) on the side of the thicker material. This reduces the distortion of the thinner material that would be caused by the expanding rivet shank. Otherwise, if the materials are equal in thickness, just decide which side you want people to see.

-mike
 
To:

Chad Jensen,
Michael L Wilson,
Steve Moore, and
Gil Alexander.

Thanks so much for your good advice!

It has helped a great deal. Within a few days (hopefully anyway) I will be able to make use of it.

Thanks again!

:)
 
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