Elevator: blind or solid rivets?

[jacoby]

Is it worth doing the solid rivets on the elevator? I bought the blind rivets. Does anyone have a compelling argument to use the solid instead? I figure they?ll look nearly identical with a bit of filler. Messing with the weird bucking bar looks like no fun at all.

[Electrogunner]

I would go with the solid using the long bar. That bar will come in handy other places as well.

[Brantel]

Solid was super easy with the special bar.

[walker172]

Yep. I did solid also. You can buy the bar from Cleaveland tool. That?s what I did.

[paul330]

I'll go the other way - was very simple and quick to use the MK319BS.

In general, I found that I used more blind rivets as the build continued. There are some places where trying to set a solid rivet gets to be near impossible. My thinking was that the odd Cherry was better than a solid rivet that is either badly set or has been drilled out a couple of times.

[blucllrplt]

Used the solid rivets on mine with the long bar. End result was similar to the opposite side using a tungsten bar.

[rongawer]

Originally Posted by paul330

I'll go the other way - was very simple and quick to use the MK319BS.

In general, I found that I used more blind rivets as the build continued. There are some places where trying to set a solid rivet gets to be near impossible. My thinking was that the odd Cherry was better than a solid rivet that is either badly set or has been drilled out a couple of times.

I agree completely. Either rivet is physically capable of the job, so it just comes down to whether you want to buck it or pull it. And it?s a bad location for an ?oops?.

Since you are contemplating, I recommend saving the money on the special bucking bar and do the blind rivet.

[paul330]

The only downside is that that the MK319 is something like 30c a pop - no pun intended. On the other hand, if you are looking at $150-200k .......

[jacoby]

Originally Posted by paul330

The only downside is that that the MK319 is something like 30c a pop - no pun intended. On the other hand, if you are looking at $150-200k .......

Yeah. I bought 60 of them at $0.30/ea. $18 isn't really going to affect the budget. Worst case I use them in other places.

I really don't want to have to drill any of those out. A local builder offered to let me borrow his special bucking bar. He also said the elevators were difficult (and I can see why).

It sounds like there really isn't a compelling argument either way. I need to pick a path and move on!

[jacoby]

I ended up borrowing the bar and using solid rivets. It came out ok. Worth it? meh. The rivets take a long time to set (something like a 6s shoot time) plus double checking plus setting again plus the bar is a pain to line up even with a line on the bar and the elevator has to be secured to the workbench. All in all it probably took 45 minutes. Blind rivets would have taken less than 5.

At least I have extra blind rivets to use elsewhere.. I may end up using them in the E1001A top skin for those two impossible to touch rivets that hold the counterbalance on. I can barely get the bucking bar in there. I don't even know how I'm supposed to hold it and set them.