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Riveting Fiberglass

macrafic

macrafic

Well Known Member
Hey fellow builders, I'm looking for some tips regarding riveting the fiberglass parts on the RV (RV-7A, to be specific). I'm attaching the wingtips and putting in the wingtip lighting. Both require riveting and some areas can not be reached with the pneumatic squeezer.

Question, is it OK to use the pneumatic squeezer where it can reach. An example would be the nuplates that have to go along the entire top and bottom of the wingtip for me to use screws for attachement.

For those areas where the squeezer will not work (attaching the wingtip lens, for instance), can you buck the rivets? How do you do this to avoid damage?

I've been going along fat and happy and realized, when I reached this point, that I don't have a clue! I don't have scrap fiberglass to try technique; my saving grace is that if I damage it, I can always repair it (unlike aluminum). However, I'd like every chance of doing it right the 1st time!

Thanks!
 
First Tip

Do not use AD rivets in fiberglass. They are too hard and expansive.

Use the softer 1100 alloy they are denoted by just and "A" not "AD"

Other than that the part number is the same. :cool:
 
Kit

Rick6a said:
You can purchase a wingtip kit from Cleaveland. Included are screws, nutplates and soft rivets.

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/products.asp?dept=115
Click to expand...

If you do, you may want to ask them for the NAS514P440-6P screws, they are stronger and less likely to strip the heads. They should have them in stock.

If you want stainless MS24693C6 will do the trick, although they are not quite as hard as the Alloy (NAS514) screws.
 
Use a hand squeezer and soft rivets. That way you can feel the squeezing pressure and less apt to crush the fiberglass. When you buck the nut plates for the lens use low pressure and soft rivets. I usually just use 3/32 csk pop rivets on the nut plates for the lens.
 
I used ordinary rivets

But remember you don't need to squeeze them up all the way becuse they are in nutplates. All the rivets do is to locate the nutplates side to side so all you need to do is squeeze them enough to to stop the nutplate moving....I.e you don't have to crush the fiberglass as these rivets are simply not structural. The clamping action of the screw is what keeps the assembly from moving around.

You can use standard rivets in this fashion in fiberglass no problem.

When it comes to the wingtip lenses you will be able to do all but two of the rivets...simply put a dab of your favourite sealant on the back of the rivet to hold them in place...silicone will even do but proseal is better.

Frank
 
Doublers between nutplate and fiberglass?

Should I be putting doublers between the nut plates and fiberglass (say 0.025") between the nut plates and the fiberglass, or is this completely unnecessary?

Tom.
 
As others have stated, you only need to secure the nutplates in the tips so they won't rotate when you tighten a screw. You don't need to cinch them down hard. You can gently drive regular rivets with no problem(s).

And you don't need a backing plate or any other support. You *can* add anything you want, but you don't *need* that.
 
macrafic said:
For those areas where the squeezer will not work (attaching the wingtip lens, for instance), can you buck the rivets? How do you do this to avoid damage?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

No problem bucking rivets in fiberglass and no real special skill required. If you can buck rivets without leaving depressions in aluminum, you'll have no problem bucking in fiberglass. I did all my fiberglass riveting with the 4X gun and hard rivets. Nothing cracked, crushed or split. Just use good technique.

Larry
 
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