Back Riveting Side Skins

Hi all,

Have any of you tried back riveting the side skins to the stringers? What are your thoughts about this?

Thanks

Back riveting

SteVanZ10 said:

Hi all,

Have any of you tried back riveting the side skins to the stringers? What are your thoughts about this?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Not a 10 but I did. Sweetie held the back rivet bar and I ran the gun inside.

I did it for most of the tailcone side skins. I went a step further and used a C-frame which made every rivet nearly perfect! (EAA has a video on this technique.)

For some reason I tend to smear the shop head occasionally when I back rivet.

I wish I did!

Back riveting those skins is the way to go. You will probably need to relieve the bulkhead cut outs to install the skins as they will be fairly stiff after riveting but apparently Van's says this is ok...

For general information (I'm sure it's been raised before) Back riveting in commercial/certificated use isn't compliant without special procedures.

I understand this is related to poor dimpling/riveting practices. You have to be "spot on" with the flush rivet height in order to insure design clinch and insure strength and fatigue resistance.

YMMV

I made use of back riveting in all the places where this form of setting rivets
presented a convenience and or superior results.
For the most part that means back riveting on a table for structures like flap skins etc. as well as an occasional spot on the airframe where access is limited and back riveting improved access and the quality of the final riveted assembly.
Riveting the skins to the stringers is a fairly easy job and back riveting would seem to complicate some parts of it.
A perfectly set rivet cannot be improved by back riveting. Those are my thoughts
and to answer your question, no I did not consider back riveting the parts in question.

So I did in fact back rivet 95% of the side skin rivets to the stringers and bulkheads and it turned out great.

Backriveted mine. I have a plate inset on a small table - had to be careful to stay over the plate and ensure the parts are held firmly flush on the plate. I have pretty good luck if I hold the backrivet set centered over the rivet with my off hand to make sure the set didn't wander - which routinely can clinch the rivet or at least make a deformed shop head where the rivet would creep between the metal part of the set and the plastic collar.

Also got a few more scratches on the skin than I wanted (>0) keep the table and skins clean.

Meh. Back riveting is "a" way but not "the" way. It doesn't produce a better or safer RV. My advice is use the method that you find most comfortable and provides the desired results and press. If that's back riveting, then great.

Wish Someone Had Advised Me Earlier In My Build

I recommend back riveting any of the skins you can. It generally makes the rivet to skin surface flusher. My experience is that normal riveting of the skins puts a slight to medium dimple in the skin. Get one of those hand held back riveting bars. I believe Cleveland part # is BB`46, mine is Avery. I did not start riveting this way but by the time, I got to the fuselage skins someone had disclosed this secret too pretty work. Also did not use the back rivet set for this technique. Just used the side of a flush set with the rubber guard.

Eulice Curington
RV-10 N104EW
Painting

ecurington said:

It generally makes the rivet to skin surface flusher.

Click to expand...

Flusher? Really?? Maybe you perceive it that way, it's your technique, or tools, but I don't think the physics of riveting supports that position. In my own build I back riveted one wing skin and traditionally riveted all of the others. If I told you to go pick which one was back-riveted you'd just be guessing as to which one it is as they all look outwardly the same.

The one thing I do like abut back riveting is it can be done solo. But produce a better rivet? Not in my experience - YMMV.....

Could be my technique. I have only built on plane. But after talking to several show winners about the riveting technique, I found them using the back riveting technique when ever possible. And I found their rivets to be superior. I was sold and have converted to this technique when ever possible.

Curious about the physics you refer to as supporting conventional riveting. Seems to me if you are using a flat bar on the surface to support the flat surface you would be better able to maintain a flat surface vs banging on the surface with a rivet set.

Anyway, didn't want to start a primer war, just stating my experience and presenting options. Agreed, use what ever technique produces the best results for you.

Eulice Curington
RV-10 N104EW
Painting