Top skin blind rivets

[cdeerinck]

Two questions here:

1) Does anyone know why the plans call for two different rivets as indicated below by the purple arrows? This is for the RV-8 top skin over the avionics and luggage areas. The row that attaches the skin to the firewall calls for 3-5 rivets, but those two call for 3-4 rivets. The material is the same thickness throughout. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

2) I need to get some Cherrymax rivets for some of the AN426AD3-6 and AN426AD3-8 rivets on the sides, given that I don't have fairy hands. It seems there are three product lines that might do the job: CR1122's (Self-Plugging Rivets), CR9116's (MS Rivets), or CR264CS's (Pull thru nut plate rivets). I am not sure which makes the most sense, and I can't seem to find suppliers for the -3-06 and -3-08 sizes. Can anyone help me out?

I am just about done with the avionics, so my next job is to pull them all out, rivet this skin, then put them all back in. Yay!

[Mark Dickens]

As I recall, you need CR3214 cherry max rivets with the small head to match the -3 solid rivet.

[cdeerinck]

Originally Posted by Mark Dickens

As I recall, you need CR3214 cherry max rivets with the small head to match the -3 solid rivet.

Thanks for the reply, but as best as I can tell, CR3214's are only available in -4 diameter sizes and larger.

[N941WR]

Don't give up now, you are almost finished. Someone in your EAA chapter must have small hands and riveting experience.

[cdeerinck]

Originally Posted by N941WR

Don't give up now, you are almost finished. Someone in your EAA chapter

Unfortunately, this has been a solo build.

[az_gila]

If you have to work alone, ask Vans if it is OK to upsize the rivets you can't buck along the longeron to 1/8 (#30 holes)?

If it's OK then CherryMax rivets would work well.

[rv8ch]

Seems that the CR3214 are the way to go. You do need to drill the hole to a #30. Excellent information in this thread:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=79636

I found Rick's post really helpful:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...1&postcount=14

I've ordered some but they have not yet arrived.

[BobTurner]

If you have access to the back side, you can use a rope to tie a heavy steel back rivet plate to the top, and back rivet. Very slow but it can be done.

[Robert Anglin]

Originally Posted by cdeerinck

Two questions here:

1) Does anyone know why the plans call for two different rivets as indicated below by the purple arrows? This is for the RV-8 top skin over the avionics and luggage areas. The row that attaches the skin to the firewall calls for 3-5 rivets, but those two call for 3-4 rivets. The material is the same thickness throughout. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

2) I need to get some Cherrymax rivets for some of the AN426AD3-6 and AN426AD3-8 rivets on the sides, given that I don't have fairy hands. It seems there are three product lines that might do the job: CR1122's (Self-Plugging Rivets), CR9116's (MS Rivets), or CR264CS's (Pull thru nut plate rivets). I am not sure which makes the most sense, and I can't seem to find suppliers for the -3-06 and -3-08 sizes. Can anyone help me out?

I am just about done with the avionics, so my next job is to pull them all out, rivet this skin, then put them all back in. Yay!

It has been a long time now that we did this area, and I do not remember this being called out. However it is an area that is not under heavy stress. The rule in sheet metal work is general in cases like this. You gage the length of rivet needed and that is what you drive. There were and have been places during construction that had a factory "call out" that when gaged needed a shorter or longer rivet to make that stack-up have a good shop head once driven. So that is what is done, trim some off the shank, use a longer rivet or oversize it when you have a bad hole. I think the best I can recall is this spot is where the two hinge pins come together when installed from the inside to mate the upper cowl to the fire wall. This may be a spot set aside for a mount to lock those ends in place there. This would be an option you may wish to consider. Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III #80888

[ctennis]

I did this area fairly recently. I used (mostly) CR3214-4-04 and (a couple) CR3214-4-05, purchased in 10 packs from www.gen-aircraft-hardware.com.