[clreding]

Ok I know at this point I should know this but I think I am having a senior moment..... What technique did all of you who mounted the AFS AOA systems use to dimple the screws that are used to mount the probes?

 

[Guy Prevost]

I believe I used a pop rivet dimple die. One of the rivet sizes was close enough for the screw.

The only other thing I can imagine is to drill, countersink, and tap a hole in a piece of scrap, hold it inside the wing, and use the actual screw as the male die to form the dimple in the scrap's countersink.

G

 

[Mike S]

Drilled a hole in a piece of 1/2" brass rod, to hold the male die.

Drilled a hole in a big (fist sized) chunk of metal to hold the female die.

Insert the male die into the hole, reach inside the wing and set the female die in place on the guide pin of the male die.

Holding the brass rod straight up, smack it with a hammer.

This does require a minimum of 3 hands to do, so you will need a helper. You might want to practice on scrap first. It does not require a lot of oomph with the hammer.

Good luck.

 

[roee]

Drill #34. Then dimple using a 1/8" 100 deg die set (i.e. for standard AN426AD4 rivets, not for pop rivets!!!) that is used with a nail and pop rivet puller. These are available from Wicks for about $10: http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=1585~subid=9031/index.html

I'm not sure about the exact head dimensions of the screws provided by AFS, but I substituted standard MS24693-S8 screws, which are very similar to the screws provided and worked perfectly for this application. Their head dimensions are almost identical to those of an AD426AD4 rivet, and they sit perfectly in that dimple.

 

[clreding]

Success

Thanks for the help. I didnt have a pop rivet dimpler so I drilled a brass rivet set and used a 1/8 dimple die. 2 light hits with the gun and it was perfect!