RV-9 elevator riveting, how do you do it?

[PilotjohnS]

I am at the point of attaching the tip rib to the right elevator spar with the skin already riveted to the top spar. But I cant figure out how to rivet the tip rib to the spar. I can get to the backside of the spar with the rivet gun, but cant get to the front with a bucking bar because the space between the tip rib and the skin is too narrow for a bucking bar. The gun wont reach the rivets from the front of the spar. Any ideas?

I have looked at several builder logs and nobody seemed to mention it as a problem. And the RV9 elevator is different than the RV7.

thanks in advance for the ideas

[krw5927]

Two options:

Since the bottom side of the elevator skin is not yet riveted to the spar, the easiest is to simply un-cleco the bottom side of the skin from the spar and have a helper or some duct tape hold the skin open. In other words, make it look almost exactly like the exploded iso view on dwg 5 (except the bottom skin will be the one not attached to the spar). You can use a squeezer with an appropriate yoke (longeron yoke), or a bucking bar should also be able to be placed there now as well if you'd prefer to use the rivet gun.

The other option is to get/make a bucking bar that will fit in that area. There's nothing super special about bucking bars. Any solid, heavy piece of steel will work. There are other areas of the plane where you may have to get creative with various substitutes for a traditional bucking bar.

[PilotjohnS]

Kurt,
Thanks for the reply. I cant unfurl the skin anymore because it is sandwiched under the counterbalance skin. So either i drill out the counterbalance skin rivets on one side or build a special bucking bar or holder. I was thinking about making a thin aluminum strap holder for the tungsten bucking bar and double sided taping to the bar after the bar is slide through the leading edge space to this end of the spar.

Anymore ideas?

[rvbuilder2002]

The counter balance skin is supposed to be under/inside the main skins.
I that the leading edge already rolled and riveted that is blocking your access?
Per the plans, that is the last thing your are supposed to do.

If you have built into a point where you have produced limited access, getting a proper bucking bar would probably be the choice at this point.

[PilotjohnS]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

The counter balance skin is supposed to be under/inside the main skins.

Oh really. Well all be. That is so much easier. Thanks for the insight. I will go ahead and do it per plans. And send a few bucks more to Doug.
.


About my original post..... never mind.