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RV-3B Bottom wing skins double or single rivet?

Basco

Member
Hello everyone, I've got a slow build wing question. Sketch 36 in the plans only shows one line of rivets where the two bottom wing skins join together at the rib. All the other RVs have two rows of rivets, and there is enough skin to provide the second row. If the second row was needed I would assume it would have been updated on the 3-B plans, but it still shows 1 row. Any suggestions? I don't want to do extra work if it not needed. Thanks
 
On mine, it appears as if I used a double row. The wings are at the hangar and I'm at home, so I can't easily have a look. But here's a photo from my VAF blog:

Overlap Joint.png

We're looking at the aft tapered corner of one of the skins, and that sure looks like a widely-spaced double row of rivets. The trailing edge is at the bottom of the photo.

Sorry, that's the best I can do at the moment.

Dave
 
My 3B has a double row on the bottom skin joint. If I remember correctly the inboard skin is barely long enough to have a double row and maintain adequate edge distance on the innermost rib. Measure carefully for both the double row spacing and the inboard edge distance. This is another area where it is best not to trust the plans.
 
As you have probably noticed, the RV3 plans are pretty rudimentary compared to the newer models. My plans do not show the bottom skins in the drawings, just the top; however, I have incorporated som RV8 style upgrades, as have others. This includes doing the double row of rivets where the two bottom skins overlap.
In my opinion, it wasn’t that much extra work and adds additional strength to the joint. The skins I had were large enough to allow the double row without any problem.
The pictures below show the lay out and the riveting. It’s hard to tell from the photo ( this photo might have been taken before all the riveting was done) but I was able to use Solid rivets for all except the 12 rivets on the inboard row closest to the trailing edge, which ended up being blind rivets.
 

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As you have probably noticed, the RV3 plans are pretty rudimentary compared to the newer models. My plans do not show the bottom skins in the drawings, just the top; however, I have incorporated som RV8 style upgrades, as have others. This includes doing the double row of rivets where the two bottom skins overlap.
In my opinion, it wasn’t that much extra work and adds additional strength to the joint. The skins I had were large enough to allow the double row without any problem.
The pictures below show the lay out and the riveting. It’s hard to tell from the photo ( this photo might have been taken before all the riveting was done) but I was able to use Solid rivets for all except the 12 rivets on the inboard row closest to the trailing edge, which ended up being blind rivets.

When you do your next one, stagger the rivets in the double row so that they are not directly in line with each other.
 
When you do your next one, stagger the rivets in the double row so that they are not directly in line with each other.

Well, I thought about that when I was laying it out, and I see your point, but since I had plenty of separation and the RV8 wing uses parallel rows like this I just went that way.
 
I used a single row with approx. 5/8 inch spacing. The bottom closeout sheet provided was not long enough for a double row. It was just barely long enough for the 1/2 inch overhang for tip attachment.

41CBE7DA-59EC-4AA9-A5D0-4A4010B0B669.jpg
 
Thanks everyone, I’ve already started drilling the second row of rivets. It really does seem like that was the intent with the extra provided skin. Thanks for the responses!
 
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