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flush rivet

D

dspender

Well Known Member
I have the Avery tool kit with the flush swivel rivet set. When I set flush rivets on say the skin, either the alodine surface is smudged or homogeneous scratching takes place from the rivet set. I don't know how to describe it better. It doesn't wipe off with my finger. I didn't try a solvent yet. I have used masking tape or the transparent tape Vans offers to keep the rivet set from contacting the surface, however if any of my flush rivets or slightly proud of the surface, the rivet set directly in contact with them seems to drive them more flush than if they are covered with tape. What causes the marring of the surface when I have no tape in place? Should I prevent that with tape or some other method?
 
rivet set

It's not an expert opinion but I think it's caused by the set rotating. I use book tape or heavy duty package sealing tape. I fold an edge so it's easy to pull. On a long strip of rivets I may have several in use.
I make plenty of mistakes. My plane will not be polished. Painter will hopefully fix my scratches.:eek:
 
Using the flush rivet set directly against aluminum left a marred surface for me too. It drove me nuts. I got a tip from bruceh to use a piece of clear packing tape between the set and the rivet. This eliminated the issue and also helps hold the rivet in place in several instances. Try it and get used to it.
 
If you are referring to "ring" around the dimple, that is completely normal. What I find I need to watch out for is to keep from scratching the skin from the Male Dimple Die.

A picture to describe what you are seeing would help a bunch.
 
I polish my set on the 6" 3M wheel I also use for deburring. Van's blue plastic on the rivet set is as good as packing tape and twice as cheap.
 
Thank for the suggestions. Sometimes my dimples are not uniform and the rivet ends up slightly proud of the skin. When I have the rivet head against the metal without tape it ends up less proud of the surface.
How do I polish the head of the rivet?
 
dspender said:
Thank for the suggestions. Sometimes my dimples are not uniform and the rivet ends up slightly proud of the skin. When I have the rivet head against the metal without tape it ends up less proud of the surface.
How do I polish the head of the rivet?
Click to expand...

I think maybe I'd first try to work on more consistent acceptable dimples. What are you using to dimple? C-frame or DRDT? What dies are you using? Have you tries the spring back dies from cleveland?
 
I have been using the c arm. I didn't know how to use the DRDT with the handle projecting forward and how to get it in tight ie toward the tip of the nose of the skins. Does the handle rotate 180 to allow the tool to get tight into the nose of the skins?
 
I assume you are talking about wing leading edge skins? I did use my DRDT for all leading edge skins but it room some manipulation. The biggest thing was that I put the male die on top and took the DRDT out of my table I built for it so the nose could project out over the table. That way it's the lower arm of the DRDT that projects into the leading edge and your free to work the lever arm.

Just be careful not to let the die create you some extra holes since you won't be able to rest the hole on the male die. Ask me how I know...

I did most of it with no help but with careful placement of some support tables.

Is that what you're asking about?
 
dimples

I think you're talking about the HS skins. KC is right. Don't get in a rush. What ever tool you use will blow a hole right through the skin if not aligned properly. I know too!

I don't have a DRDT. I dimple as much as possible with the c-frame. I used it to dimple the skins in the leading edge area you describe. I use a heavy rubber tire chock to hold the skin open and down so it doesn't move. An extra pair of hands really helps when I dimple those holes near the leading edges. You just have to be careful not to scratch the surface with the male die. The spars and ribs are done with the squeezer. I like the c-frame dimples better. They seem more crisp if that makes sense.
 
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