De-riveting skin without damage??

rv72004 · #1 03-14-2007, 08:02 AM

Is it possible or improbable to remove [derivet] a whole wing skin without damaging / enlarging the holes in the ribs ???
Or will I end up with a bunch of oops rivets ?
EJ

JonJay · #2 03-14-2007, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv72004

Is it possible or improbable to remove [derivet] a whole wing skin without damaging / enlarging the holes in the ribs ???
Or will I end up with a bunch of oops rivets ?
EJ

Very doable. Make sure you are using the proper technique; do not drill through the whole rivet, only the head. Use a proper punch to gently pry/snap off the head. The rivet should fall right out, once the head is off. If it doesn't, move on. When the skin is finally off, you can clean up the ribs.
It will be a lot of work, but probably not as bad as you might think.

I must ask why your would do this though.

TSwezey · #3 03-14-2007, 08:45 AM

Use a little smaller drill bit maybe a 41 instead of a 40. And follow previous posters instructions.

pierre smith · #4 03-14-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonJay

Very doable.
I must ask why your would do this though.

Jonjay,
I bought a -4 empennage sight unseen for a really good price, already built. After a more thorough examination, almost all the rivets on one skin of the stab were not down flush (on the spar) and if I shaved them, wouldn't have enough head left. Solution....a few hours work drilling them out and re-rivetting.

Regards,

cytoxin · #5 03-14-2007, 10:46 AM

the holes will get bigger in the thin stuff like ribs. .025 or less seems to be a pain. they simply stretch when the rivet is driven. can be done however with little or no problem if done with care.....

thallock · #6 03-14-2007, 11:04 AM

So, the concensus is that this can be done, if you are careful. The real question is why? Come on, EJ, we all want to know. This is like a support group. You know, hello, my name is Tracy, and I punched holes in my wing skin with the C-Frame (actually, I dd it to my tanks, ouch!). So, EJ, what's your story?

Cheers,
Tracy.

rvator51 · #7 03-14-2007, 12:38 PM

One reason is if the rear spar attach hole to the fuselage is incorrect which makes your wing angle of incidence wrong. If you make a new rear spar attach bracket, you have to remove part of the skin to get access to rivet it back on. Dont ask how I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thallock

So, the concensus is that this can be done, if you are careful. The real question is why? Come on, EJ, we all want to know. This is like a support group. You know, hello, my name is Tracy, and I punched holes in my wing skin with the C-Frame (actually, I dd it to my tanks, ouch!). So, EJ, what's your story?

Cheers,
Tracy.

N941WR · #8 03-14-2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv72004

...will I end up with a bunch of oops rivets ?
EJ

Don't use oops rivets, the small head can pull through. If you need to upsize the hole to 30, then dimple the hole with a pop-rivet dimpler and put the larger rivet in. Not a big deal.

Good luck.