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Critique please

Code10

Member
I started the practice kit today. It was a great learning experience. I have two questions. I had some oilcanning on the lap joint. I started riveting from one end and moved to the other. I think the oilcanning is from some error stacking from my new guy match drilling. The second is the two flush rivets on the angle. There is a gap between the angle and sheet. I feel this is from to shallow machine countersink on the angle.. Thoughts and thanks.

Brian
 

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Critique

Not sure I would call that oil canning. Once all the parts are riveted, wavy stuff like that usually lays down flat. Oil canning is a lanel that doesn't lay flat after assembly. You press down on one spot and it pops up in another.
I would recommend the Mil-Spec table and a caliper. Some rivets look a tad over driven. Just a visual.
The second is a classic separation. For whatever reason the two pieces separated and the rivet probably swelled between. Easiest way to prevent is a tiny piece of rubber hose. You cut a doughnut slightly longer than the undriven shank. Place over the shop side. As you drive, it forces the parts together.
Keep at it.
 
I think you are pressing way too hard with the gun on the first picture. .you can see the metal getting stretched out of its regular dimension. For the second picture, you don't have the parts flush to each other. Get someone to show you how to rivet so you don't practice bad habits! You'll get there. Meanwhile, youtube and buy another practice kit. Drill out all thethe bad ones on here, maybe remake that aluminum skin that got all stretched and keep trying!
 
Countersunk too lightly

On the 2nd picture, it looks like flush rivets on the right end, with what I would assume is a machine countersink in the joint. You could machine countersink a little more to get the sheet to lay flush against the structure underneath.
 
Brian,
Do you have a local EAA chapter that has active builders you could join? Watching videos can be of help, but there is nothing like having a knowledgeable fellow RV builder standing next to you explaining, demonstrating, and coaching you along as you learn the acceptable practices in drilling, de-burring, countersinking, and all forms of riveting. You do not want to make those mistakes shown in the photos when you start on your expensive empennage kit, and at this point, you don't know what you don't know.
 
In the first picture, where the flush rivet edge is kicked up, it could be a common problem due to the dimple dies stretching the aluminum when the dimple is formed. It is usually most noticeable in a long line of dimpled holes along a thin edge.
The way to counteract this is, prior to riveting, put a very slight bend into the edge of the thin aluminum so that when the pieces are pressed together they lay flat.
 
For the countersunk parts - read chapter 5! (I think this comes with the practice kit, if not it will with the big kit).

It states to countersink 0.007 inches (7clicks on a microstop - which you for sure should have) deeper than perfectly flush.

There is TONS of posts on here about making a dimple coupon and countersinking until you get to flush. This can lead to too deep countersinks.

Vans did a bunch of experiments with c/s depth and came up with the 0.007 number. This will almost always mean that there is somewhat of a gap between the dimpled part and the c/s'd part. You will find lots of posts on here about how someone contacted vans about this gap and they said it was fine.
 
Thank you for all the answers and feedback. As with any new skill, I am figuring it out. I still have a few months before the tail kit arrives. I will practice until then.
 
Practice is key, and you can make your own "rivet practice kit".

For the purpose of practicing, the aluminum doesn't have to be aviation grade, though I think it's actually cheaper to pick up the TRIM BUNDLE, EMP / ASSORTED SHEET METAL from Van's and experiment.
 

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