riveting trailing edge

[andrew phillips]

What are the tricks for riveting the skin to the rib near the trailing edge of the elevator. I can't get a bucking bar or a rivet squeezer in there. I used an axe blade as a bucking bar but I can't even get that into the last hole space.

Thanks, Andrew

 

[mburch]

Assuming you are able to dimple the hole (pop rivet dimpler, vice grip dimpler, etc.) I'd just drill up to 7/64", throw a MK-319-BS blind rivet in there, and move on. Like one of my buddies always says, you won't be able to tell it's a pop rivet when I'm flying over your house anyways.

mcb

 

[Caveman]

Special tool

IIRC... Dan Checkoway's site www.rvproject.com addresses the issue. I was able to spread mine enough and then rebend them. I used Avery's dimple vice grips. I later bought Cleveland's special tool in case similar situations come up again. I haven't used it yet though. Here is a link:

http://cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DIE4263DF

 

[craigvince]

I bought a no-hole C-yoke for my rivet squeezer. This allows me to get into places with as little as 1/4" clearance. Try to find someone nearby to borrow one from, though, as you won't need it very often.

 

[N941WR]

Andrew,

Not to be rude, but please do a search on this subject. There are a lot of VERY good threads on this subject in the archives.

(You can also check out my site, as I have yet a different way to rivet these things up.)

Best of luck with your project!

 

[TSwezey]

I'm with Matt. The sheets of aluminum will fail way before the MK-319-BS fails. Take a look at the bird strike Thread on the RV-10. The skin tore and the rivets didn't fail.

 

[Les Dial]

Axe blade!! Wished I'd thought of that! Me and my buddy Dave actually used the flat end of a crow bar that we polished up to do the aft/lower most rivets of the rudder trailing edge. After that, I bought the 4" No Hole yoke. Good investment!