Back-riveting plate question

[airguy]

I've got a couple small workbenches (from a previous project) for misc stuff, but I'm about to build a single large workbench intended for the 9A, and I've got this question - some builders have included a back-rivet plate sunk into the surface somewhere, some guys talk about finishing their entire airplane using nothing more than a door on some sawhorses for a workbench. I intend to build a nice sturdy full-blown workbench, about 3'x10', but what about the back riveting plate sunk into the surface? Is this just a "nice-to-have" for once in a while, or is it one of those "just do it, stupid!" kind of things? It will never be easier than it is right now to install it, but there's not much point if it will only be used a couple times - unless it's one of those situations where nothing else will work.

[cnpeters]

Greg - I used it quite a bit on the empennage, flaps and ailerons. I won't need it much more now that I am on the fuselage. On my 3X8 table, I sunk it in after routing. Most importantly, I then used a Sharpie and drew extended alignment lines from the plate across a part of the table, so when a large elevator is covering the plate, I always knew where the plate was underneath when backriveting. For the trailing edges of the flaps and ailerons, I pulled the plate out and used the shims on top of a sub table I built that was dead flat since the worktable wasn't.
Either way will work - countersinking the plate or leaving it on top when needed and using shims to support your work. I prefer the countersunk method as I always knew where the plate was and it wouldn't shift when covered by an elevator skin, etc. I would hate to see the dent a backrivet would make if you accidently missed the plate.
Here is a pic:

[Wes Hays]

Greg,
I just found a nice piece of carpet that was the thickness of the back riveting plate and cut out a place for the backriveting plate to fit in. This gave me a flat surface to work on, and padded support for the area around the back riveting plate. It worked very well on the -6A I built, and the -7A I am currently working on. And, you can use it on a table, workbench, or whatever else you have that will give you the support you need.

[painless]

Greg:

Consider this....Once the airplane is long completed, you are still going to want to use your workbench for other projects/repairs etc. You may not want that cutout/plate in there for future uses.

An option is to get a large piece of particle board and make a cutout for your backriveting plate in that. Then when you need to backrivet, just plop that board on your bench and insert your backriveting plate in the cutout.


Regards,

[cln1owner]

Greg,

I have a large work bench that I use, 2.5x8, and as hard as I tried is not perfectly flat, so I built an MDF table top using steel angle to make it rigid and perfectly flat. I used this as my flat surface when building the elevators and will use it for the ailerons and flaps. I used shims and back rivet plate on top of the surface. It was more convenient to be able to move the plate around, not the work. With the flaps and an inlaid plate, it would have to be a pretty big bench to keep any part of the flap from hanging off when riveting.

[Greg Arehart]

I did something similar to Carl - sunk my plate in a cutout in a piece of particle board on the benchtop. Your local junk shop will probably have plenty of odd pieces of steel lying around for almost nothing - I got a piece about 5 x9 x1/2 inch for $1, the cheapest tool you will ever find. Having those lines on the benchtop helps a lot to not miss the plate - I have an extra elevator skin hanging on my wall as scrap because I missed the plate!

greg

[Rick6a]

To each his own. What you are asking can only be considered personal preference. On one work bench, I flush mounted a small 6"X4" steel plate and find it invaluable. On another workbench, I flush mounted a full size back rivet plate from one of the RV tool suppliers. Personally, I find it useful to do many types of bench work over a hard steel surface rather than wood. On occasion, I do remove the back rivet plate from the work bench to use elsewhere when it is more convenient to do so. During those times, the cutout in the wood surface serves as a handy catch-all tray. Generally though, I just leave the plate in place. Again, to each his own.

[airguy]

Some good ideas here - that's why I love this forum!

I think I'm going to build the table with a removable/replaceable masonite top with a cutout for the back riveting plate, so it sits flush with the masonite. That would be easy enough to set up either way in just a couple minutes.

[Rupester]

I did like Wes ... no flush mount in the table but used carpet around the plate. Worked great. I assume you know you can get a piece of steel at a local steel supplier for w-a-y cheaper than the ordering it from a tool house. My 3/8 plate is 20" x 9" and cost me $10.71.

Terry

[Mike S]

I started with an old desk, about 30" x 60". I built a new top 36" x84", that sits on the desk, using 2x6 frameing and 3/4" wafferwood.

On top of this I have 1/4 Masonite board, with carpet glued to it. This piece is removable, can be turned over to use the smooth shiny side of the Masonite, or the carpet.

I have a piece of 3/8" steel, about 16" x 24", that sets on top of the 3/4" wafferwood, and the Masonite/carpet sandwich has a hole to match the steel plate. The thickness of the plate matches the thickness of the carpet/Masonite surround.

The pieces of carpet, and Masonite that were removed for the back rivet plate can be dropped in the top, in place of the steel plate, to give a total surface area of either carpet or Masonite.

I used some door stop as a border to keep all the edges clean, and capture the carpet/Masonite insert.

With this setup, I can have the rivet plate, or not, have carpet or Masonite for the working surface. In addition, I still have the desk drawers, and pull outs available to me.

There is a photo in the RV-10 forum, "show us your panel" thread, second post, that has a good shot of the bench/desk as I was working on the panel.

By the way, Carl Peters idea of extending the edge lines of his rivet plate---------great idea!!!