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Botched rivet removal

Jeff R

Jeff R

Well Known Member
Well, after previousoly bragging about how good I was at drilling out rivets, I really botched it this evening. I messed up a few rivets so, no problem, I will drill them out, I told myself. Only this time, twice, the drill slipped and now I have an extra hole next to two rivets. In getting the rivet pulled out, the holes broke through and now I have two, very elongated holes. This isn't something where I can drill out a larger hole and use the next bigger sized rivet, unless I want to use the kind of rivets they make ocean liners out of.

This occurred in the upper part of the rudder skins/stiffener, so the area isn't highly structural, to where I think I might be able to drill and rivet to either side of the botched rivet and simply fill in the botched hole later on. Either that, or buy a new skin and stiffeners, which I don't want to do.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
Can you post a picture Jeff? It would make it easier for us to see exactly what you've got...

Paul
 
I had one too . . .

. . . on the horiz stab skin. And to be honest, drilled to -30, deburred, set an oops rivet(oddly, it went ok), then filled the gap with proseal and aluminum dust(silvery goo), wax paper over top until it cured.

Rick 90432
 
Don't use an oops rivet. They can pull out since there isn't much holding them in. Drill out the hole to #30, use your pop-rivet dimpler and put in a larger rivet. Simple and easy.
 
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Not exactly the same situation but my 6 has a couple of repair patches to reinforce and conceal some oops holes due to wrong positioning or botched removal of rivets. I usually make the patch of the same thickness as the material being repaired and use at least the same number of rivets being reinforced.

Your option 2 sounds good by the way. Keep records of what you do/did.

oopsfj7.jpg

oopsrepairrh4.jpg

oopspatchxf9.jpg
 
I just looked at your picture again.

1. Drill out the holes to a nice clean dia. - say 1/4"
2. Remake the skin stiffener
3. Drill three new holes at either side and in between the original holes
4. Rivet on the stiffener thus covering the 1/4" holes

Simple, light, strong, crack proofed, polishable - but with two mysterious round lightening recesses on the rudder skin - and NO glue or filler:)

Aluminum and glue or body filler don't mix well and should be avoided without careful preparation - I know, I'm in the composites business!

Jim Sharkey
 
Thanks, Jim, that is basically what I did this evening. I would have finished the job but I don't have the right rivets. I could cut some down, but I will go on and order the correct size.

Any recommendations on where to get small quantities of rivets, such as AN426AD4-4? ACS has them for under $4, but abut 500 more than I need. Plus, the shipping will cost more than the rivets probably!
 
Use AD3s in new holes per the original design and leave the cleaned up holes empty. By the way you'll get more than enough rivets of every kind as you add kits to the build :)
Jim Sharkey
 
Retraction

I retract my previous suggestion. My holes were not as creative, they were roughly to the edge of the dimple, not outside, and cleaned up nicely. THis is doubler time, I think. Rick 90432
 
Not sure if you are already doing it but be sure to give the rivets a good wrap with a center punch and always try to use a new or at the laest a very sharp drill bit for drilling out rivets. I keep a drill bit seperate in the two main sizes (#30 and #40) just for drilling out rivets but I've never had to use them :D :D :D :D

just kidding - I have used them.
 
My final resolution

Well, after all this time, I finally decided to replace the skin. I was trying to complete my left elevator over the holiday and I was riveting the skins to the trailing edge and things just weren't lining up right and I ending up with a wavy edge with a buldge at the outer end. It is too ugle even for me! So, I am rebuilding the left elevator and since I was ordering the parts for it, I decided to go on and order a new rudder skin and the stiffeners while I was at it. It was only an extra $38, which is actually a bit cheaper than I was expecting.

I guess I am hardly alone, and I expect the rebuild to go a whole lot faster, now that I know what I am doing (sort of), and I know how to prepare to prevent the problems I had. (I hope.)

Thanks to all who replied.
 
Jeff - Dont feel guilty about it! I was half way through back rivetting the stiffeners on the rudder skip and slipped off the rivet giving the skin a dip.
You feel bad about it for a few minutes but it's only a skin! Easier to replace and have looking good than to fill and forever look at it !
 
Drilling rivets

When drilling out rivets, after center-punching the rivet, place the drill bit in the centerpunch mark but don't start the drill just yet. Turn the drill chuck several revolutions by hand (assuming it's an air drill) to get the hole started. This makes it much less likely that the drill will slip on startup, and mess up the work.
 
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