riveting skins - every hole in order or between clecos?

[IowaRV9Dreamer]

We're riveting top skins on both wings (there are lots of rivets ). The plans say to start at the center of each skin and work out. My question involves the order of riveting / cleco removal.

We're starting with a cleco in every other hole. Up till now, we've been starting in the center of a rib, working rivet by rivet in one direction at a time (up or down), moving a cleco out of the way most every time. The cleco moving part is very time consuming.

Would it work out OK to just shoot all the open holes in a rib (which would be every other hole, not filled by a cleco), then pull the clecos and shoot the remaining holes? Then repeat on the next section (spar, next rib, etc). I'd still be working from the center out on an overall basis, but there would be a lot less messing around with clecos. I think this would be a lot quicker.

I've searched the forums but couldn't find anything relevant. My gut feel is that this would be fine, but I don't want to have saggy or rippled skins to save a bit of time.

I feel kind of stupid for even asking such a basic question at this point, but my wife & I would appreciate anything that makes it go a bit easier.

Thanks!

[Bob Axsom]

I clecloed every hole then removed then one at a time as I replaced them with a rivet eccept the wing skins that had to be rolled back and worked around as each rivet was installed. The order and strategy was very important there just to get the rivets installed but everywhere else the order was unimportant so long as everything was held in perfect alignment by a clecoe in every unriveted hole. I bought hundreds of silver clecoes and maybe 50-100 bronze ones. Time was not the critical issue with me but everyone has their own priorities. When you are as far along as you are your gut is usually a pretty good guide.

Bob Axsom

[vmirv8bldr]

I clecoed every other hole, but riveted in order. This drastically reduces arm fatigue and cleco blisters.

Rivet.
Move Cleco to next hole.
Rivet
Remove Cleco.
Rivet.
Lather, rinse, repeat.

That way there was a rivet or cleco in the adjacent hole at all times. (Except along the spar, the flush head will not fit beteen clecos.)

[milt]

Just finshed the right wing last night ... finally. It varies. I would say every other hole or every other two holes.

Fuse arrived today ... man is that crate heavy!

[IowaRV9Dreamer]

Originally Posted by vmirv8bldr

I
Rivet.
Move Cleco to next hole.
Rivet
Remove Cleco.
Rivet.
Lather, rinse, repeat.

That way there was a rivet or cleco in the adjacent hole at all times. (Except along the spar, the flush head will not fit beteen clecos.)

I was thinking of going from:
Cleco
(empty)
Cleco
(empty)
Cleco
(empty)

to:
cleco
rivet
cleco
rivet
cleco
rivet

and then to all rivets. I think the flush head fits between clecos. I stilll always have a cleco or a rivet next to the one being riveted. The advantage would be that I don't have to move any clecos, just pull them all out at once (for a rib or a section). Maybe I'm the only one lazy enough to think this is a good idea....

[jferraro17]

Dave-

That's how I did mine too. No oil canning or anything wrong that I can see at this point as a result.

Joe

[Mel]

This process works fine if you are working in a warm environment. If you are riveting in a cold environment, the skin will be in a "shrunken" state and you may get waviness when it gets hot. In the old days many of us heated the skins while riveting resulting in drum tight skins regardless of temperatures.

[kentb]

Originally Posted by Mel

In the old days many of us heated the skins while riveting resulting in drum tight skins regardless of temperatures.

That is what makes your plane so HOT!

Kent

[Rick6a]

Dave,

I routinely 100% cleco. That might seem like overkill to some but there is a method to my madness. I prefer to shoot AND buck all rivets unless it is physically impossible for me to do it solo. For instance, when I built the wings on the current project, there were only 40 or so holes per wing, located on the upper outboard wing skins (shown in the photo) that I simply could not reach by myself, forcing me to ask for help. When reaching around or inside the wing structure, there are many times you cannot see the rivet you are about to buck. I use those cleco buttons as a reference. Guided mostly by feel, when I feel one side of my small bucking bar up against the tip of an adjacent cleco, I know I am centered over the rivet I mean to buck. After the rivet is shot, I remove the cleco in the next hole, load the hole with a rivet......and so on.

[IowaRV9Dreamer]

Rick - that is impressive workmanship. We had great results with my wife shooting while I bucked. I know if I tried to do it myself it would have been dent-city! I'm very impressed with your riveting, and also with your blue plastic removal.

Makes me feel inadequte!