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RV-10 Forward Side Skin Riveting

Blizzard

Active Member
Finishing up Section 29 riveting forward side skins. There are 2 rivets at the most forward end of the forward fuselage longeron on each side that I can't get any bucking bar I have to fit. Even the modified elevator bar doesn't fit. There is a gusset there that is causing the tight fit. Looking for a solution.
Tempted to use a blind rivet for those two and fill later. Thanks
 

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I don’t remember those as problematic, but would have been at least ten years ago whenI riveted those. My tungsten bar was smaller than the traditional steel bars. I also purchased a variety of bars over the course of the build, several of which I modified.

I wouldn’t use a blind rivet. They will be visible if you do. My advice would be to purchase or make a bar that will get the job done.
 
Finishing up Section 29 riveting forward side skins. There are 2 rivets at the most forward end of the forward fuselage longeron on each side that I can't get any bucking bar I have to fit. Even the modified elevator bar doesn't fit. There is a gusset there that is causing the tight fit. Looking for a solution.
Tempted to use a blind rivet for those two and fill later. Thanks

I used two blind rivets in that spot on mine. 2 things to watch for...

1) Make sure to get "structural" rivets that will have the shear strength needed.
2) Make sure to get ones long enough to give adequate shoulder on back side.

If I remember right, these are 3/32nd holes. I ended up putting a 1/8 rivet in to meet strength and length needs. They sat "very slightly" proud, but a little filler before paint took care of that.
 
I probably spent more time on those two rivets than the rest of that skin! I would try something and fail probably 10 times or more.

My final solution was not pretty but it worked. I used a piece of 1/2" square steel I had in the shop that I laid into the channel. I then placed a regular bucking bar against that with some finger tip pressure on the forward end. I then did my best to be in three places at once while squeezing the gun and contorting my hand to hold onto my contraption inside the channel. I way have used some foam wedges to help hold it into place until the pounding started as well. The tough part was that the steel was not dense enough so it took multiple times to get setup, squeeze, the whole contraption fell apart, and reset.
 
I also used a piece of steel with a heavy bucking bar behind it. Had someone else operate the gun and it worked fine.
 
I used two blind rivets in that spot on mine. 2 things to watch for...

1) Make sure to get "structural" rivets that will have the shear strength needed.
2) Make sure to get ones long enough to give adequate shoulder on back side.

If I remember right, these are 3/32nd holes. I ended up putting a 1/8 rivet in to meet strength and length needs. They sat "very slightly" proud, but a little filler before paint took care of that.

Roger that.

Call me ornery but I've never fully understood the need to drive rivets in every hole, when / where a blind rivet might work just as well. They're easy to fill in and I haven't found them to be cosmetically objectionable. And what if the driven rivet is imperfect? (more likely when improvising a bucking bar) Drilling them out usually leads to "even less" perfect results.

Not to mention the time spent. If there is adequate grip range, I'm going with the blind rivet without a second thought. Or even better - make a 1/8 rivet work and go with CherryMax.
 
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Thanks everyone that commented. Glad I'm not the only one that struggled with these 4 rivets. I eventually ground down the long bucking bar until it fit in that space and made it work. I'm really glad I'm just about done with Section 29!
 
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