I'm in the process of riveting my flaps together. I've riveted the top skin to the spar and main ribs, but that last trailing edge rivet in the main ribs is a bear. I've not found anything around in my shop that looks like it would suffice for a bucking bar in that location. I'm sure I've seen some pictures of others methods, but a quick search here didn't locate any. I've seen some planes with a pulled rivet in that spot, like the bottom skin is put on, but would really like to use a solid if possible. Any help would sure be appreciated.
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Flap Riveting Question
- Thread starter PaulR
- Start date
You might be able to use a chisel as a bucking bar in the skinny end of the rib. If I remember correctly, I took the easy way out and used an MK-319BS pop rivet. You can fill it before painting and no one will ever know the difference.
Paul,
I just finished the ribs a couple days ago. Lucked out by having a bucking bar with a projection thin enough to fit. If you use a chisel or some other lightweight piece, you might want to tape a heavier chunk to it to give it more mass. And tape over the end to keep it from scratching the rib.
You may find riveting the bottom skin to the spar is also a little difficult. I had a bucking bar that was thin enough to fit in there with my fingers behind it, but just barely. I checked the shop heads by feel & they seemed good enough but a visual with a light and mirror confirmed with a home made rivet gage (9/64") told me I needed to mash them some more.
The rivet call out was wrong & I went to -4's as the 3.5's get pretty thin if you mash them enough to get 1.5D, but you probably noticed this on the top.
I just finished the ribs a couple days ago. Lucked out by having a bucking bar with a projection thin enough to fit. If you use a chisel or some other lightweight piece, you might want to tape a heavier chunk to it to give it more mass. And tape over the end to keep it from scratching the rib.
You may find riveting the bottom skin to the spar is also a little difficult. I had a bucking bar that was thin enough to fit in there with my fingers behind it, but just barely. I checked the shop heads by feel & they seemed good enough but a visual with a light and mirror confirmed with a home made rivet gage (9/64") told me I needed to mash them some more.
The rivet call out was wrong & I went to -4's as the 3.5's get pretty thin if you mash them enough to get 1.5D, but you probably noticed this on the top.
mikehoover
Well Known Member
Pop 'em and move on!
I'd just pop rivet those with 319's. Wish I had done it on my elevators too way back when. After making somewhat of a mess back then, I vowed to pop rivet anything like that in the future. I had no second thoughts about popping those on the flaps and ailerons. Save yourself some blood, sweat, tears, time and potential damage.
I'd just pop rivet those with 319's. Wish I had done it on my elevators too way back when. After making somewhat of a mess back then, I vowed to pop rivet anything like that in the future. I had no second thoughts about popping those on the flaps and ailerons. Save yourself some blood, sweat, tears, time and potential damage.
