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Modification to ease aft fuselage riveting

digidocs

Well Known Member
Hi there,

I just sent an email to Vans about this, but thought VAF might have good input as well:

photo.jpg


The question is whether it would be okay to remove the metal beneath the purple line on the fuselage frame shown. The line is drawn to provide 2D edge distance.

This would be advantageous because it would allow the J stiffeners to be back riveted to the skins before installing the skins on the frames. I think this would be significantly easier and reduce the amount of time my bucking partner (wife) has to spend in the aft fuselage!

Thanks for the advice,
David
 
I don't know if it will work on the side skins, but I back riveted the J channels to the top aft skin before riveting that skin to the bulkheads. The J channels are flexible enough that you can still slip them into position. Actually I was able to back rivet the entire tailcone, with the exception of about a dozen rivets in the aft-most section where there was not enough room for the gun.

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
I'd expect that they'd say it was okay if first, there remained sufficient edge distance for that flange rivet, and second, if there was enough material left for whatever fits into the larger hole in the web.

A bushing might need retention from that bit of material, for example.

Dave
RV-3B
 
I'd expect that they'd say it was okay if first, there remained sufficient edge distance for that flange rivet, and second, if there was enough material left for whatever fits into the larger hole in the web.
A bushing might need retention from that bit of material, for example.
Dave
RV-3B

That "large" hole is for the "J" channel that he's wanting to pre-assemble to the skin.
(If I understand the question correctly.)
 
An alternate method is for your wife to run the gun and you get in the tailcone.

No need for anyone to get in the tailcone. I backriveted the whole thing on a 3' x 8' table using a couple pieces of carpet and 2 pillows to hold the cone in position. It takes a fair amount of repositioning to keep the skin against the backing plate, but it is very doable.

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
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