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A riveting conundrum

Veetail88

Well Known Member
I've run into a problem with some rivets. Having riveted on the mojority of the top forward fuselage skin, I've worked down to the last row of rivets that run horizontally along the top longeron. The problem is that I cannot get a bucking bar on some rivets that fall very close to the nuts that hold the windshield/rollbar weldment on.



The little black nubs are the tips of the clecoes that are temp holding the skin down. When I slide a rivet in, I can't get a bucking bar to the tail of the rivets because of the nuts. I can't get the nuts off because I can't get at the bolt heads because the skin I'm riveting on is in the way.

I thought about cherrymax rivets, but they don't make any that are structural or long enough in a -3 size.

I thought about a screw and nut, but I don't believe I can get a nut on, leastwise not a locking variety.

I thought about flipping the bolts over as the heads are thinner than the nut, but I'd have to drill out most of the rivets in the skin to get it out of the way so I could do that, and I'm afraid I'd really booger it up that way.

Anyone run into this? Am I missing something?

I know this probably isn't right, but can I tap a hole in the longeron and put screws in there with thread locking compound?

I'd like to find a good solution as I can't really get behind the majority of the rivets in that line between the radio bay as there's a lot of stuff in there that will keep me from getting a bucking bar in there as well.

Help.:eek:
 
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I would take one nut & bolt out at a time rivet, then re-fit the nut & bolt.
Or, do you have a back rivet plate ? use that as your bucking bar.
You will find a way. :)
 
Conundrum

Did this about 2 years ago and resorted to a few -4 Cherrymax rivets. These worked fine and are not disturbing visually. Good luck!
 
Don't know if this would help but had a tight bucking bar event on my empennage. I placed a wood chisel tip on the shop end and drove down on the chisel, near the rivet, while a back plate, or assistance with a bucking bar, supported the machine end.
 
Rivet problem

I think the plans show the nuts on top in this area . That is the way I installed mine , all driven rivets including te gear towers .
Tom.
 
Back rivet

Use whatever you have handy to beat the shop head down while holding a bar on the head. More control and more power exactly where you want it. The tightest one looks like a screw driver or pry bar would fit, then beat on that. I slightly shorter rivet would be o.k.
You could open them up to a #30 and install a CR3214-4 rivet as well (opps cherry rivet)
 
You could also use soft rivets, which would be a lot easier to buck, for those that are the hardest to get at. You could check with VAN's, but it probably isn't an issue for so few rivets.
Good luck.
 
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