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Elevator Trailing Edge Dimple

R

RV701775

Active Member
When dimpling the trailing edge stiffener hole, despite being careful to position the elevator as level as possible in the C-Frame, there was a little distortion around the holes, mostly evident on only one hole. I opted not to use the pop rivet dimple die because it tends to enlarge the holes.

Any ideas as to how I can correct this distortion? Should I attempt to hit it again in the die? Also, this is a troubled location for cracking. Should I be concerned with this? It may flatten out when I rivet the stiffener.

Thanks!

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It's hard to have a definitive opinion from a picture, but if a rivet sits flush in it I'd just drive on. If not, I'd probably try to true it up by hitting it again with a dimple die.
 
Another option if you don't have the pop-rivet style dimple tool is to countersink a piece of extruded aluminum or steel, place it under the hole, place a rivet in the hole and hit it with your rivet gun and flat set.
 
Take a look at completed planes out there flying. .it seems pretty common. You may redimple, but it probably won't change. Did you have the male die on the top or the bottom? I found that if I put the male die on the top, and had the skin hanging under the bench top, I could get flat dimples.
 
Dimpling

I had the male die on top for the first three holes from the trailing edge. This allowed it to sit flatter. I avoided using the pop-rivet dimple die because the hole comes our excessively enlarged compared to a standard 3/32 die.
 
RV701775 said:
Nope, 3/32. Enlarges the hole to around 0.115-0.120 in. Standard die enlarges to about 0.108.
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Sounds like you may have a defective pop-rivet dimpler. I've built quite a few airplanes and only use pop-rivet dimplers for everything. People say I'm crazy but I've never had a "figure 8" hole and have won awards. Starting a new project within the next 2 weeks and will do the same.
 
Maybe he's got a 120 degree pop rivet die? Or that would dimple shallower, wouldn't it? I had much better luck keeping the drdt at the edge of my table, and male die on the top.. you have to build your tables to allow for clearance though
 
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