Gregg Brightwell
Well Known Member
I have recently done quite a bit of searching for the best way to rivet on my lower skins. I find it refreshing that there are multiple ways to skin this proverbial cat.
In case it helps anyone, I will post my experience from yesterday. My scenario was rv-4, lower inboard skin, no helper, and no pull rivets. Not one. I started by putting clecos along the rear spar, to do the center wing walk ribs first. It's a LONG reach to the rear spar, but I have long arms. It is a very tight squeeze between those ribs with a bar. (Wear long sleeves- greatly reduces the battle scars) I riveted the rear spar rivets at the wing walk ribs, and then worked forward, left to right and right to left, one hole at a time. I then riveted every other hole on the inboard most rib. (Easy)
Next I riveted rib 4 (outboard wing walk) and worked my way out and forward, in an "L" pattern. To hold the skin back, (I didn't have a helper) I used two bungee cords and a leash hung from the ceiling:
Sort of low tech redneck, but worked great. Here is the skin finished, (other than the lap joint rivets) with no pull rivets. Looks pretty good:
Still have to do the outboard skin, and it might be tougher. I was able to remove the tank for the inboard skin. Hope someone finds this useful.
Gregg
In case it helps anyone, I will post my experience from yesterday. My scenario was rv-4, lower inboard skin, no helper, and no pull rivets. Not one. I started by putting clecos along the rear spar, to do the center wing walk ribs first. It's a LONG reach to the rear spar, but I have long arms. It is a very tight squeeze between those ribs with a bar. (Wear long sleeves- greatly reduces the battle scars) I riveted the rear spar rivets at the wing walk ribs, and then worked forward, left to right and right to left, one hole at a time. I then riveted every other hole on the inboard most rib. (Easy)
Next I riveted rib 4 (outboard wing walk) and worked my way out and forward, in an "L" pattern. To hold the skin back, (I didn't have a helper) I used two bungee cords and a leash hung from the ceiling:
Sort of low tech redneck, but worked great. Here is the skin finished, (other than the lap joint rivets) with no pull rivets. Looks pretty good:
Still have to do the outboard skin, and it might be tougher. I was able to remove the tank for the inboard skin. Hope someone finds this useful.
Gregg