G

gbumga

Active Member
I don't know if I'm a kluts or what. I keep backriveting off the dang backing plate. If you've done this it ain't pretty. I managed to fix the first ones,but this last one on the last stiffner is really bad. Even if I drill em out, try to fix a good dimple it's still dented. I've done this so many times I've got a new appropriated backingplate from work thats about three feet long,but I left it at work. I can't see anyway to save this skin which I can live with but it's gotta stop. I can't have a plane with a zillion dents, some yea for character but it's getting frustrating. I've drawn lines too see outside the parts and I still do it,arhhhhh. Gene
 
I'm a newbie so take it for what its worth...

Learning is painful... I feel your pain. I almost got to where I could rivet my first section and I pulled the handle on the dimpler at the wrong moment and punched right through the skin... I'll never do that again (I hope!)

Learn what you can from it, and move on to the next section... save up a bunch of oops and buy new parts to replace the oops's...... you'll thank yourself later.

my .02
 
Got any pictures of your setup, incuding your backrivet set? I used the little plate that came with the tool kit without any issues. Maybe if we see some pics we can spot something that's out of the ordinary. Hang in there, you'll figure it out.
 
Top_prop said:
I almost got to where I could rivet my first section and I pulled the handle on the dimpler at the wrong moment and punched right through the skin... I'll never do that again
Click to expand...

Oh yes you will. Trust me. :mad:
 
Buy a new rudder skin with your next kit order and move on. We had a rivet fall out under our rudder skin and it made quite a mess... The skin and stiffeners are suprisingly cheap and you don't want a crapply looking rudder standing up there reflecting your dings in the sun for everyone to see.

And yes, you will trash some more parts on your way.

Dave
 
I did the same thing.....

....on one of the elevator skins. After that I inlaid the backrivet plate in a piece of 3/4 MDF so that now if it happens it does not trash the skin. It makes a unusual noise if you try to set a rivet on the MDF warning you of your impending screw up, allowing you to re-position and keep banging.
Yes I HAVE done it since! No damage and no new parts required.



oopssm.jpg


oopsfixsm.jpg
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My work surface is a 4'by4' table I made by cutting a nice sheet of 3/4" plywood in half and using 2x6 framing and 4x4 posts for legs is sturdy and of a good size. Both halves of the plywood were used, doubling the thickness to 1 1/2". I traced the shape of the steel plate on the top near the center and then used a router to recess the plate flush with the top of the table. It never is taken out and is always there to backrivet. I have (at least once :p) tried to backrivet with the rivet not on the plate, due to lack of attention, and it just put a lit divet in my plywood table top. No damage to the airplane :). Just a suggestion which would alleviate that future dent!
 
I did the same

Frustrating, I know. I did the exact same thing to my rudder skin. I just ordered new skins and ribs. Next time, when you place the skin over the steel plate, set a piece of paper or something over the rivets that extend beyond the plate. That way, it gives you a visual cue to stop and move the plate before you go to far.
 
Thanks for the reply's

Don, that is exactly what it looks like, X-3. I made the EAA1000 work table figuring they knew better,Ha that is a parts table. I have indoor/outdoor carpet on the bench and I think that is making it worse. I have the plate inset in the table just a little proud and it is already bigger than the one that comes with the kits. I have 2 solid core doors I'm turning to benches with no carpet. And I think that covering up rivet's not on the plate is a great idea for me,I see where Vans said to tape over holes that are spec'd for different size ect. I need to use all these tools because this alum. can't take opps very well. I'm ordering the wings before the end of the year,so I'll just add a new skin & stiffners too. Gene
 
Use four screws to hold the backing plate on the table. With a magic marker extend the lines out a foot or so to show where the edges of the plate are. Then main thing is to slow down and take your time!
 
Back Rivet

I know alot of people put their backrivet plate in a table, but I wanted mine able to move to the work. also when backriveting if i'm off the plate the rivet will push out of the hole befor pulling the trigger and therefore i don't make a mistake. this has saved my bacon a few times.

Just my idea of why not to build the plate into the table.
 
I also like to move the rivet plate around, but I use rivet tape, so the rivets dont fall out if it is off the plate.
 
Lose the nifty looking table and just put the plate on the bench..a quick tap before firing off the trigger will give you a nice solid feel...if it's not there, neither is the plate...And don't feel bad...I've heard others have had the same growing pains!!:D
 
here is a long plate I used for back riveting. It's from my 90 deg. brake
You can sight the rivet line easly with a long plate.

RV_001.jpg
 
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Yup, that looks familiar

I have two right rudder skins in my workshop that look like yours. Don't worry, the third right rudder skin is the charm.

On the third skin, I placed a marker (tape, pencil, etc) to indicate the point at which there was no backplate. When I riveted to that point, I would reposition, move the marker, and double check the skin support by pressing on the skin to feel how the backplate was positioned.
 
Backriveting plate in the table top

I just viewed some of the pages of my web site and found this photo showing my back-riveting steel plate in the routed surface of my work table. The work surface is 3/4" thick particle board and meant to be expendable. The real surface of the work table is 3/4" plywood above the 2x4 boards. You can see the plywood by looking at the edge of the table.
DSCF0093.JPG


That is steel plate from the RV tool kit from Cleaveland. I routed the work surface of my table to leave the surface of the steel plate about 1/32" above the surrounding surface. I also put masking tape on the edges on the top side of the plate to minimize scratches to the aluminum skins. Notice the direction it is mounted to allow the rudder and elevator stiffeners to be installed easily on those thin skins.

Don't worry too much about small dents. When it is time to paint your bird, a bit of filler does wonders. Ask me how I know...Just look at the last photo on this web page: http://www.n2prise.org/rv9a145.htm
 
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Don Jones said:
....on one of the elevator skins. After that I inlaid the backrivet plate in a piece of 3/4 MDF so that now if it happens it does not trash the skin. It makes a unusual noise if you try to set a rivet on the MDF warning you of your impending screw up, allowing you to re-position and keep banging.
Yes I HAVE done it since! No damage and no new parts required.



oopssm.jpg


oopsfixsm.jpg
[
Click to expand...

My skip off the rudder was worse than that, I filled mine and went on. In fact when I painted my rudder, I found several dings throughout. I almost made a new, but I want the plane done, so I filled a few more and missed a few and said so be it. I have no other dings in the whole airplane, so I guess the rudder took the brunt of the learning process.
 
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