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  #1  
Old 01-23-2010, 10:53 AM
Squid Squid is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Stephens City, VA
Posts: 15
Default Basic Riveting Question

Hi all, hope everyone is having a good weekend. I'm an RV-8 newbie and just getting started on the Empenage Kit after fooling around for almost a year getting the shop set up and all the tools & equipment ready. This is my first post.

It's the simple things that trip me up, and I came to "all stop" last night when I could not decide on which direction to install and squeeze the rivets for the Horiz.Stab Rear Spar & Stiffeners (HS-603 and 609PP). Does the shop head go on the thinner "spar side", or on the much thicker "stiffener side"?


Thanks!

John Munroe
Woodstock, VA
http://www.mykitlog.com/jmunroe

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  #2  
Old 01-23-2010, 11:13 AM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Default

John,

Welcome to the VAF forum.

As a general rule, the factory head goes on the side of the thin material and the shop head goes next to the thicker.

This is a rule that can and will be broken from time to time.
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Last edited by N941WR : 01-24-2010 at 10:33 AM.
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  #3  
Old 01-23-2010, 11:31 AM
Squid Squid is offline
 
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Thank you Bill. That makes sense when thinking about it, but just wasn't sure.

Regards,
John
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  #4  
Old 01-23-2010, 02:44 PM
John Tierney John Tierney is offline
 
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Location: Vonore, TN
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Default Reason to Break the Rule

On reason to not put the factory head on the thinner material has to do with the ability to access it later to remove the rivet (if needed ) by drilling it out. It is much easier to drill out a rivet from the factory head side, with the dimple as a starting point.
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  #5  
Old 01-23-2010, 03:00 PM
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apkp777 apkp777 is offline
 
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Default

It doesn't really matter which way you rivet. However, Bill's advice is good as the manufactured head will clamp the thinner material which otherwise may be distorted when bucking the rivet going the other way.

That being said, be careful as Van's will sometimes indicate in the drawing which side to put the head and therefore tail of the rivet.
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  #6  
Old 01-24-2010, 10:06 AM
Squid Squid is offline
 
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Got it. Good advice and thanks again. I never even considered possible distortion along with making it easier to drill things out later. After drilling out a few rivets while constructing Van's training projects, anything to make that task easier will be appreciated.

What's really amazing is that within 20 minute I had the answer I needed!

Heading to the shop in a few minutes to give this a go.

Cheers,
John
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  #7  
Old 01-24-2010, 10:32 AM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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John,

Check out the tips section of this forum. There is a really good thread on drilling out rivets.
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  #8  
Old 04-17-2010, 06:24 AM
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aviationgeek84 aviationgeek84 is offline
 
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Location: Iowa
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Default Piggy back...

Thought I would piggy back on this thread as I am making the same decision. I did a few rivets already, but stopped (most of the rivets in the photo are just sitting in the holes).

The videos for the empennage build that Van's sells, as well as several builder logs, show the shop head of the rivet on these HS rear spar rivets on the thinner material. This is the direction I started going as you can see in my picture:




However, now after remembering what I've read and such, I know that the factory head generally should go on the thinner material (the spar channels, in this case).

Should I drill out the rivets I started with and switch my technique, or what is the reason that the videos and other builders have gone the path I started with?

Thanks!
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Last edited by aviationgeek84 : 04-17-2010 at 06:34 AM.
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  #9  
Old 04-17-2010, 06:48 AM
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Mel Mel is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aviationgeek84 View Post
Should I drill out the rivets I started with and switch my technique, or what is the reason that the videos and other builders have gone the path I started with?
No! Do not drill out perfectly good rivets. You can continue the way you started or switch horses in mid-stream.
The rule calling for the shop head being on the thicker material is a good one, but certainly not a "hard" one.
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  #10  
Old 04-17-2010, 07:08 AM
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aviationgeek84 aviationgeek84 is offline
 
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Mel,

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll just continue on the way I started - it seems like this particular area is one where both ways have been used.
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