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Leading Edge Assembly Blind Rivets

RV7AJeremy

RV7AJeremy

Well Known Member
I know that I can substitute LP pull rivets for the solid rivets for the internal rib to spar attachment on the leading edge assembly. What about the two end ribs, has anyone used LP rivets for all the rib to spar attachemnts? I will call vans in the morning but I just wanted to know if anyone else has used pull rivets for all the rib to spar rivets. I hope this makes sense, it is difficult to put into words. I attempted solid rivets with much frusteration.

Thanks in advance...
 
I was able to get solid rivets everywhere, but I don't remember any details. 1/8" Cherrymax rivets are structural blind rivets, very expensive but worth it if you need it here and there. Van's carries a few sizes, and you can get them elsewhere too. Van's part number for a 1/8" grip is RIVET CR3213-4-2.
 
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The dark side of pull rivets on the leading edge is there is just not room for the puller against most of the interior main ribs. This is compounded by needing to position the handles so you can make the pull. Even a 1/8 set must have the side ground down some to clear the nearby main rib web. It's close.

If you haven't already riveted up your second wing skeleton, there is an easy way. Clamp the main spar to a bench by one of its flanges. Rivet all the main ribs (except the tip rib). Do this without the rear spar in place. This lets the ribs sway out of the way for gun clearance and squeezing in your body for best positioning. Then position the assembled leading edge in place, clecoing the rib flanges only. Don't worry about clecoing the skin-to-spar, but do add in the main tip rib. With the main ribs swinging and the mess lying on the bench, it's fairly easy to reach a bucking bar into the leading edge, although blindly for the most part. You'll get the hang of it. If you have a helper, its a quick task.

Rivet the rear spar in place to complete the skeleton.
 
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Both skeletons are complete

RV7ator said:
The dark side of pull rivets on the leading edge is there is just not room for the puller against most of the interior main ribs. This is compounded by needing to position the handles so you can make the pull. Even a 1/8 set must have the side ground down some to clear the nearby main rib web. It's close.

If you haven't already riveted up your second wing skeleton, there is an easy way. Clamp the main spar to a bench by one of its flanges. Rivet all the main ribs (except the tip rib). Do this without the rear spar in place. This lets the ribs sway out of the way for gun clearance and squeezing in your body for best positioning. Then position the assembled leading edge in place, clecoing the rib flanges only. Don't worry about clecoing the skin-to-spar, but do add in the main tip rib. With the main ribs swinging and the mess lying on the bench, it's fairly easy to reach a bucking bar into the leading edge, although blindly for the most part. You'll get the hang of it. If you have a helper, its a quick task.

Rivet the rear spar in place to complete the skeleton.
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Bummer, sounds not too bad, but both skeletons are complete.
 
Very Easy!

I gound down the head of a cheap hand puller and poped away! Made the leading edge ribs a joke. Make sure you use the correct LP's, 3's and 4's I think
 
Similar problem

Just like you I was not able to rivet the leading edge ribs properly using normal rivet either... The 2 outmost ribs are easy, but the others not.
So I used MSP 42 and 43 cherry rivets (aircraft spruce) to rivet the ribs in place with a cheap puller that I grinded to get as close as possible to the edge of the structure. Worked fine...
Right wing riveted (L.E. and top skin) left wing next week when I get back home.
 
Leading edge / spar riveting

I tried solid rivets here and had nothing but problems. I went with cherries and a small piece of angled aluminum with a hole drilled in it, sort of like a wedge. This goes on the stem of the rivet. This angled the pop riveter away from the rib, no grinding necessary. You have to bend the rivet stems slightly and be careful you match the angle to the spar but it worked like a charm!! I used an el-cheapo air powered rivet puller...
 
Another point

The other thing I had to do to make the puller work with the wedge was to reduce the length of the "nose piece" on the riveter from about 1/4" to ~1/16". This was necessary because the "cherries" have a short stem and did not quite reach the internal gripping jaws with the stock nose-piece...
 
how to pull a cherry rivet

the cherry max look stronger to me then the Lp rivets from vans but how do you pull them? the cataloges seem to only indicate air pullers are for cherry max rivets. will a hand puller work? and what are the hand pullers that cost around a 100 dollars for. they don't mention cherry max but something like cherry plate nut rivets (don't remember exact wording). would like to use cherry max but because of the above I haven't. Would someone explain them. thanks
 
Cherry

You can pull small cherrys with a hand puller. Harbor Freight sell a cheap pneumatic puller. Real Cherry guns are rather expensive.
 
bill v said:
the cherry max look stronger to me then the Lp rivets from vans but how do you pull them? the cataloges seem to only indicate air pullers are for cherry max rivets. will a hand puller work? and what are the hand pullers that cost around a 100 dollars for. they don't mention cherry max but something like cherry plate nut rivets (don't remember exact wording). would like to use cherry max but because of the above I haven't. Would someone explain them. thanks
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Regular hardware store puller will pull Cherrymax just fine. Also, don't let the Cherrymax brochure convince you that you need a sizing gauge. ACS has a chart on their Cherrymax page that gives you the grip ranges of each size rivet.

Van's told me LP4's were just fine for this location. I used a combination of bucking solids where easy enough and pulling the remainder. Used a combination of Cherrymax and LP4's just because it made me feel good at that (inexperienced) phase of my build, but would just as happily use all LP4's next time.
 
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Jeremy,

Thanks for posting this thread, I was about to find a midget to set the LE rib rivets. I couldn't get my hand through the sheer web hole much less an arm to hold a bucking bar. Vans must have some special bar holding tools to set the interior rib rivets, there's no way I can do it.
 
jthocker said:
Try these.


http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=5012
http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=P26A

We use these in the RV12 construction, almost exclusively built of LP4's.
I gave up using solids for the rib to spar a long time ago!!!!
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Hallelujah!

It's always good to hear a word of confirmation from someone who has been there and done that. I was going to do it anyhow but this cinches it, the job was completed in about 2 hours this morning. Now it is on to the skin to spar flange flush rivet squeezing. And no pro-seal, what a deal!!

(My wife, Margie, got into the act yesterday and held the bucking bar to finish the inside LE nose rivets. She took to it like a pro - held the bar well. Not bad for a 70 year old grandmother learning something new. :))
 
David,
Since you've started building an 8, I've flagged you as someone's posts to watch! I've enjoyed your contributions to this forum over the years, and enjoy helping you and others(Nemo included). Feel free to pm me for phone advice!
JT
 
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