Is there a secret to riveting bottom wing skins near flap brackets?

[bertschb]

I started riveting on the inboard bottom wing skin this morning. Things went well until I got to the rivets around the flap bracket. I have a dozen different rivet sets but nothing that will work in this location. What rivet set are you guys using? If you decided to go with pulled rivets in this location, what did you use?

 

[Carl Froehlich]

Yep - a known issue.

There are flat, narrow flush rivet sets to do this but I don’t have one. I used a piece of 1/8” think aluminum with an #30 hole. In the hole I put a round head rivet cut to be flush with the other side of the aluminum. The aluminum piece was trimmed so that the round rivet was directly over the rivet to be set. Taping this aluminum piece over the rivet to be set, I used a 6” round head rivet set on the round head rivet that was centered over the rivet to be set. Bucking the other side as normal.

Carl

 

[czechsix]

I have a 12" long rivet set that I got with my C-Frame from Avery years ago. One end fits in the gun, the other end of the rod is flat and if you stabilize it with your fingers on the skin you can carefully set these rivets. Just don't let it get away from you. I don't see an equivalent rivet set online but Cleaveland's long back rivet set is similar and may work: https://cleavelandtool.com/products/back-rivet-set-12?_pos=3&_sid=c28f41925&_ss=r

 

[Halleffect]

I made the tool that Carl mentioned but ended up just using a small mushroom set with no problems. Had to leave the beehive set retainer spring off the gun for clearance.

 

[e4fish]

I used the Flush Swivel Rivet Set. Worked well for me.

 

[Phil Sprang]

I used a T flush rivet set. It worked perfectly.

 

[Cessnadog]

I used the 1 inch mushroom set (carefully) with the retaining spring removed from the gun. It is a skill you will need again.

 

[skelrad]

I sure wish I had known about those T flush rivet sets! I tried virtually every other method talked about here. Many of my rivet sets would have worked had they had another inch of length to get the gun up and over the bracket (even removing the spring, I still had alignment issues). Hindsight, I would have looked harder for a better set. As-is, I got the rivets set, but those areas are going to get their fair share of filler before paint!

 

[avatty]

If you are working with a partner, a 12-inch back rivet set works well as it's easy to keep centered by holding the hood while riveting.

When solo, the swivel head flush rivet set and a long bucking bar made from 1-inch stock were all I could figure out.

 

[chaskuss]

I love using the C set linked below.
C Set

 

[BravoAlphaRomeo]

I used the Flush Swivel Rivet Set. Worked well for me.

With a piece of protective tape on the bracket to keep from marring it up….

 

[chaskuss]

I have a 12" long rivet set that I got with my C-Frame from Avery years ago. One end fits in the gun, the other end of the rod is flat and if you stabilize it with your fingers on the skin you can carefully set these rivets. Just don't let it get away from you. I don't see an equivalent rivet set online but Cleaveland's long back rivet set is similar and may work: https://cleavelandtool.com/products/back-rivet-set-12?_pos=3&_sid=c28f41925&_ss=r

Mine is 10.5" long. I also have one that is 13.5" long and has a slight angle near the end.

 

[bertschb]

Man, thanks for all the feedback guys! You're awesome! You would think I would have all the tools and techniques figured out by now considering the bottom wing skins is basically all the riveting I have left to do on my build. Nope!

Here's what I ended up doing - I took @Carl Froehlich advice and fabricated a little piece of 1/8" aluminum scrap and used that to set the two most rearward rivets on each side. I used my standard mushroom set without the spring for the two forward rivets. I didn't think that would work because the rivet is riiiiight at the edge of the mushroom set. But, I tilted the gun every so slightly and it worked fine. I have all the rivets set up to the J-Channel now. No blems in the skin although some of the shop heads aren't my finest.

@Phil Sprang - That T-flush rivet set looks like the perfect tool for the job. I just ordered one even though it will probably arrive after I'm done. If I'm smart, I'll wait until it arrives before I get to the flap bracket on the outboard skin. Hmmmm

@czechsix - I have that 12" long back rivet set and was VERY tempted to use it but since I'm riveting solo I decided it was just too risky. I would only use it if I could steady it against the skin as you suggested.

 

[bertschb]

To follow up...

I used the T-Flush rivet set from Yard Store that @Phil Sprang recommended and it worked perfectly! It's narrow enough to get a straight shot at the rivet (at the middle of the set, not the edge) and long enough that the flap bracket doesn't interfere at all. Perfect tool for this job and cheap at only 17 bucks!