Accidentally dimpled a new hole through the skin

[AlpineYoda]

The above advice to upsize until you fill the mistake is what I would generally do, assuming you aren’t going up to a #6 size or something that you cannot flatten.

If you go with the flatten dimple, drill both sides, and re-rivet approach, I suggest adding a bit a epoxy, like JB Weld, in the area BEFORE you rivet between the pieces, so the whole “oops” area has both the repair rivets and a spread of adhesive inside. I would rather fill the oops from the inside out than just fill it after the fact before painting.

[RV10Man]

Keep building........you didn't hurt anything. Fix it before painting.

[SantosDumont]

Originally Posted by salty

I'm curious how you managed to do that with a DRDT2. I ask so I can try to avoid following in your footsteps.

You just need to lower the RAM so it almost takes too much force to actuate.

[Vlad]

Back in the days when I was building Vans included a special rivet for mishaps like that. You had to sift through thousands of them to find it though... Nowadays, sorry you have to buy the whole new empennage kit...



Edit to add; Just kidding keep pounding I guarantee the tail will stay attached for 5,300+ hours at least...

[HAL Pilot]

I had almost identical issue on an EMP skin. Van's recommendation was to clean up the hole flatten it and add two new rivets either side.


Sterling Langrell sterling@vansaircraft.com via vansaircraftcom.onmicrosoft.com
Mon, Nov 20, 2017, 8:43 AM
to me

This is not as big if a deal as you may think. Deburr this problem area so there is no chance of cracking over time. Dimple and rivet the correct hole location as normal and add an additional rivet in either direction as shown below. If you don’t like the idea of having a blemished part on the top skin it should be possible to add a replacement in with your wing kit.



Sterling

[sloengineer]

I spent a lot of time examining our 1980 C-172 before we started building to "calibrate" my eyes and mind on what's industry standard building and repair practice. We homebuilders are hand crafting our aircraft in a very intimate manner, up close and personal to every dimple and rivet. Often times we are more critical than necessary. Obviously one must consider the loads on the part, spars are more critically loaded than a skin. But if it were my aircraft, I'd give myself permission to have a good 30 minute rant, clean up the blemish such that there are no stress raising sharps, add a couple back up rivets and build on. After paint and body work, it would be golden. Put the event in my mental toolbox of learning.