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Accidentally dimpled a new hole through the skin

SantosDumont

Well Known Member
Is this oops salvageable? Or am I buying a new horizontal stabilizer skin?

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https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=cHQ2T19ZdHRwcW9hS0VzVld3VjQ0cG9hcDFRT2JB
 
The typical fix for something like this (it happens) is to flatten the stray dimple and then insert 2 new rivets either side, spaced mid-way to the next rivet in the line.
The figure 8 hole can be filled in later on with epoxy, before painting.
 
I’d buy a new skin, but that is just me.

A repair might be:
- Add a 0.032” doubler behind that rivet hole, extending to the rivets on each side (so the doubler has three rivets in it.
- Drill out the one bad hole (and the doubler) to 1/8” and dimple the skin and doubler to 1/8”. The doubler other holes are dimpled to 3/32” to match the skin dimples.

No one will notice the one larger rivet in the skin.

Carl
 
I'd put a rivet in the "normal" hole, flatten the extra hole, and add a rivet on either side of the normal hole. Whoever you get to paint it will take care of the cosmetics. I'm pretty sure that was the factory advice I received 25 years ago.
 
I did just the same on my horizontal about 20 years ago. Fixed it like Paul & kyle said and it is there yet today after 17 years and 600+ hours. It just blends in with all the other rivets.

Dick DeCramer
RV6 N500DD
Faribault, MN
 
Maybe it's just the photo, but the holes in general do not look very crisply dimpled. The immediately surrounding skin should lay very flat.

How are you dimpling these? I assume with a C-Frame.

Michael-
 
I agree with the above about these dimples not being made hard enough. You don’t want the pillowing around the holes like this. Search for Cleaveland tool dimple videos. Ask around for some mentors in your area, or see about taking a class, it’ll make your build go more enjoyable to get some pointers!
 
Rather than placing multiple rivets, another option is to oversize the hole and rivet, either with an “oops” rivet, or just go to the next size up that engulfs the incorrect hole.

What you’ve done is a pretty common error, so you’re not alone. Slow down the dimpling process and be sure you’re in the hole visually each time and you’ll be fine.
 
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Maybe it's just the photo, but the holes in general do not look very crisply dimpled. The immediately surrounding skin should lay very flat.

How are you dimpling these? I assume with a C-Frame.

Michael-

I'm using a DRDT2. I guess I needed to adjust the strength. I did that, then redimpled a few of them and it looks crisper.
 
I'm curious how you managed to do that with a DRDT2. I ask so I can try to avoid following in your footsteps.
 
The above advice to upsize until you fill the mistake is what I would generally do, assuming you aren’t going up to a #6 size or something that you cannot flatten.

If you go with the flatten dimple, drill both sides, and re-rivet approach, I suggest adding a bit a epoxy, like JB Weld, in the area BEFORE you rivet between the pieces, so the whole “oops” area has both the repair rivets and a spread of adhesive inside. I would rather fill the oops from the inside out than just fill it after the fact before painting.
 
Back in the days when I was building Vans included a special rivet for mishaps like that. You had to sift through thousands of them to find it though... Nowadays, sorry you have to buy the whole new empennage kit... :D

funny_rivett.jpg


Edit to add; Just kidding keep pounding I guarantee the tail will stay attached for 5,300+ hours at least...
 
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I had almost identical issue on an EMP skin. Van's recommendation was to clean up the hole flatten it and add two new rivets either side.


Sterling Langrell [email protected] via vansaircraftcom.onmicrosoft.com
Mon, Nov 20, 2017, 8:43 AM
to me

This is not as big if a deal as you may think. Deburr this problem area so there is no chance of cracking over time. Dimple and rivet the correct hole location as normal and add an additional rivet in either direction as shown below. If you don’t like the idea of having a blemished part on the top skin it should be possible to add a replacement in with your wing kit.



Sterling
 
To err is human....

I spent a lot of time examining our 1980 C-172 before we started building to "calibrate" my eyes and mind on what's industry standard building and repair practice. We homebuilders are hand crafting our aircraft in a very intimate manner, up close and personal to every dimple and rivet. Often times we are more critical than necessary. Obviously one must consider the loads on the part, spars are more critically loaded than a skin. But if it were my aircraft, I'd give myself permission to have a good 30 minute rant, clean up the blemish such that there are no stress raising sharps, add a couple back up rivets and build on. After paint and body work, it would be golden. Put the event in my mental toolbox of learning.
 
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