Riveting Wing Top Skins

[kcpilot81]

I am preparing to rivet my wing top skins on my -10 and am having the internal debate on whether to use my flush set with a tungsten bucing bar or to back rivet with the large bucking bar. I have read some people's advice, but there doesn't appear to be a lot out there. If you can provide your experiences and rcommendations I would greatly appreciate it.

[airguy]

Sorry - I was too fast on the trigger and clicked the wrong answer on the poll.

I think you'll find that with the tight confined space in the wing, using a tunsten bucking bar on the inside and a flush set on the outside is your only realistic choice for the bottom skins. I know you said you are looking at the TOP skins, I did mine the same way since I had them hanging on a wing stand and it was easier to use a flush set than to try and back-rivet.

[Lemmingman]

I bucked and my wife riveted. She's great with the rivet gun, but she's terribly afraid she's going to mess something up with the bucking bar.

[Auburntsts]

Kind of a Ford vs Chevy debate. I know of guys who went as far as backriveting their tailcones (some for cosmetic reasons, others as a way to rivet solo). I, on the otherhand, back riveted only where the plans called for it (eg ribs to top skins, etc.) and everything came out fine.

[BigD]

I did both - when working solo on the rivets that allowed it easily, I used a flush set and the tungsten bar. The others were back riveted with the large cylindrical bucking bar, wife bucking and me shooting. If you look at the skins in the right light, the second method was smoother, but in the long run I don't think it'll matter.

==dave==

[rvbuilder2002]

A big problem regarding discussions comparing the two is there are so many factors that can effect the final result.

One of the big ones is how good of job was done dimpling the skin (a lot of people that think they have done well, actually haven't). If you don't start with a skin that has very crisp dimples with zero distortion (lack of flatness) in the surrounding skin, then you will not be able to tell much difference between which riveting technique is used.

If someone who really knows the details regarding the dimpling and riveting does the work, back riveting does produce a noticable difference.

[bradw3]

I tried both methods and the regular shoot and buck worked best for us. I just did not get good shop head results trying to use an offset back rivet set. Put some blue masking tape on your flush set and you will be happy with the top skin wing finish. That's what I did and there are no scratches or scuffs at all from the rivet set.

[Andrew M]

I'm all for solo rivet setting where possible, but for the light skins, and flush rivets, a partner is the best tool you could have. I used a swivel flush set with blue masking tape. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to do the top skins on one RV-9 wing. The hardest part was getting my 14 year old away from his computer (minecraft). I use the lowest pressure possible for setting, just in case the bar slips or something. Any rivets that sit "low" can be bumped back out from inside if its not to bad.

[Ron RV8]

I started off using an Avery double offset back rivet set until it broke at about one and one third wings. I was getting very frustrated as I was unable to get consistent shop heads, and had many drill outs... I am convinced that the shank after the bend was not parallel to the shank before the bend resulting in the inconsistency.

When we switched to a taped swivel mushroom set and tungsten bucking bar it's like someone switched the light on. All of a sudden the rivet tails became consistent and much straighter resulting in very few drill outs if any. No noticeable difference in the factory heads.

Avery was very good about the broken set, replacing it without question... It's sitting brand new in my set block. It has not been used once, and would not be were I to do another project. Hmmm, maybe I could make a wing bolt driver out of it???

[Av8torTom]

I used a flush set, and I am very pleased with the results



You can see by the reflection how smooth the rivet lines are