Nut Plate Riveting Issue

I'm attempting to rivet the Nut Plates onto the VS-1202 rib. I've countered sunk the hole on the appropriate side cleco'd one side of the nut plate and them squeezed the rivet with my pneumatic riveter.

The problem is that the rivet keeps coming up proud. I can't seem to get the rivet to set flush to the skin. It does set flush when I test it after counter sinking.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,

Bob

Even though the rivet is flush before squeezing, it may rise unless you keep some pressure on the head of the rivet until it expands and grips the side of the hole. Push or pull on the hand/pneumatic squeezer to put a bit of pressure on the head of the rivet before starting to squeeze. Try it on some scrap.

I use a small piece of tygon tubing on the shank of the rivet. This is described in the post "Improvements to the Avery Rivet Squeezer" that you can search for in this forum.

I use this technique on all the pressed rivets.

joe

What Joe said ... AND

The method Joe mentioned really works like a charm ? especially on the thin components and is a good habit to get into.

I mostly use a pneumatic squeezer as well and find it best to outfit the squeezer's yoke with a large diameter flat rivet set, place it over the rivet?s factory head, apply a little steady back pressure to keep the flat set down onto the rivet?s factory head and then slowly let the squeezer?s plunger outfitted with a SMALL diameter rivet set form the shop head on the nut plate. If also using the method Joe mentioned, place the Tygon or vinyl tube over the shaft of the rivet prior to squeezing. The small diameter set on the squeezer's plunger minimizes the possibility of contacting the side of the nut plate and gouging it or forcing it askew as the rivet sets. The same principles would apply to a hand squeezer as well.

John
RV-12 empennage & wings completed
beginning fuselage
www.dogaviation.com
dues paid until late summer 2013

Thanks all! I had some .040 laying around from a previous project so I used some scratch from that (my wife's idea). I clamped that over the rivet head to keep it flat against the VS. Then I tried to sneak up on it from the other side as Marty & John suggested. I'll be looking up Joe's suggestion as well. I had still had some that were a smidgeon proud, but I think I'll be ok.

This is the 3rd VS spar I've had. I'm finding the thinner metal is more difficult to work with than I remember my 9 empennage being.

I have the frame work done for the VS and tomorrow (after golf in the morning) I'll attempt the nut plates on the skin (even thinner!).

Thanks again!

Bob

I couldn't find LittleJoe's post about Tygon under that recomended thread, but did find it in another thread - see below.
John


http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=71347&highlight=Tygon&page=2
Post 14

Peter,

Try this link

http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlejoeya/sets/72157625650705623/detail/


I was able to purchase the tygon tubing from the local hardware store. It was fifty scnts a foot or so.

This method really works with thin parts that are hard to get tight.