Blind riveting on leading edges

Thermos · #1 08-31-2007, 06:09 PM

Hello all,

I'm getting ready to blind rivet the leading edges on to my wing spars. The gap between rivet holes and ribs is pretty small, and for the life of me I can't find a blind rivet puller that I can grind down enough to fit.

For those of you who've done this before, what am I missing? How did you make this work?

Thanks...

Dave

dbuds2 · #2 08-31-2007, 07:19 PM

All the rivets on my LE are normal AN426 counter sunk, bucked rivets. None of them are blind rivets.

IowaRV9Dreamer · #3 08-31-2007, 08:09 PM

Do you mean the skin of the leading edge to the spar or the webs of the leading edge ribs to the spar?

In my 9A, the skin is riveted with 426 flush head rivets (you can squeeze them). The webs of the ribs are trickier, they use AN470AD4 rivets, shot from below and you reach through the holes and buck from above. Not blind rivets, but a bit tricky to do. You'll need an offset rivet set.

Good luck!

dan · #4 08-31-2007, 10:11 PM

The plans call for AN470 rivets. I'm 99% sure he's talking about riveting the leading edge RIBS to the wing spar.

Van's has approved use of pop rivets in those locations (don't hold me to that, get that info directly from Van's to be sure).

The space between holes and the main wing rib webs is very limited, so it's hard to get in there with most pop rivet pullers.

Thermos, I highly recommend trying to shoot & buck solid rivets there. It may take a ground-down double offset rivet set + 2 people, one with skinny arms and really good "visualization" skills, in order to shoot & buck 'em.

Otherwise, ask around among your building buddies and/or EAA chapter for a slim pop rivet puller.

ArlingtonRV · #5 08-31-2007, 11:07 PM

I blind riveted the leading edge on my left wing. I used Avex rivets, the same rivets that Murphy uses throughout the Mosse and other Rebels. I pulled them from inside the leading edge, with the puller forward of the spar. There is a little more room in there. To get into the really tight places, I bought a super cheapy Harbor Freight puller and ground down the nose far enough to have a flat surface to allow the clearance.

On the right wing I am going to try a different method. I plan to rivet the tops of the ribs to the leading edge skin and the forward couple of rivets on the bottom, leaving enough room to gently peel the skin back (much like is done with the bottom main skins) and get a puller on the forward side of the spar. Once that is done, I'll finish off the bottom rib rivets. My thinking here is that it is a lot easier to set 3/32 flush rivets with minimal access than it is to set 1/8 inch button heads.

Just one option.

Steve

Thermos · #6 09-03-2007, 05:56 AM

Sorry for the confusion, Dan is correct - I was referring to the leading edge rib to spar rivets.

Dan, I noticed on your website that you went to blind rivets after getting frustrated with trying to shoot solid rivets in the same area. A friend of mine had the same problem, and wound up with some minor spar damage. What would you do differently if you went back to solids there?

Thanks,

Dave

cytoxin · #7 09-03-2007, 06:06 AM

if you build up your bucking bar with masking tape. all you have to do is lay it on the rivet and it will stabilize itself. you will need an offset rivet set and a helper however. one of the few places i had help.

Sid Lambert · #8 09-03-2007, 07:36 AM

I'd just use blind rivets.

This is an area that is very easily damaged and is very important to the strength of the wing. I think the risk of denting the spar or having to drill out bad rivets is much greater than the loss of strength from using blind rivets.

Check with Van's. I did but you still need to check with them.

alpinelakespilot2000 · #9 09-03-2007, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sid Lambert

I'd just use blind rivets.

This is an area that is very easily damaged and is very important to the strength of the wing. I think the risk of denting the spar or having to drill out bad rivets is much greater than the loss of strength from using blind rivets.

Check with Van's. I did but you still need to check with them.

I completely agree with Sid here.

dan · #10 09-03-2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thermos

Dan, I noticed on your website that you went to blind rivets after getting frustrated with trying to shoot solid rivets in the same area. A friend of mine had the same problem, and wound up with some minor spar damage. What would you do differently if you went back to solids there?

It's not that I'd do anything differently. It's just that I've "been around" longer now and have a few more tricks up my sleeve. Nothing novel of course, just more skill with more practice.

Nothing wrong with the pop rivets there, other than dissimilar metal...

Forget I said that.