blind rivet weight

[prkaye]

Does anybody know what the difference in weight is between (installed) MK-391-BS rivets and the corresponding solid rivets (AN426AD3-3.5 I guess)?
Weight difference per rivet, or per ten, or per 100?? Not sure how to determine this because uninstalled blind rivets have that stem which adds weight. I guess I could waste a few by pulling htem and then weighting, but it would probably take several to get a meaninful measurement, and at 22 cents a pop, I'm hoping someone already knows the answer.

[mburch]

Next time you are using blind rivets, why not collect all the spent mandrels, weigh them, and subtract?

mcb

[DGlaeser]

Unless you are weighing hundreds of each kind of rivet, the difference is probably going to be very small and tough to measure accurately.
I'm curious about why you are curious about the difference?

[prkaye]

I'm curious about why you are curious about the difference?

You can probably guess... I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I am considering the use of blind rivets for some or all of my lower wing skin rivets. Vans have confirmed that this is structurally acceptable. On the bottom side of the wing, I'm not concerned about the aesthetics of it, and I'm not really concerned about other builders accusing me of wussing-out. The upside is a potentially big savings in time and headaches. One downside is cost, but in the scheme of things it's not that much. The other downside is weight, so I want to know how much i'm talking about. If it's less than a pound of difference total, then I don't consider this to be enough to worry about.

[Pilottonny]

When talking to Vans (Ken, or someone), they told me that the reason that we use solid rivets on these planes, is that pulled rivets are a lot more expensive and are a lot heavier to (no mention of how much heavier though!)

Stick with the solid rivets and save both ways!

Regards, Tonny

[RV7Guy]

Originally Posted by prkaye

You can probably guess... I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I am considering the use of blind rivets for some or all of my lower wing skin rivets. V

I wouldn't exactly call it a flame but I'm trying to understand the logic??? You've probably spent more time on the computer talking about it and researching the pop rivets than it takes to do it. I think it took less than an hour to do the last skin on each QB wing panel.

It is not a big deal. Find a friend to help. He, (or she) with the longest arms does the bucking. Done deal. The pop rivets will add some weight, will be faster and definitely more expensive.

Whatever you decide, just do it!!!

[jmartinez443]

Originally Posted by prkaye

You can probably guess... I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I am considering the use of blind rivets for some or all of my lower wing skin rivets. Vans have confirmed that this is structurally acceptable. On the bottom side of the wing, I'm not concerned about the aesthetics of it, and I'm not really concerned about other builders accusing me of wussing-out. The upside is a potentially big savings in time and headaches. One downside is cost, but in the scheme of things it's not that much. The other downside is weight, so I want to know how much i'm talking about. If it's less than a pound of difference total, then I don't consider this to be enough to worry about.

You are not alone. I'm considering doing this on my 8A. Not surprisingly I got the same replies you did

If you go this route, please share your experience. I for one am interested.

Edit: Here's the thread I started on blind riveting the outboard skin: http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=23256

[Chappyd]

For what it's worth , I was able to do my wing bottom skins by myself, 1 per afternoon, 3 hours or so each. You might save some time with pop rivets, but 3 hours isn't that long

[Allen231ah]

Phil, I would stay with the solid rivets and spring for the 120.00 for the tungsten bucking bar . Get a helper and go for it, after you get past the first 2 inboard bays it really isn't a big deal . I think you will be glad you went with the solid rivets after it's done.

[airguy]

OH man the tungsten bar is sweet....well worth the price!