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Advice please on rippled skin

K

kiwiflyer

Member
Thanks in advance. Desperate advice please.

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I have dents or ripples on the left side skin of my RV12 empennage. This really concerns me not only from a cosmetic point of view but more importantly a structural concern. When I run my hand down and along the circled area I can feel a rippled type movement in the skin. I am afraid that this will vibrate in flight. From the various forums it appears that I am not the only person with this problem. Please advise ?

I look forward to your advice on how to correct this asap please.*
 
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kiwiflyer said:
How do I upload a photo ?

(I tried searching the FAQ section first but couldn't find advice there)
Click to expand...

Instructions here.
http://www.vansairforce.net/articles/ImagesInForums/images.htm

Basically you upload the photo to Flickr or some other image hosting site, click on the image icon on the toolbar of your VAF post, and then copy and paste the link (URL address) to your image on the host site into it. Simple to demonstrate, not so easy to explain.
 
Assuming that you have not joined the emp. to the fuse., some of the oil canning will disappear when you do join the two. The 12 is a very thin skinned bird and this will cause some rattling. I just switched from a ANR headset to Clarity Aloft and now hear some of those rattles that were attenuated.
 
As this looks to me as a real dent, not just some oil-canning, I can tell you what we did. We got a leading edge dent in our 12 wing while it was in storage while we were building the fuselage. We had a paintless dent removal guy come work on it (the wings were already painted.) Just a few minutes and we could hardly find it. With the access you have from the inside, I would think it would completely disappear. Tell him you would recommend him for local airplane hail damage, and you might get it done inexpensively.

Bob
 
I agree, I have some oil canning on my tail, but nothing like this appears to be. Hard to tell with reflections, but I agree with Bob Kelly.
 
I have not yet attached my tailcone, but have some oil canning on both sides forward of the area you are indicating. However, it is not a sharp-edged buckle as yours appears to be, just a local depression that I am pretty sure will mostly disappear when I attach the tailcone. Yours looks different. Probably worth sending the photo to Vans for an opinion.
 
Rudy

Did you do the riveting from the centre out? Or start at one end and work along? Sometimes if you work from the ends towards the centre it can create a small buckle as excess material gets pushed inwards. I know on my -7 and -10 instructions there's is often reference to start riveting from the centre and work out for this reason.
Let's us know what vans say.

Cheers

Peter
 
Thanks for all the advice so far.

I am considering drilling out the rivets and replacing the skin with new.

Any comments on this ?
Whats the best way to drill out the rivets ? (I don't want to oversize rivets)
 
Finish the Plane

Finish the plane and if your painter can't fix it change the skin then you'll have more experience.
My bet is it will be ok
 
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Vans?

I'd wait to see what answer vans give and look into the cause. As you don't want to replace and end up repeating the same result with a new skin.

Peter
 
Hi Kiwiflyer,

I have sent you a personal email and also an email to your work but I wonder if you have checked them.

I also had the same problem. I thought the worst. I was lucky in that the adviser from the sport aircraft association came over and could look straight away. Long story short if it is oil canning it will go away. If it is a crease wait until you have more experience before drilling it out.

The SAA are having their fly In at Ashburton in February. At a guess the other Ardmore based RV12 will be going. I will ask him as his hanger is next to mine. Also the sheet metal adviser is taking his RV6 down. I imagine you will be able to show some people to get advice.

I am hoping to go to Ashburton. My engine is in, avionics done and painting done except for the pants but it is sure tricky once you move your plane out of the garage and into the hanger. It is a 45 minute drive to Ardmore for me. By the time I get out in the evening I forget what I was going to do then its time to drive home again.

Cheers

Julian 120316
 
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