J

joeb116

Member
Good evening to all,

I have finally started to squeeze rivets on my horizontal stabilizer, rear spar channel. As I set the rivets I feel that I am pleased with their appearance. I have set about 10 to this point, they are all straight and the shop head appears to be 'square' to the rest of the rivet.

My question is on the size of the shop head. I am using the Avery gauge set to determine appropriate size. The diameter on every one is acceptable, however I noticed that using the height gauge I am strong by about 1/64", therefore not allowing the gauge to set flush. Is this acceptable? I have tried adjusting my squeezer, however I am getting no more compression. Each rivet appears identical. As I read the plans, I am using 4-7 rivets.

Thanks for answering a newbies question!
 
If diameter is good more height is better than less - within reason.

If the shop height is consistently big then the rivets are too long - and well done on being able to set them - most people would cleat or clinch them:D

After a while your eye will be all you need to judge. I was on the shop floor at Bombardier in Montreal the other day and teams of two were hand bucking beautiful rivets all over the place with no gauges to be seen. Perhaps inspectors do sample checks.

Jim Sharkey
 
if you have a set of calipers you can measure and compare to the actual standards instead of a gauge that doesn't specify the limits, only the best case.

you can look up the standards here: http://www.engineersedge.com/rivet_application.htm

for example, 1/8 driven head can be .050 to .070 thick, with a minimum of .163 in diameter.

MY avery 1/8 gauge is .062 for height, and .190 for diameter. so if it slips over the shop head or is just tight, you're ok. if you gauge over or under for height by just a little bit you are ok as well.

the standards for a 3/32 rivet are: .122 minimum diameter and .038 - .050 for height.

MY 3/32 avery gauge is .139 for diameter and .046 for height
 
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Thank you

Thank you guys for the quick response. I love this sight...a cup of coffee, a short walk, and I have my answer!
 
Dang, danny beat me to it, but he said everything I was going to say.

Glad to see another RV going together in WI. I'm in the other corner of the state, but I drive/ fly through Ashland several times a year on the way to and from points even further north. Maybe I can stop in and see your project some time?
 
Please do!

Feel free to swing through any time! My job is a fire fighter/paramedic so I work 24 hours shifts which means you have a 33% chance of not finding me. My cell number is (715)292-1028. Maybe if you wouldn't mind I too could swing in and check out your project. I go to Milwaukee at least twice a year. It looks like the weekend of July 24th is going to be one of those trips (to watch the Brewers play, of course).
 
Joe:

I guess this is a rather LATE response to your post, so my apologies in advance! You know, paying special attention to the dimensions of your shop-heads is a REALLY GOOD habit to develop... I would also offer the following advice on rivets: use the Van's recommended rivet sizes as a GUIDE only. Sometimes there are misprints. Sometimes we MIS-READ the plans. Using one of Avery's little rivet length measuring tools makes selecting the proper sized rivet (BEFORE SETTING IT) fool-proof. In very short order, you'll learn what size rivet you need for any application. Just a thought.
 
stevanlcrawford said:
Joe:

I guess this is a rather LATE response to your post, so my apologies in advance! You know, paying special attention to the dimensions of your shop-heads is a REALLY GOOD habit to develop... I would also offer the following advice on rivets: use the Van's recommended rivet sizes as a GUIDE only. Sometimes there are misprints. Sometimes we MIS-READ the plans. Using one of Avery's little rivet length measuring tools makes selecting the proper sized rivet (BEFORE SETTING IT) fool-proof. In very short order, you'll learn what size rivet you need for any application. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

All of the above is really good advice, but i don't think it matters in the first instance of where everyone says "Van's called out the wrong size! what do i do?". I think this is the case in the rear spar of the HS, very often someone says Van's calls out for rivets to short. well guess what? I used the rivets vans specified, and my shop heads are on the fat end of both range specifications, or in my words, just about right.


I wonder if people say they are to short because of how they look before they get bucked, that would make sense. I don't know if the holes in my rear spar were particularly small (i didn't waller them out a little extra with the drill bit match drilling them?) but the shop heads on my rear spar were, by the standards, good. I didn't measure the rivet shank sticking out before they got shot so i'm not sure how that measured up for size on the 2x diameter. but that is only a guide, while the shop head is the actual part that matters.
 
Mr. Crawford

Thanks for the additional comments, they do help us new guys feel more inspired to set more rivets. I have the HS-403 and HS-409 riveted together, I'll begin the hinges this evening. I actually gauged every rivet I have set (not like it is a huge quantity ;-)) I did buy the Avery rivet tool, and will use it. Thanks again gents!
 
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