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RV15 Rivet Lengths

TroyBranch

TroyBranch

Well Known Member
Are you all using the rivet lengths that Vans calls out? I have not been able to for many, as so many of them are called up like the picture below. Quite short. Easier to drive but then you have to drive them to min thickness to get the right shop head size. The next rivet up puts you just over the right length and makes a shop head that is never at the minimums. I have seen this on the other RVs I built but the 15 seems to be more so. Are you just driving to get the small shop head using the rivet given or are you changing them? I have lots of rivets so I just grab what I need to get a better length.

I know there is a tolerance to the shop head thickness and diameter but why make it so it is always at the minimum. Wonder if there is a reason for them doing it?
 

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I think you at least partially answered your question yourself.
Is there something wrong with a shop head being smaller than the nominal rule of thumb but still meeting the mill spec minimum?
The other part of the answer is that you mentioned that the Next longer rivet is slightly over the recommended rule of thumb size.

That is the main clue. A rivet that will still meet the minimum for shop head size, but not be longer than typically recommended such that many builders may end up with a clinched or leaned over rivet, will make the specified rivet generally be the smaller size.

The philosophy is that it is far better to have a good quality shop head that meets the minimum size spec, then to specify one that is slightly too long and risk having a poor quality shop head.

This doesn’t mean I am indiscriminately recommending that builders just use what is specified in the plans.
This is a brand new airplane design with a newly produced construction manual, done, largely by people that are very new to Vans Aircraft.
Cross checking every rivet call out and making a determination of whether it seems appropriate is definitely a good idea, but using a longer rivet than one that will actually meet the dimension spec for the minimum size of a shop head doesn’t mean that it produces a superior wing either.
 
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flymore said:
I've just started riveting, but so far I'm sizing up a half size in spots to meet the gauge length.
Click to expand...
We're doing much the same, I recall the first part we encountered that seemed most in need of going to a different size was the outboard aileron brackets attaching to the outboard wing ribs. There are several other places so far where it just looked too short using the called-for rivet, but as Scott says, for the most part a little short isn't a deal breaker.
 
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