Priming rivets

[Jeff R]

Is it desirable to go back and spot prime the rivets after riveting? How susceptible are bare rivets to corrosion inside the structure? We prime alcad, which is not all that susceptible, but what about the rivets?

[osxuser]

I wouldn't bother... It doesn't seem worth it. I've never seen corrosion on just the heads of rivets.

[Guy Prevost]

See this thread in the archives: http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...sivated+rivets

[Jeff R]

Thanks, but I am not talking about priming the rivets prior to installing them, only after they have been installed. As for the passivation, isn't that a surface treatment and after the rivets have been squeezed, is somwhat lost?

It just seems that if we prime alcad, then why not passivated rivets after they have been pounded and have lost some of that corrosion protection? However, if there is no real record of rivets corroding, including in coastal areas, then that is good enough for me. I sure don't want to be dabbing on primer over my freshly bucked/squeezed rivets.

[milt]

Primer adds weight. You might think "not that much" ... but it will add up. Just had a tech inspection of one wing before close and the only comment made by the inspector was "don't prime so much" ... we had, but won't on the second wing and fuse.