llavalle

llavalle

Well Known Member
Funny question... but how many rivets are needed in a RV? I know this number will change quite a bit between, lets say, a RV-4 and a RV-9... but do you have any idea?

I've read estimates of 10 000 but I think it's a bit low..

I started counting rivets with my build and so far, I've installed 372 of them. The only thing I've got riveted :

-HS front and rear spar with doubles plates
-3 HS nose ribs
-5 HS main ribs
-front spar to ONE skin

That's it... I still need to rivet the other side of the HS... and the rear spar on BOTH skins...

I'll probably rivet more than 800 just on the HS... Installing the left skin took 235rivets... so 235 on the other side + rear spar on both side of both skins(50 per side, 4 times)... not forgetting the main spar to rear spar..(15x2 = 30)

Estimated total : 837 (odd number... but on the front spar, one of the rivet hole got enlarged for the trim cable).

837! And I still need to do the VS, the rudder and elevator!
 
llavalle said:
Funny question... but how many rivets are needed in a RV? I know this number will change quite a bit between, lets say, a RV-4 and a RV-9... but do you have any idea?

I've read estimates of 10 000 but I think it's a bit low..

I started counting rivets with my build and so far, I've installed 372 of them. The only thing I've got riveted :

-HS front and rear spar with doubles plates
-3 HS nose ribs
-5 HS main ribs
-front spar to ONE skin

That's it... I still need to rivet the other side of the HS... and the rear spar on BOTH skins...

I'll probably rivet more than 800 just on the HS... Installing the left skin took 235rivets... so 235 on the other side + rear spar on both side of both skins(50 per side, 4 times)... not forgetting the main spar to rear spar..(15x2 = 30)

Estimated total : 837 (odd number... but on the front spar, one of the rivet hole got enlarged for the trim cable).

837! And I still need to do the VS, the rudder and elevator!
Click to expand...

Chad has been counting as he builds... pretty interesting...

http://www.chadandbrittne.com/Numbers.htm
 
I ran into a guy with a RV-6 at Sun n Fun years ago. He had kept a running count of the number of rivets he'd driven each time he riveted. Grand total... 14,418 (IIRC). I use this impressive number when talking to people at fly-ins and have it noted on the EAA sleeve that I put on the prop. I can't vouch for the number but it sure seemed reasonable.

Frank Russell
RV-6A, 1300 hrs
 
Still counting

On my RV7-A, I haven't counted the rivets past the point when I joined the center section to the tail cone. That was at 9100.

Tracy.
 
I, too, have often heard the figure "about 15,000 rivets" in an RV. Personally, however, I never counted 'em. I just smashed 'em. :D
 
rivet count

760 rivets in the bottom skins of each wing and just starting on the tail cone of the fuselage and I've got 701 there...... but who's counting???:D
 
On my RV-6A...

I did not count the rivets...but I have some additional data points. I know that you can skip every other hole in the cleco stage, but I chose to put clecos in every hole. I ended up buying more and more to do this. And this is really only addressing the flush rivets on the exterior skin...

1,000 clecos to hold the skins on one wing
2,000 clecos to hold the side and bottom skins while in the "upside down canoe" state. Even at that, I needed another hundred or so...but I just could not bring myself to order any more.

Now, assume that the previous post are somewhat accurate with 14,000 rivets installed. That makes 14,000 drilled "sets" of holes. Again, assume that each hole is through only two aluminum sheets. That works out to 56,000 deburring operations (two sheets, debur each hole, both sides).

Now, how many dimple operations need to be performed...probable in the 4,000 range. And then don't forget the countersink task when the dimples were not appropriate.

Homebuilders...you just have to admire their dedication to a task...
 
I've been counting them as I go, but haven't added up the entries yet...maybe it's because I don't *really* want to know :). This reminds me I need to update my notebook since I've gotten some stuff riveted on the fuselage recently.

I'm surprised Van's can't just provide the "stock" number of rivets used...given that they're clearly using modern CAD tools and all...
 
noelf said:
I did not count the rivets...but I have some additional data points. I know that you can skip every other hole in the cleco stage, but I chose to put clecos in every hole. I ended up buying more and more to do this. And this is really only addressing the flush rivets on the exterior skin...

1,000 clecos to hold the skins on one wing
2,000 clecos to hold the side and bottom skins while in the "upside down canoe" state. Even at that, I needed another hundred or so...but I just could not bring myself to order any more.
Click to expand...

noelf, you really should consider some counseling ... :D

I was gonna ask what you intend to to with 3,000 clecos ... but then decided that we all know what your Christmas tree will look like next year.
 
clecos

If a builder just used clecos to hold an RV7 together (no rivets) it would add 440 lbs of weight to an otherwise finished plane. I can workout the C.G. consequences, but I think I'll just go back to pounding rivets.
 
cjensen said:
Uhhh...I am! Daniel has already mentioned my Numbers page above...how did I miss THIS a couple days ago!!??

:D
Click to expand...
Chad,
Do these numbers include "rider rivets"? You know, the ones driven in the unplanned holes that just go along for the "ride".
 
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