Slipped dimple- HELP!

[pilot2512]

While working on the left H.S skin dimpling, the skin jumped out and now I have a second hole about .145" away. It is on the line on the fwd spar (top of course). First mistake of the project. What are my options besides a new skin?

Jay
RV-9A emp started.

 

[kbehrent]

I believe you don't much of an option other than buy a new skin and chalk it up as a lesson to learn from. If the hole was farther apart, you could have put a rivet it in and maybe nobody would have noticed, other than all of us who would know to look for it.

Don't feel bad. I had to buy new skins for a different reason. They weren't very expensive and i was able to drive to pick them up.

 

[Steve Barnes]

Sounds fixable

I have had a few bo bo's like that and have always fixed them. Flatten dimple with your flush dies. File out any possible stress risers (cracks). Use an epoxy filler in the hole and sand flush. In a few years when you forget where it is, you will never be able to find it. If you are going to have a polished skin, forget everything that I have said, and buy new.

Steve Barnes "The Builders Coach"

 

[Ironflight]

Yup - what Steve said - easily fixable by making sure it won't spread and then filling it with epoxy in the end. Learning to fix minor mistakes is part of the true art of building. Do you imagine that Boeing would scrap an almost finished airplane because of a mis-drilled hole? Nope - they'd engineer a fix and press on!

 

[RV7Ron]

Yup - what Steve said - easily fixable by making sure it won't spread and then filling it with epoxy in the end. Learning to fix minor mistakes is part of the true art of building. Do you imagine that Boeing would scrap an almost finished airplane because of a mis-drilled hole? Nope - they'd engineer a fix and press on!

Couldn't agree more...one more vote for this approach...I've done it.

 

[pilot2512]

Thanks for the replies. That was my first thought. Paul...I wish there was a SRM for Van's as Boeing has (I'm used to reading thosehttp://www.vansairforce.com/community/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)

Jay