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First screw-up!

F

Flying Scotsman

Well Known Member
Okay, so it's a pretty minor one, but I'm striving for *perfection* here :)

I was drilling the HS-405 aft flange to the spar, and forgot to change bits from a #21 to a #30 until after I'd drilled the first hole. DOH!

I just ordered a small number of AN470AD5-7's from Aircraft Spruce...looks like one rivet is going to be *beefy* on that spar :)

I have to say...having helped my neighbor from start to finish on his RV-8 really helped me take things in stride. From picking up a piece of aluminum angle and bending it in a vise, to fixing a small mistake like this with a bigger rivet and not getting all wound up about it...if I hadn't been through that experience, I'd be a constant nervous wreck wondering if I was doing everything correctly.

Anyway, so far, things have been going great...I did stop for the night after that dumb-*** error, as it's getting late and I'm probably getting tired, but all in all, we're having fun starting *another* plane!

Also, this website rocks...TONS of useful info and tips out there. You guys are terrific!

Steve
 
Instead of using a solid AN470AD5-x rivet, you may want to consider using a blind rivet there. Check with Van's to make sure it's ok, but...you might end up beating up the thin parts trying to set the 5/32" solid rivet. Squeezing it is an option, but (a) the material might buckle a bit, and (b) you really ought to have a 5/32" cupped set (most builders don't have those from the get-go, so am I correct in assuming you don't have one?).

Anyway, something to consider asking Van's about.
 
I have the advantage of my next-door neighbor, a licensed A&P and formerly of the airlines, who just finished his RV-8 with help from yours truly. He's a *master* of fine craftsmanship, and we looked at it today...no big deal, he says. We can do either one.

And we do have cupped rivet tools for the bigger ones, also. I do know what you're talking about wrt the thinner metal deforming a bit. We had that issue on one place on the -8, but solved it somehow (I don't recall what we did right at the moment).
 
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dan said:
Instead of using a solid AN470AD5-x rivet, you may want to consider using a blind rivet there. Check with Van's to make sure it's ok, but...you might end up beating up the thin parts trying to set the 5/32" solid rivet. Squeezing it is an option, but (a) the material might buckle a bit, and (b) you really ought to have a 5/32" cupped set (most builders don't have those from the get-go, so am I correct in assuming you don't have one?).

Anyway, something to consider asking Van's about.
Click to expand...

Hey, Dan...I'll call Van's, of course...didn't mean to imply I was blowing off your advice. One quick question, though...if they said a blind rivet was okay, I'm guessing it would be something like BSPQ or AACQ? Problem is, I can't find anywhere that sells them long enough. The rivet that *should go in there is a -7. But a) blind rivets, far as I can tell, only come in -6 and -8 lengths, and b) I can't find anyplace that sells them in small amounts (like, less than a 10-pound bag, it seems! :) ).

I'm on travel this week, and it's going to be tough to call Van's, so I was trying to ensure options for this weekend when I get home by ordering some blind rivets, in addition to the solid ones, and then we can figure it out from there, but I'm stuck it seems as I can't find a source...help?
 
Van's will tell you which one you can use, if they approve a blind rivet.

As far as I know, blind rivets usually serve a "range" of thicknesses, rather than one specific dimension. In other words, the next size up typically does the trick. But again, check with Van's since they'll probably recommend a specific rivet.
 
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