Close Quarters Riveting

chintangent · #1 03-25-2021, 09:20 PM

What's the best tool you recommend for dimpling/riveting tight areas close to spars? I had a pin hole puncture in my trim tab and was advised by Vans to drill to #40, dimple and set a #3 flush rivet. After I drilled the hole and deburred, I realized that I'm too close to the spar web to be able to dimple/rivet. I'm looking to expand my tools anyways. What do you recommend? Unfortunately, it's also somewhat beneath the trim tab horns, so only about 1/4" clearance on top and about 7/8" clearance on the bottom.

fl-mike · #2 03-25-2021, 09:29 PM

Pop rivet dimpler with the female die ground to a “D” shape to get in close to the spar.
If you haven’t ground some dimple dies, well, you will....

PaulvS · #3 03-25-2021, 10:35 PM

Make your own close quarter dimple dies from mild steel and use a machine countersink to make the depression. The male part of the die is a matching rivet that will be tapped into the hole with a drift punch. The dimple won't be perfect, but it will be good enough in such a location.

The rivet itself can be set with a squeezer or a narrow flush set and thin bucking bar.

chintangent · #4 03-27-2021, 11:14 AM

Thanks Paul. Your feedback has been very helpful.

wirejock · #5 03-27-2021, 11:23 AM

My first choice for something like that is a Cleveland Vice Grip Dimpler.
Second is the pop rivet dimple tool
Third is a 3/16" gun set. The dies fit in the set. Turn pressure down to about 10 psi and feather the trigger. I also have home made bar that holds the female.
Fourth is a home made close quarter jig as mentioned above

bjdecker · #6 03-27-2021, 11:32 AM

That's a tight spot.

I think I would forgo putting a rivet in there. Use a debur tool to put a little more of an angle on the hole, then mix up some epoxy with milled fibers and fill the hole; push the material into the hole - forming a sort of mushroom plug.

Sand & Paint...

gyoung · #7 03-27-2021, 03:58 PM

Use an NAS1097-3 rivet. You can countersink with a couple turns of your deburring tool. Set it with a no-hole yoke in a squeezer or a long set in a gun.

Chris Scott · #8 03-28-2021, 09:23 AM

Not to go off-topic, but "close quarters riveting" reminds me of installing a transponder and encoder in my first plane - a 150.

A&P: "I need you to crawl back in the tail cone and buck these rivets."

Me: "OK"

HOLY ****!

sf3543 · #9 03-29-2021, 08:31 AM

I'd use a pop rivet and fill in the hole.
But, if you decide to try riveting a solid rivet, use a soft rivet.
It would be a rivet without the divot in the middle of the rivet head and much easier to squeeze. (AN426A rivets)

eric.the.blonde · #10 03-29-2021, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sf3543

I'd use a pop rivet and fill in the hole.
But, if you decide to try riveting a solid rivet, use a soft rivet.
It would be a rivet without the divot in the middle of the rivet head and much easier to squeeze. (AN426A rivets)

+1

Pop rivet all day. There are a few spots where I wish I had simply used a pop rivet and called it "good enough" instead of trying to be "better" with a solid rivet.