BBaxR6

Member
I'm just getting to dimpling my first skin (Left HS), and I notice that the waviness on the line of fasteners on the aft skin that were done with hand squeezer are noticeably smoother than the toes done with the C-frame. I did notice this and went back and gave those interior "c-frame only" holes an extra whack or two, which did help (I guess I under dimpled the first go), but the river-squeezer-dimpled rows still are noticeably prettier. Is this normal or am I underdimpling the c-frame holes? I definitely see a nice ring around the squeezed dimples, but a less-noticeable-but-still-present ring around the c-frame holes.

Brandon Baxter
RV-7 #74431
 
Here some pictures:
RH row squeezed, interior (LH) row c-framed dimpled
dwvzj64h.jpg


C-frame dimple:
oKF8201h.jpg


Squeezed dimple:
N8PZJDrh.jpg
 
Here some pictures:
RH row squeezed, interior (LH) row c-framed dimpled
dwvzj64h.jpg

See the distortion in the reflection of the edge of the door jam on the skin?
That is a good indicator that the dimples are not fully formed.
A properly adjusted c-frame tool with a good quality set of dimple dies, will make dimples that have virtually no reflection distortion in a skin surface. The only disturbance or break in the reflected image will be right where teh dimple is.
I'm not sure if that makes sense, but the reflected image in a skin can be used to judge the dimple (and finished riveting) quality.
 
Dimples

Personally, I prefer c-frame dimples. They seem more crisp. The HS skin is thicker so it takes a harder hit. When you get to the rudder skin, start softer. It's pretty thin.