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dweyant

Well Known Member
Ok,

So, my first (I'm sure not last) major(?) screw up.

My wife and I spent some time this evening working on riviting the Vertical Stabilizer.

For the most part the rivets came out pretty nice. She is getting good at running the rivet gun, and I'm getting decent (I think) at using the bucking bar.

However, we had two rivets I wasn't happy with (I bet you can see where I'm going with this). So we decided to drill them out. I had drilled out a few rivets already, but nothing in the skin. Well, I managed to make quite the mess out of the two of them.

I'll attempt to attach a picture (not very good quality), but one of the holes, I can't seem to get the rivet out of, the other I got out, but I managed to enlarge the hole a decent bit.

Thoughts on how I correct this? How bad of a screwup is this?

Thanks,

-Dan



5821241704388098225


Can't seem to get the photo link to work, try this link maybe?

https://plus.google.com/photos/103889161016854785634/albums/5821241704388098225
 
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I cannot view the photo; however, the standard fix is to buy some "opps" rivets from Vans or other source, assorted lengths or get them long and cut them to size. I forget the MS number, but these are rivets with an AN426AD3 factory head, but an AD4 shank. Drill the damaged holes to #30, install the opps rivets, move on.
 
Oops rivets

If the holes are not terribly bad you can go one size up and use the oops rivets from vans. Search this site and you will find a lot of posts about this very thing, including rivet edge distances. The construction manual also has info on this.

Bird
 
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Oops rivets.

Without seeing the pics, it's a bit tough to suggest
a fix other than using an "oops" rivet. The head is the
Same size, of a 3/32" rivet, not to effect the size of dimple or look. The shank
of the rivet is 1/8" or drill a #30 hole. Not a major deal.
Oops rivets used to fix mistakes by inadvertently enlarging
a #40 hole.
 
While I can't see any pictures and I'm sure more experienced folks will chime in once pics are up, I'd say you probably don't have much to worry about. Assuming the holes aren't terribly enlarged you can always put in an oops rivet as vans calls them that are slightly wider to fill that hole, or even use one size longer rivet that is pre squeezed a bit to fill the hole better.

Not sure how you are drilling out but the first lesson I learned was to use a slower speed electric drill rather than the air drill. Drill into the head enough to get a grip and then start working the drill around until the rivet head pops off. Do not drill into the hole itself. The rivet shank can then usually be gently pulled out the other side without terribly messing up the hole. i replaced a number of skin rivets on my VS this way with no issues. Be sure that you properly clean up the hole enough before setting a new rivet.

Chris
 
Best advice for drilling out rivets (and I've drilled out quite a few), is to use a slightly smaller drill bit, like a #41. It is just narrower enough to not enlarge the hole if you are slightly off center. Don't drill all the way through the hole. Just go deep enough to be able to get the top of the rivet weakened enough to pop off with a punch, then carefully pull out the rivet from the unenlarged hole.
I also second the use of Oops rivets. Buy the assortment set from Avery, or get several ounces from Van's in both 1/8" and 3/32" sizes. They have both NAS1097AD4 and NAS1097AD3 sizes, although the web site doesn't list the NAS1097AD3's. These are great for holding nutplates flush on thinner material without having to countersink too deeply.
 
I bought the "oops" rivet collection from Vans but never used them :cool: Not because I never made a mistake, but because when I did, I needed the larger rivet factory head as well as shank to cover up the mistake:D So just drill out to whatever the next larger size is and try again. Also I'm told that prepping for painting--filling in small dents, etc--covers a multitude of sinful rivet goofs.
 
I wish the term "drill out" and "rivet" where never used in a sentence. You want to "remove" the rivet, not drill it out. Even following proper techique (please don't wiggle your drill around unless you know what your doing and have a lot of experience as you risk damaging the skin, use a new or "sharp" edged pin punch and gently pop the head off) you will still ruin some holes. I remove thousands and I will screw up now and again. It can not be totally avoided.
Most airframe manufacturers allow one rivet driven out of spec in a row of rivets between four or six, in other words, you can mess one up as long as there are good ones to each side by a certain measure. Not two in a row however. So, before you venture into rivet removal, make sure you are committed to it for the right reasons.
I have never used an oops rivet. If the hole is messed up, I fatten a normal sized rivet slightly by squeezing it a bit before I set it or I go to the next size rivet. I only do this for cosmetic reasons when I have sound rivets around it in the same line. An oops rivet is probably a better choice.
 
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