macrafic

macrafic

Well Known Member
A while back, there was a thread where people could post their most stupid mistakes. Well, I'm late, but I have a stupid mistake to add, and would like opinions.

I was installing the static ports into the F-773 side skins (SafeAir ports). The 1st one went in nicely. The 2nd one, however, is where I went on autopilot when I shouldn't have. Of course, everything is turned around from the plans, which only show one side. As such, I ended up drilling for a static port near the bottom of the skin instead of the top.

Well, I proceeded to install the port correctly, but am left with a 1/4" hole, surrounded by 4 rivet holes. The first solution that came to mind was to use the 4 rivet holes to install a backing plate. This would take care of 4 of the 5 holes, leaving just the 1/4" hole in the middle. However, with the backing plate in there, I could fill this with the appropriate "bondo" material before painting, or even fill it now.

For those of you with more body experience than I have, does this sound like a reasonable approach?

- Feeling foolish in Minnesota!
 
macrafic said:
A while back, there was a thread where people could post their most stupid mistakes. Well, I'm late, but I have a stupid mistake to add, and would like opinions.

I was installing the static ports into the F-773 side skins (SafeAir ports). The 1st one went in nicely. The 2nd one, however, is where I went on autopilot when I shouldn't have. Of course, everything is turned around from the plans, which only show one side. As such, I ended up drilling for a static port near the bottom of the skin instead of the top.

Well, I proceeded to install the port correctly, but am left with a 1/4" hole, surrounded by 4 rivet holes. The first solution that came to mind was to use the 4 rivet holes to install a backing plate. This would take care of 4 of the 5 holes, leaving just the 1/4" hole in the middle. However, with the backing plate in there, I could fill this with the appropriate "bondo" material before painting, or even fill it now.

For those of you with more body experience than I have, does this sound like a reasonable approach?

- Feeling foolish in Minnesota!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan, Rich. If that is the most stupid thing you've done thus far, you are a better builder than a lot of us!

I usually don't recommend hiding rivets with filler but this is one instance where I think it would be fine and the uh-oh would be known only to you (and your thousands of friends on this forum). :)
 
Back Up Plate.

You could also cut a 1/4in. circle of alluminum and rivet it to the back up plate. That would fill the big hole when you rivet the whole thing on where the 4 existing holes are. It'll look like it belongs there.:cool:
 
Man, I wish something like that was the stupidist thing I had ever done. And I haven't even got to the static ports yet.
 
If you go with the backing plate and fill to conceal the booboo I'd countersink the rivets, rather than dimple, and oversink them a few extra thousandths. That way they will lie deep to the skin surface and have a space left on top to fill over without leaving a high spot on the skin.

Just a thought
 
Thanks for the responses people! I have one more question and one comment.

Question: - What kind of filler would work best for a 1/4" hole that is .025" deep? I would like something that will not shrink/crack over time, will adhere extremely well, and can be sanded/painted.

I got a response from Van's on this mistake and they made a comment that I found very interesting, considering the number of posts that exist in this forum on static port location. Their comment was

"Should work. If it's just a matter of putting (the port) in front of the wrong bulkhead, we've found thru experience that either the 707 or 708 bulkhead works."
 
Small head rivets

Using the smaller head NAS1097 -3 size rivets in a countersink might also give a cleaner look...

I have found that they tend to fill the countersink better and give a smoother finish - perhaps related to the very slight "bulge" they have on the head?

gil A
 
For a quick no nonsence filler for small spots like that, I usually dab a little "JB quick." Sandable and paintable.
 
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