New builder mistakes...

[Daniel S.]

You'd think I'd learn my lesson after dimpling through a non-exsistant hole in a rib on my vs with the pneumatic squeezer. After replacing the rib which arrived today from vans. I went out to the shop and I freaking did it again!!!!! This time on the edge of the vs skin. It didn't make a full dimple though just punched the nipple through and made a tiny dimple. I flattened it out with a flush set and deburred. The tiny hole left. What are my options on a fix here if any, replace the skin?
Thanks

[Av8torTom]

Daniel,

You have a couple of options. On the rib you could have put in a doubler where you made the dimple error and you probably would have been alright. Here's an example of where I accidentally made a figure 8 dimple and patched it. Of course use a longer rivet in that hole:


The skin is a little different because it will be visible and there maybe a cosmetic issue (or not). What's your edge distance like? If you're not near a rivet hole or too close to the edge of the skin you can probably just shove a little JB Weld in there to fill the hole.

How many pounds of JB Weld does the average RV carry around?

[AF_Alan]

Depending on edge distance and distance to other holes, you could fill it with a rivet. You'd be certain it never falls out, which a filler might.

Watch that squeezer trigger....

[Daniel S.]

I'm guessing. The holes are too close, if both holes were dimpled, the dimples would overlap.... time for a new skin. VANS lovers me right now.

[DaAV8R]

Originally Posted by Daniel S.

I'm guessing. The holes are too close, if both holes were dimpled, the dimples would overlap.... time for a new skin. VANS lovers me right now.

You made a mistake in your post. Van's doesn't lovers you, they love you

Don't feel bad, they love the rest of us too.

[Andrew M]

I got distracted while dimpling my rudder skin lower edge and punched an extra hole. Flattened, drilled to clean up the hole. It will be covered by a fairing and is far enough away from other fasteners to warrant replacing the skin.
My point is this, if I have been doing this kind of work for decades, and still make the same (not often!) rookie mistakes, then maybe they aren't rookie mistakes

[Av8torTom]

Daniel,

Here's what the other side of that patch looks like:


It will just look like there are a couple of extra rivets and no one will know except you. It's up to you but I'd consider a fix... I think part of the pride of craftsmanship comes from successfully recovering from our mistakes.

Tom

[longranger]

Let those among us who are perfect throw the first stone...

This was among the first, but definitely not the last:


The fix (per Scott R at Van's) in progress:


It's on the bottom left HS... if anyone ever notices, they're looking too close!

[WingsOnWheels]

As Miles pointed out, just put a rivet on either side of the bad one and move on. The only reason to replace the skin would be cosmetic if you are that picky.