do I need to buy a new skin

rwarre · #1 09-02-2007, 04:12 PM

I was dimpling the skins on the HS and punched a hole where I shouldn't have next to the hole I should have dimpled. Is there a repair for this? I will post a picture if someone will give instructions on how to.

G-force · #2 09-02-2007, 04:15 PM

Most people leave it and fill it when painting. If the hole is far enough away from the original hole, you can dimple and intall a rivet to fill the hole.

n5lp · #3 09-02-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwarre

...Is there a repair for this? I will post a picture if someone will give instructions on how to.

http://www.vansairforce.net/articles...ums/images.htm

rwarre · #4 09-02-2007, 04:43 PM

I figured out posting

captainron · #5 09-02-2007, 05:10 PM

Probably make you feel better to get a new skin. Maybe it's just the photo, but the dimples don't look too crisp.

lostpilot28 · #6 09-02-2007, 05:19 PM

I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure most builders have done this a time or two and just "kept building".

On a side note - and it may be because your pictures are grainy - but are you deburring your edges good enough? They look a little rough. It could be the grainy picture, though.

Last note, as stated above, your dimples don't look to "crisp". I'd dimple just a tad harder. Professional builders correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that having a very slight circular ring from the dimple die is normal. At least that's what I've been doing!

captainron · #7 09-02-2007, 05:24 PM

These holes should be reamed to final size before dimpling. Very little de-burring is needed or recommended for holes that are to be dimpled. Scratches need to be kept to a minimum, especially when going across, or radiating from holes.

Jeff R · #8 09-02-2007, 05:37 PM

I have done this a time or two. What I did was put in a set of flush dies and squeezed the hole back flush to the skin. This reduced the hole diameter and made the skin flat. Later, during the finishing stage, I will fill it in and, hopefully, it will be invisible under the paint. Now, if you wanted a polished aluminum finish, you will need a new skin.

rwarre · #9 09-02-2007, 07:50 PM

I use the C frame tool from Cleveland tool and made the platform to rest the skin. I set the hole in the male die and hit the shaft with the female die with a ball-pene hammer. I use the weight of the hammer head as the force to dimple.

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #10 09-02-2007, 08:34 PM

I've done it'; don't feel bad.

FYI, I did this at the Sportair RV building workshop years ago. Ken Scott, who was teaching the class, said "now if you'd done that with a skin, abandon the hole and fill it with bondo (or something) and drill new holes 1/4" either side of the abandoned hole. "