[Michael Burbidge]

I really messed up the conical bend on the F-970 side skin. This was a case of staying up too late and wanting to get something done too quickly. Notice there are two cracks, one starts at the relief hole, but there is another crack starting to develop above the step hole.

I'm assuming these will just get worse and that I should order a new skin.

Thanks for your feedback.
Michael-

http://www.photoshop.com/accounts/b...ac/px-assets/2d6d9944c2704b9ea82a936ce82371c7

 

[Brantel]

Call Van's as they have seen this many times I bet. They may offer some suggestions to make a better fix.

If it were me, I would stop drill em, fill em with structural filler during paint and never look back...

No way I would replace that entire skin.

 

[bruceh]

I would think that this is a common problem. My first bend on the left skin I did slow and easy and no crack. The right skin I probably had too much confidence and managed to put a tiny crack in the tight part of the bend.
I stop drilled it with a very tiny drill bit and smeared some proseal in the hole when I was sealing up the firewall.

I am planning on putting a doubler on the inside of the skin where the steps will connect. I'm sure that the steel step flange and another doubler will provide plenty of strength in that area. Time will tell!