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Elevator Stiffener Oops Question

RV701775

Active Member
While match drilling the aft undrilled hole on a center stiffener I elongated it in one direction significantly. I re-drilled it up to #33 for use with a 7/64 (half-size) oops rivet. Two questions:

1) because this is the last hole on the stiffener and not supported by a standard 3/32 rivet is use of an oops rivet suitable or should I drill it up to 1/8 for a -4 rivet even through this will not be aesthetically the best option?

2) If I use a -4 rivet will the shop heads of the two stiffeners touch since this is right at the bend in the trailing edge?

Thanks

See photos on my site:
https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blprojentry&proj=7YL1dRvO9&e=7YQrss2xx&listcat=
 
Proseal the stiffeners to the skin and never look back...

I did this to all of mine and the structure is rock solid. Good way to get your "feet wet" with the proseal (flamemaster... whatever) before you're mucking around inside of a tank.
 
Pro Seal

So you prosealed the bottom of every stiffener? Can I use a 30 minute epoxy? what about prep over primer. Will wiping it with a solvent effect the dried primer? I may do this on the tip of that one stiffener to help take stress off that oops rivet.
 
I would use the oops rivet and call it good.

No need to mess with pro seal just for this. The prep to the surface you would need to do for proseal would be a much more work than just using the oops rivet. If you're worried about the shop heads touching...just over buck both of them a tad. DO NOT use epoxy.
 
Try presqueezing a 3 to fill the hole you made before final set in position. You'll learn this technique later if not now (Murphy is an optimist). If it looks like too little grip, jump to a shortened 4-4. A dab of proseal on a 3 wouldn't hurt. I believe Van's still wants a dab of some stick-um at the ends before closure. That'll help, also.

John Siebold
 
Proseal stiffeners

Proseal the stiffeners to the skin and never look back...

I did this to all of mine and the structure is rock solid. Good way to get your "feet wet" with the proseal (flamemaster... whatever) before you're mucking around inside of a tank.

That's how I did all my control surface stiffeners. Not a sealed install. Just a thin layer spread with a popsicle stick. I used a section of particle board, match drilled and just clekoed them to the skin against the board. Left for several days to cure. Stiff as a proverbial board. :D
 
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