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Are vans AN426AD3-3 rivets long enough?

Kobwo

Active Member
Good morning!

I'm working on the practice kit before driving my first rivet on the tail kit. As I put the two dimpled skins together and place a 3-3 rivet in the hole it shows up being short on my rivet checker a little bit. After riveting to get the shop head slightly larger than the size of the hole on the checker (per Cleveland's instructions), the shop head doesn't protrude out of the dimple enough to give the proper height. Is this normal?

Cheers,
 
Thanks for the link. The shop head diameter is good to go, however, when I get it to 1.5, it doesn't protrude enough. I guess 3.5's will be just right.

Cheers

And once you get started on the actual kit, there are a handful of places where the called-for rivet is either too short or too long and you'll need a different one. By the time you get there you'll be able to "eyeball it" and know what you need. About midway through the wingkit you'll get to a point where you can reach into a blind space and feel it without being able to see it and know if it's good or not.
 
On the RV-10, the plans call out 3-3's for the Rudder and the Aileron stiffeners. IIRC there's a handful of other locations as well, but these are the two big ones.
 
.016

Todd,

Thanks,
I forgot about the rudder skins on the RV10. The skins are .016,,,, I think?
Always Get some 3-3s in every kit and do not use them. I have only built one 10 .. lots of RV8s and 7s though,,,, no 3-3s that I remember in those.
 
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Hi Jay,

Thanks again for letting me visit for a little hands on experience during the holidays. I learned a lot.

As for the 3-3 in the -7 plans, I don't know where they are called out yet, as I just finished the practice kit tonight.

However, I have a bin that has 3-3 rivets that are supplied from Van's for the tail.

DSC_0011.jpg



Cheers,
 
I think I used them to plug the "holes to nowhere" on my fuselage skins for prepunched holes that aren't used on my model (steps, etc.).

If you don't prime I think they can be used on the rudder skins.
 
I am working on my left elevator (RV-9) and the plans call for 426 3-3 rivets for the stiffeners. When I measure from the dimple(bottom) to the end of the rivet there is only @ .100 and 1.5 times the diameter should be @ .140 I am questioning wether to use them or go to 426 3-3.5 which would give the 1.5 times the diameter. Any thoughts?
 
I just riveted my rudder stiffeners last week on my 7 and 3-3's were used. Turned out to be some of the best to date with the back rivet set.
 
I am working on my left elevator (RV-9) and the plans call for 426 3-3 rivets for the stiffeners. When I measure from the dimple(bottom) to the end of the rivet there is only @ .100 and 1.5 times the diameter should be @ .140 I am questioning wether to use them or go to 426 3-3.5 which would give the 1.5 times the diameter. Any thoughts?

The .5 X 1.5 (thickness X diameter) rule is actually a guide line, not a rule.

The rule is a Mil Spec that was already refered to earlier in this thread. You can find it Here Refer to Table III

If this Mil Spec is used instead of the general guide line to evaluate the rivet size, the 3-3 rivets are of proper length in this application based on the size of the finished shop head, and they are easier to back rivet properly (the primary reason that are called out for this location)
 
RV-10 stiffeners with 3-3s

I just finished back riveting the stiffeners on an RV-10 rudder with 3-3s and I had to drill one out due to the shop head not having enough depth or being over driven. The shop heads are generally on the short side overall.

I primed one side of the rudder skin and both sides of the stiffener with AKZO two-part epoxy and think a 3-3.5 would have given me a little more margin.

The 3-3s are on the edge of either being under squeezed or slightly over squeezed. If you get them to fit tight in the gauge or just over they looked pretty good. Not much margin for error though.

I think I'll use 3-3.5s for the ailerons even if Vans calls for 3-3s.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PbOzgplYamzEcgiU9mR5jZRng9s4j0UI/view?usp=sharing
 
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