How do you set the spar opening rivets?

[Ben Ellis]

The title says it all. I highlighted the rivets in question. I can’t get a bucking bar behind most of these rivets and my squeezer yokes don’t fit either. Any tips?

 

[JDA_BTR]

What yokes and bars do you have?

 

[Ben Ellis]

the wrong ones it seems

 

[JDA_BTR]

When I'm in the shop tomorrow I'll look and see how I did those. I have a "mini" tungsten bar that is smaller than the ones you have, and a shorter yoke.

Tungsten Bucking Bar 2 X 1-1/2 X 5/8 Inches | Aircraft Spruce

Tungsten Bucking Bar 2 X 1-1/2 X 5/8 Inches Tungsten Steel bars weighs almost twice as much as conventional steel which makes it a perfect material for manufacturing a small yet HEAVY Bucking Bar.

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Squeezer Yoke 1-1/2 Inches | Aircraft Spruce

Squeezer Yoke 1-1/2 Inches Yoke, Squeezer, 1-1/2 Deep, 1-1/4 High. Fits ATS-114C, Chicago Pneumatic 214C, and 0214C series squeezers.

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[Jonnyb]

I got a 1” squeezer yoke behind some of them. But others I used CherryMax rivets.

I checked with Vans and they were fine with it

 

[gregmc]

Dunno about the -8, but on the -7 the instructions call out setting those rivets before the side skin is clecoed to the fuselage assembly.

 

[Ben Ellis]

Dunno about the -8, but on the -7 the instructions call out setting those rivets before the side skin is clecoed to the fuselage assembly.
View attachment 83639

The only rivets the RV-8 instructions say to do before setting most skin rivets are the two rivets on the mid side skins that are in front of the lower spar bar. The RV-7 instructions make more sense here I think.

 

[JDA_BTR]

I bucked all of the outside ones using a gun and a mini bar. I bucked the top inside one with some difficulty using and angled face so I pulled the other three top ones with Cherry. The bottom inside ones are pulled so no biggie.

 

[Ben Ellis]

Sometimes taking a step back helps you figure it out. I ended up being able to set all rivets with the 45 degree angled tip of the L shaped bucking bar I posted above. Thanks all for your replies.

 

[JDA_BTR]

I bet you wished you had a helper on those....

 

[Ben Ellis]

I bet you wished you had a helper on those....

They actually were pretty easy to do. I do need a helper for some of the rivets on the bottom of the plane. My wife said she’d help but when she helped with the wings she started complaining after about 5 minutes of having to hold the back riveting bar. Said it was too heavy. So I think I’m going to have to call outside help.