I came across a problem today on the aileron.
I needed to dimple a hole in the aft part of the aileron ribs, and I can't get a standard female dimple die in there. (I couldn't even get my pop-rivet dimple dies in there.)
I flashed back to the same problem I had on the empennage in a few places. I'm pretty sure I learned this trick from VAF, but I just wanted to share, and point out that I love when I already have the solution to a problem. It made today's session a breeze, instead of a head-scratcher.
I have a 1/4" piece of steel bar stock, in which I've drilled a #40 hole and countersunk it to match a female dimple die. (The bottom hole in the picture is the right hole, with the right countersink depth; the other hole was my first attempt, not close enough to the edge, and I abandoned continued countersinking when I figured that out).
Anyway, you stick a rivet in the rib hole to be dimpled, then position it over the countersunk hole in the steel bar (which, since it is so thin, slides nicely into the aft area of many ribs).
Give it whatever you normally do for an AN426AD3-3.5 rivet with a rivet gun shot using a flush set...about a second and a half.
It's not pretty, but it works great.
I love it when I already have the solutions to problems I encounter.
Thanks to VAF for teaching this to me in the first place. Sorry if this is too much of a repeat post.
Tip: Dimpling a Hole in the Aft End of a Rib
Linear Mode
