Vans practice kit question

[RNB]

Background: We've taken the EAA sheet metal class. I made a poorly made tool box (lost the directions) at home and have some aluminum to practice on. My plan is to trial new things on demo parts. First kit for an RV10 expected today.

I am working on the wing kit provided by vans. There are some required dimples in tight spots that normal tools won't fit into. The kit directions say to make a steel plate with a relief whole cut and countersunk to use as a backing plate for dimpling. It looks like the dimple die has to be held in place, perhaps with long nose pliers, and then hammered? The directions are not clear on this and I don't recall any videos.

I don't recall seeing this kind of thing being required for an RV10. If this special plate is needed for a 10, I will find and make one. Is this needed?

If this special bucking bar/dimpling bar is not needed to build a 10, will I pick up any helpful experience above what I have done already before building?

What kinds of places sell metal like this?

 

[Pdp7427]

Background: We've taken the EAA sheet metal class. I made a poorly made tool box (lost the directions) at home and have some aluminum to practice on. My plan is to trial new things on demo parts. First kit for an RV10 expected today.

I am working on the wing kit provided by vans. There are some required dimples in tight spots that normal tools won't fit into. The kit directions say to make a steel plate with a relief whole cut and countersunk to use as a backing plate for dimpling. It looks like the dimple die has to be held in place, perhaps with long nose pliers, and then hammered? The directions are not clear on this and I don't recall any videos.

I don't recall seeing this kind of thing being required for an RV10. If this special plate is needed for a 10, I will find and make one. Is this needed?

If this special bucking bar/dimpling bar is not needed to build a 10, will I pick up any helpful experience above what I have done already before building?

What kinds of places sell metal like this?

I think I used the close quarters dimple die set. It’s operated with a blind rivet puller. I think I also ground down one edge on the belt sander to get it even closer-quarters.

 

[RNB]

I think I used the close quarters dimple die set. It’s operated with a blind rivet puller. I think I also ground down one edge on the belt sander to get it even closer-quarters.

So the plate steel is not needed?

 

[RNB]

OK, so now I see to maybe use a couple things that came in my Cleaveland starter kit!
The pop rivet dimpling tool is not right for this.
The tight fit rivet tool seems right. I tried it a bit but seem to really need to mount it down well (not just a vise) and remove the head of my DRDT to better hold and drive the male dimple.

 

[BillL]

Yes you still need the countersunk inner piece. The countersunk piece is best held with some mass if not squeezing or using the rivet style (a required tool) dimpler. I made a driver for the rivet gun from a cheap HF impact tool to accommodate the dimple die. It is not necessary but useful for a few uses. There is also a modified vice grip that Avery made for this type of dimple (availability unknown). You should adjust to the fact that some locations are difficult and one has to make on-time-use tools for a job. These fall into the less 1/1000 category but can not be ignored. They will not be durable tools, but adequate to yield a nicely set rivet for final inspection. Make it, use it, and move on. Functional quality only.

Vans (at one time) sells/sold pieces of sheet aluminum from their scrap bin. Don't know current status of such. Inevitably newer builders will accumulate some scrap pieces, it is an expected (although hard to accept) part of the learning process and not a permanent stain on ones skills. The ultimate challenge is to utilize these pieces to make other test projects and whittle them into smaller and smaller bits until utterly useless.

 

[RNB]

OK, I think the tight fit dimpling fixture is the equivalent of what showed in the directions. I was able to use this and complete my rib dimpling, watched the Cleaveland video showing this :

To hold the male dimple I removed the threaded head of the DRDT2, this worked well.

I think I want to find a better replacement than the threaded head, don't want to ruin the threads.