M

Mark7986

Member
I'm ready to rivet the bottom wing skins on my RV7. I have clecoed the inboard skin on several times. I just can't figure out where to start or how to start. Any suggestion would be welcome. They say pictures are worth a 1000 word. If someone has a series of pics I would love to see them.


Mark Craven
Fairmont, MN
 
Start in the middle of the trailing edge of the inboard skin. Work towards each end of the skin and then down. We went down six to eight rivets on each rib. That way could still bend the skin up enough to rivet in place.

Here's a picture of when we first started one of my bottom skins:
 
What Bill said. Start at middle trailing edge of skin. Work diagonally both directions toward inboard and outboard leading edges. Not too tough. It takes some contortion, even with two people, but it's very doable. Good luck.
 
I did the RV9 wings by myself - pretty easy. The wings were still in the stand mounted vertically and that helped a lot. I first did the whole trailing edge, then worked slowly up the ribs to the leading edge. By the end, you'll be figuring out as you go what to rivet when to preserve access. The last few rivets are bucked through the ends of the wings, and the access panels.

The -9 wing has less chord, so it may have been easier in some what though.
 
Wing Riveting

I did the 7 wings by myself. It was a pain, but definitely workable.

I started like the others said - at the trailing edge and worked my way up the ribs. I would work within a bay and do the ribs on each side of the bay, then move to another bay. Once I got within 5 or 6 rivets of the spar I switched to bucking through the lightening holes.

I also riveted with the wings in the vertical position. I don't think it is possible to reach otherwise if you are working singlehanded.
 
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