leading edge

[billdianne]

I just finished riveting the leading edge ( Rv8) and put it on the spar along with
the tank. The skin on the top of the leading edge looks wavy around the rivets, like circular depressions around each rivet when a light shines on them, not creased like a smiley, just a bending of the light. The Tank looks fine. Is this just the difference between the skin thickness, .032 for the tank and .025 for the skin? I think maybe I'm being too critical and should stop shining lights on the surface but I thought I would ask if any body else has noticed this. Thanks for any input.

[Brantel]

Normal for the tank to look smoother than the leading edge. Thickness mostly but I think the sealant adds to the smoothness.

[Rick S.]

You can make the joint look better but not after it is riveted. Prior to riveting the skin put a very mild bend on the skin edge facing towards the spar. As the skin is riveted the bend flattens and keeps the edge tight against the spar. Make sure to place the bend prior to dimpling, especially if your using one of the tools instead of a hand seamer.

Avery and Cleaveland both make a tool to make this bend. I have used the Cleaveland and a hand seamer to make the bend. It works well any place you have an lap joint or need the edge to fit tight. It was a tip from the George O. Videos.

[N674P]

Do you mean wavy along the edge like Rick reads you, or do you mean depression completely around each rivet like I think you mean?
Rick's right on re: the edge of sheets. For dimples that don't have a "crisp" edge there has been discussion on the forums before.
Arguments have been made that the best dimples are made with a C-frame and hammer, and a DRDT-2 or squeezers just won't do the job. Also, cheap dies don't help - quality "spring back" dimple dies (like from Avery) are the only way to go.
On pneumatic squeezers and the DRDT-2 adjust the dies snug together without aluminum between them. Not under tremendous pressure, but enough your fingers can't twist them. The extra pressure comes when there is metal between the dies. Then pulling the handle all the way on the DRDT or "slapping" the trigger on the pneumatic squeezer makes very good dimples.
You won't have those wavy depressions - you'll hardly notice anything, especially after paint!

I should say that I've occaisionaly seen a surface on an RV that look like the dimples were machine countersunk - perfectly flat from skin to rivet. It's possible those were done with a C-frame, and that's what the purists are talking about!