Leading edge rib flange to spar...

[s10sakota]

Hi, for those of you that used pop rivets to rivet the aft flanges of the leading edge ribs to the spar, is there a trick you used to reach all of the ribs?

I can rivet the 2nd, 5th, and 6th ribs. I can't rivet the others because the rivet puller tool doesn't fit between the ribs. I'm thinking of maybe cutting a few inches off the handles? Or maybe I can grind away enough of the head to fit it in at an angle? Any tips here?

Also, for those that used solid rivets, I have the offset back rivet set, but what would I use against the manufactured head?

Thanks!

 

[s10sakota]

OK nevermind! I was determined to go out to the garage until I could figure this out. I ground the **** out of the tool and squeezed all of the rivets.

Movin' on...

 

[bobnoffs]

cut and grind. also can bend the stem of the rivit before putting it in place. AND i have taken several pieces of 1/4'' steel rod in lengths of 1/8'' to 5/16'' with a #49 hole drilled thru end to end. sometimes when they are slipped over the stem before the puller you have clearance you didn't have with the puller alone.and with the small hole the rivit head is not deformed at all.

 

[longranger]

I used the Tight Space Pop Riveter from Avery. I also used this tool to install the z-brackets on the tanks with no grinding. I threw my old oversize pull riveter in the trash.

 

[OLDSAM]

Just drove 'em

I just got another VAF poster, Steve Ashby, to help buck them, used an offset set, and drove all of them. A little tough on the forearm skin of the bucker against the edges of the rib holes in a few spots, but he didn't drip any blood on my shiny aluminum that I could find. No big deal overall, if you have 2 people.

 

[OLDSAM]

Forgot to add, if I needed to back rivet any of them, just drilled a hole in the bucking bar (3/16"? as best I remember), to match the stem of the AN470AD4-x rivet squeezer die, put the die in the hole in the bucking bar, and bucked the rivet head while driving with the offset back rivet set. Sounds a lot more complicated than it was.