Stupid Of The Day: I underdimpled a hole

[N546RV]

This is only a problem because I discovered this during assembly. Of the tanks. It's the forwardmost hold on the top side of the skin, and it's barely even bent. Yesterday I did the Galeti fay sealing thing, and today I went to town riveting. Discovered this stupidity as I was about to do the last remaining rivets.

I tried hitting the skin-rib assembly with a pop rivet dimpler, but that had no effect that I could discern. This doesn't really surprise me, since the void between the skin and rib is filled with sealant.

Any ideas how to proceed with this, short of drilling out all those rivets I just set, ripping the rib out, fixing the dimple, and doing the whole thing over again?

[YellowJacket RV9]

I'm thinking you could lightly machine countersink the hole, and shave the rivet if it sits a little proud. The tank skin is pretty thick, and between the number of rivets and the sealant, doubt you will lose too much strength. In fact, on mine I believe I countersunk the tank skins where they attach to the rear baffle, which was one of the accepted options. I'd be more comfortable with that than with drilling out all those rivets.

Chris

[wirejock]

Originally Posted by YellowJacket RV9

I'm thinking you could lightly machine countersink the hole, and shave the rivet if it sits a little proud. The tank skin is pretty thick, and between the number of rivets and the sealant, doubt you will lose too much strength. I'd be more comfortable with that than with drilling out all those rivets.

Chris

Agree. I would not drill out the rib rivets or remove it. Maybe one of those platenut ooops rivets would work. They don't need much of a dimple.

[N546RV]

Originally Posted by wirejock

Agree. I would not drill out the rib rivets or remove it. Maybe one of those platenut ooops rivets would work. They don't need much of a dimple.

Hmm, I like this idea. I suppose my only concern would be that it's at the end of a row, but on the other hand the nose rivet on the tank bottom is pretty close, and everything has all the sealant helping to hold stuff together. (not that it's structural or anything, but I imagine it helps a little bit...)

Oh, and this actually wasn't my only stupid of the day. I also dropped the mini tungsten bucking bar while riveting and made a couple little dents in the skins.

Between that, the dimple, and just the general obnoxiousness of sealant, it's been a frustrating and trying day.

Edit: Oh, I almost forgot, some little O-ring on my rivet gun tore and rendered it nonfunctional. That was the point where I threw my hands up and quit for the day. I might have been able to go get a replacement O-ring, but I was just done with everything for a while.

[wirejock]

Originally Posted by N546RV

Hmm, I like this idea. I suppose my only concern would be that it's at the end of a row, but on the other hand the nose rivet on the tank bottom is pretty close, and everything has all the sealant helping to hold stuff together. (not that it's structural or anything, but I imagine it helps a little bit...)

Oh, and this actually wasn't my only stupid of the day. I also dropped the mini tungsten bucking bar while riveting and made a couple little dents in the skins.

Between that, the dimple, and just the general obnoxiousness of sealant, it's been a frustrating and trying day.

Edit: Oh, I almost forgot, some little O-ring on my rivet gun tore and rendered it nonfunctional. That was the point where I threw my hands up and quit for the day. I might have been able to go get a replacement O-ring, but I was just done with everything for a while.

Maybe someone else will comment on the rivet situation.
I will say, there are moments we all look back and wish we had quit for the day. I've come to recognize that moment and when it comes, I quit.
I use gorilla tape and a bit of string to make a lanyard for the tungsten bar. Last thing I want is a bar dropped in a wing!