J

jcoloccia

Well Known Member
I must have been having a bad building day, was careless, drunk or had gremlins in the shop (lol...okay, just kidding about the drunk part but I do have a white, furry 4 legged gremlin that knocks stuff over from time to time). Somehow I managed to put all these scratches in one of the HS skins with the bottom side of the cleco.

Here's a link to the photos....

http://www.ballofshame.com/flying/rv-7/buildLog/20051128.php

It almost looks I was twisting the cleco around in the hole. Now, I KNOW I wasn't but I'm not sure how else I could have done this. Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions what the best way to get rid of these is, or are they not something to worry about. I'm sure Vans would say something like "rivet it, slap some putty on it and build on". I'm wondering what you guys think, though.
 
Looks to me like you clecoed the top then fliped it over and continued to work on the bottom (or vice versa). Perhaps it was stored with the clecos in place and something was placed on top of it? The HS rolled around on the clecos and made those marks.

More than likely a pass with a scotchbright pad will make them all but disappear, then if you use a primer like Marhyde it will totally disappear.

You used the word "gouges", if you mean scratches I would press on but if it really is deep I'd let Vans tell me to press on. Can't reall tell how deep it is in the top picture but I bet it isn't all that bad.

Don't fret though, these will seem small by the time you get to the fuse.

EDIT---

I really thought Dan's site (http://www.rvproject.com/) was good and pretty inclusive of what every builder needed to know. Now though, I see he totally missed a catagory that you have included on yours, great start to a really good site! :D

END OF EDIT---

Rat
 
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I second Rat's comment about these being nothing by the time you get to the fuse. How it happened is a big mystery, but could it be that the clecos were in there while you were riveting elsewhere and all the vibration caused it? Kind of a longshot I guess, but maybe?

Steve Zicree
RV4 finishing
 
RatMan said:
I really thought Dan's site (http://www.rvproject.com/) was good and pretty inclusive of what every builder needed to know. Now though, I see he totally missed a catagory that you have included on yours, great start to a really good site! :D
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Thanks for the kind words :) . Neither of us lives near any of our relatives so we started the site for them to follow along with what their looney kids are doing...I thought they'd enjoy the Thanksgiving pictures :)

I think you nailed it with the having it clecoed on the back side while I worked on it. There's really no other way to do it in the new kits because you don't use a jig (I could build one, I suppose). I think I just need to be aware of what the problem is and just be more careful. Funny thing is I completely RIVETED my VS like that. Banged them right on the clecos sitting on the back side....it came out without a mark. I think once it's dimpled, the clecos may be OK since the dimple reduces the interference with the edge around the cleco.

Also, on the VS I didn't cut away the plastic until after I finished the match drilling. This makes me think more and more it was just some rough handling when I initially assembled and match drilled it.
 
jcoloccia said:
......................all these scratches in one of the HS skins with the bottom side of the cleco.................., I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions what the best way to get rid of these is, or are they not something to worry about....................
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I wouldn't fret about those minor surface blemishes too much. You can still have a polished airplane if you use lots of elbow grease to buff em out! You will likely paint your RV though and those cleco marks will become a dim memory and a moot point.
blue002307ck.jpg
With just too much time on my hands, for the next project, I removed only enough plastic from around each individual rivet hole to work it. I'm going to leave that plastic on for a long time. It is amazing how those sub assemblies can pick up minor scratches and blemishes from just sitting in their fixtures over a period of time. I know some people caution against letting that plastic set in place too long....but how long is too long, especially in a low humidity environment?

Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla"
RV-8A empennage complete
 
dirty dies...

Check your dimple dies, too. These 'scratches' could be the result of dirty dies. They should be shiney and clean. Just a thought...
 
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