Canopy Rivets

[N223JH]

I am spooked about riveting the canopy to the front bow. Two issues: Posts and builder logs advise against enlarging the #30 holes to #27 as per plans. Better to use a unibit, they say. My smallest unibit does not have 5/32 which is closest to #27. Is there one available which does?

Second issue: #27 bit is .144. As an experiment, I hand-set one of the called-out rivets (in air) and it mushroomed to .165. Is the aluminum bow strong enough to snap that rivet stem at some point before it pushes up into the Plexi? Conversely, isn't rivet setting really compressing the Plexi from the top quite a bit? Maybe the rivets have pre-stressed stems...?

I avoided the rivet issue years ago on my slider by tapping threads into the steel frame where rivets were indicated. That's a non-starter on the 12's delicate front bow.

Sure would appreciate some advice from those of you with riveted/uncracked canopies.

TIA Jim

 

[Mel]

My RV-6 canopy was riveted, per the plans, in 1992. Still no cracks or any other problems today.
I did set the rivets by hand so as to avoid the "shock" of a pneumatic riveter.

 

[MartySantic]

I was VERY worried about the canopy and did a bit of research. This was after a good friend had cracked his RV-12 canopy. All ended well, in my case. Start reading my builder's log here.

http://martysrv12.blogspot.com/2009/05/started-canopy.html

I used the hand drill for the front bow and the uni-bit for the screw holes. The uni-bit is by far the best way to enlarge any hole in the plexiglass canopy. It is by far the safest and gives a nice camfered edge. You will not find a #27 uni-bit. You have to go to 5/32" (just a bit larger than #27) with the uni-bit.

Use a hand riveter for the front bow rivets. I remember cringing after each of those rivets snapped!!!

PM me with any specifics after reading the blog entries.

 

[BigJohn]

Two issues: Posts and builder logs advise against enlarging the #30 holes to #27 as per plans. Better to use a unibit, they say. My smallest unibit does not have 5/32 which is closest to #27. Is there one available which does?

Second issue: #27 bit is .144. As an experiment, I hand-set one of the called-out rivets (in air) and it mushroomed to .165. Is the aluminum bow strong enough to snap that rivet stem at some point before it pushes up into the Plexi? Conversely, isn't rivet setting really compressing the Plexi from the top quite a bit?

Go to my post at: http://www.mykitlog.com/users/displ...hn&project=639&category=4298&log=97637&row=35 to see how I did this task. Go to the hardware store and buy a unibit that has a 5/32 step. It works great. Skygeek website sells a countersink bit for fiberglass that makes the countersinking easy.

Make sure the work area is hot! Makes the glass soft and it will not crack.

Set the rivets using the hand tool, NOT the pneumatic gun.

Have courage!