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Forgotten mistake - opinions needed

majuro15

Well Known Member
I vaguely remember botching a rivet on the aileron a long time ago. While re-installing them after doing the bottom skins, I saw it and now need to fix it. Question is, what's the best way? It is the last rivet on the inboard side closest to the trailing edge on the top skin.

image-e1481077103953.jpeg


This is with an "oops" rivet just resting in the hole. It doesn't fill it up, as the hole was double dimpled.

image-1-e1481077018996.jpeg
 
That looks a bit big to just drill out and upsize. If you can't get a clean hole as Carl is suggesting, put a rivet on each side, observing edge and hole spacing, and fill the hole before you paint.
You won't notice that later either.
 
That looks a bit big to just drill out and upsize. If you can't get a clean hole as Carl is suggesting, put a rivet on each side, observing edge and hole spacing, and fill the hole before you paint.
You won't notice that later either.

Agree. I had the same thought.
 
Yeah it's already drilled out to a #30 hence the oops river. I think I'll have to go with a river on each side and filling the hole. Good idea on that.
 
Having a hard time envisioning putting a "rivet on each side" of the damage so that it fixes this.

When your done a followup picture would be nice.
 
Having a hard time envisioning putting a "rivet on each side" of the damage so that it fixes this.

When your done a followup picture would be nice.

He's going to drill two new holes; one on each side of the bad hole, then install a rivet in each of those holes and fill the bad hole with goop, cure and sand.
 
Thanks Mike - I guess my post left me open to Mr. Obvious. :p

My concern was more the rivet spacing and cleaning up the existing hole - oversized to eliminate rough edges. Wondering how it all fits in the constraints.
 
I'll post a post repair picture. Checked with my sheet metal guys at work, and they said to flatten the dimple, drill out larger to clean the hole and put a small "backer" plate behind the rib to cap the hole and provide a surface for micro to cling to. Place a rivet on each side (essentially spacing them closer together) and let it ride.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
Deburring

Keep in mind drilling a new hole or holes in the assembly would not allow for deburring (stress risers). Then dimpling the assembly might cause cracks :confused:. Of couse you could remove many rivets and drill and debur the new holes hole, dimple and reassemble.

I don't particullary recommend flatening and redimpling. I would consider making a backing plate as recommended. Ues JB weld in the "drilled dimpled" existing hole and install a backing plate with a cleco "lubed". Let cure, remove the cleco remove and JB weld from dimple and rivet either an Opps rivet or a pulled rivet.

Food for thought.
 
That's an interesting issue: What do you do about deburring the inboard edges of 2 sheets of metal already sandwhiched together when you drill them? I know you can take precautions (light pressure, using a reamer), but there would still be a slight bur or sharp edge.
 
If it were mine.....

I would get between the two pieces with some fine sand paper to roughen up the surfaces and use JB Weld to bond them together. Making sure to fill the hole. Use a paint stir stick, covered with packing tape, to lightly clamp them together while curing. (Lay the paint stick flat on top and use a couple clothes pins or small clamps to hold everything together.
When everything is cured and smoothed out like you like it, drill and countersink for a rivet, in the same repaired hole location. Just use a soft rivet, since the bonding will hold everything together, and squeeze it in so everything looks normal.
JB Weld is great stuff. I use it to bond in NACA vents, empennage tips and other stuff and i have never had issues with any of them over hundreds of hours of flight.
Good luck.
 
So here's what I did...

I started off by using my squeezer and flattening the dimple (what was left of it) out.

IMG_0956-e1481595393416.jpg


I then made a small tab to rivet behind the rib. I marked a new location for an AN426AD3 rivet and used that to secure the tab.

IMG_0959-e1481595377408.jpg


The tab is only to provide a surface for the oops rivet to bite into as well as a backing plat to keep some epoxy with micro in place. I've tried to fill an open hole with JB weld before and it can get popped out, leaving a hole after paint.

Next, I put in the oops rivet after using a counter sink to allow it to sit flush. The backing plate provided an anchor for the countersink. The oops rivet doesn't completely fill the void on the skin, but it's not meant to be structural and I have gone back and filled that with micro and sanded everything smooth. (I also replaced the other rivet shown in the picture, as it was bent and driving me crazy!)

IMG_0961-e1481595335563.jpg


This is not the only way to fix it, I'm sure, but it's what I decided to go with. Hope it helps others out and I appreciate the ideas!
 
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