AX-O

AX-O

Well Known Member
I am currently working on the left elevator of my -8. It is the first time that I will have to install platenuts. My question is, do I dimple or countersink the platenuts?
 
Dimple

I would dimple them, that's what I do and it works well. You will need to use a small diameter female dimple die to make it work.
 
ericwolf said:
I would dimple them, that's what I do and it works well. You will need to use a small diameter female dimple die to make it work.
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do you not use a #40 die if the rivet is a 246AD3-3.5? What is a "small diameter female dimple"? Thanks!
 
Neither. Try NAS1097AD3-3.5 rivets. Van's sells 'em. They have a smaller head than the AN426, and all it takes is some "light" countersinking with a deburring tool, and you have a deep enough c-sink for the NAS1097 rivet.
 
If you do not want to buy special rivets, dimple the material if it is too thin to countersink, do NOTHING to the platenuts, and rivet it in place. Yes there is a gap between the dimple and the nutplate but so what. The rivet keeps the platenut from turning and the platenut holds the fastener in place. This works elsewhere in the airplane and spacers are not needed.

My airplane has not fallen apart after 8 years 11 months and 1,936 flying hours and that is how it is built.
 
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dan said:
Neither. Try NAS1097AD3-3.5 rivets. Van's sells 'em. They have a smaller head than the AN426, and all it takes is some "light" countersinking with a deburring tool, and you have a deep enough c-sink for the NAS1097 rivet.
Click to expand...

Dang!! I bought those too after you told me in the EAA class. Too late now :mad: I already dimpled the plates and the plate nuts.
 
yes, #40

AX-O said:
do you not use a #40 die if the rivet is a 246AD3-3.5? What is a "small diameter female dimple"? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sorry if I wasn't clear. Yes, use a #40 dimple die, but I meant that the outer diameter of die itself needs to be small enough to clear the platenut. If you have the Avery tool kit, then you will have both a large and small diameter #40 female die. The other way to do this is to grind down one side of the die.
 
dan said:
Neither. Try NAS1097AD3-3.5 rivets. Van's sells 'em. They have a smaller head than the AN426, and all it takes is some "light" countersinking with a deburring tool, and you have a deep enough c-sink for the NAS1097 rivet.
Click to expand...

I agree - I picked up this trick on Dan's site and now I use nothing but these guys for attaching platenuts, including the 3,427 platenuts I used for the baggage floor. :)

mcb
 
RV6_flyer said:
If you do not want to buy special rivets, dimple the material if it is too thin to countersink, do NOTHING to the platenuts, and rivet it in place. Yes there is a gap between the dimple and the nutplate but so what. The rivet keeps the platenut from turning and the platenut holds the fastener in place. This works elsewhere in the airplane and spacers are not needed.

My airplane has not fallen apart after 8 years 11 months and 1,936 flying hours and that is how it is built.
Click to expand...

This is what I did. No CSing or dimpling of the platenuts - just rivet them on. The gap is too minor to think about and it's one less thing you have to do.
 
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