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W-414/413 rivets

S

Sig600

Well Known Member
On one wing, I wasn't paying attention and where the plans call for AN470AD4-7 rivets (the back side of the brackets where they rivet to the rear spar) I used AN470AD4-6 rivets by accident. They look good, but do I need to drill them out and redo them with the proper length?

****!
 
Sig600 said:
On one wing, I wasn't paying attention and where the plans call for AN470AD4-7 rivets (the back side of the brackets where they rivet to the rear spar) I used AN470AD4-6 rivets by accident. They look good, but do I need to drill them out and redo them with the proper length?

****!
Click to expand...

Measure the shop heads. If the diameter is at least 1.5 X the rivet diameter AND at least 0.5 X the rivet diameter in height then they are OK. If they do not meet BOTH of these limits, you will need to replace them.
 
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Check the height and width of the shop head with your rivet tool. The 'flat at the end should not be able to slide over the shop head if there is enough material vertically. The height is supposed to be 1/2 the diameter min, while the width is to be 1.5 diameter at a minimum. Van's call outs can be off by one size here and there, so consider the plans only a recommendation...
 
Thanks guys, Mel I knew you'd chime in. Going to check them out... I predict about 15 rivets that are coming out. :mad:
 
Mel said:
Measure the shop heads. If the diameter is at least 2 X the rivet diameter AND at least 1.5 X the rivet diameter in height then they are OK. If they do not meet BOTH of these limits, you will need to replace them.
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Mel isn't the edge distance 2x, width 1.5x and height 0.5x?
 
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Military Specifications

jmjula said:
Mel isn't the edge distance 2x, width 1.5x and height 0.5x?
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The exact sizes to measure for a -4 rivet are -

minimum height 0.050 inches.

minimum diam. 0.163 inches.

As said earlier, you need to meet both dimensions.

A "perfect" rivet would be at the 1.5x/0.5x dimensions, which would be 0.063 height and 0.187 diam. - the above numbers are the minimum allowed by the Mil-Spec.

I think Mel had a major typing glitch in his posting...:)
 
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jmjula said:
Check the height and width of the shop head with your rivet tool. The 'flat at the end should not be able to slide over the shop head if there is enough material vertically. The height is supposed to be 1/2 the diameter min, while the width is to be 1.5 diameter at a minimum. Van's call outs can be off by one size here and there, so consider the plans only a recommendation...
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Not exactly true. The numbers you give are for a "perfect" rivet, the Mil-Spec give exact numbers for an acceptable (i.e., don't drill it out) rivet.

Minimum exact dimension are here.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/Specs.htm

Sometimes removing a rivet can just create more problems than it solves...:)
 
I don't have a -7 rivet gauge, and the -6 rivet heads were WAY smaller than the hole in the gauge (avery tools)... so I drilled them out and re-squoze them. Now I'm all paranoid and want a second opinion on the work.
 
Sig600 said:
I don't have a -7 rivet gauge, and the -6 rivet heads were WAY smaller than the hole in the gauge (avery tools)... so I drilled them out and re-squoze them. Now I'm all paranoid and want a second opinion on the work.
Click to expand...

You were setting AN470AD4 rivets so you use the rivet gauge for size *4* rivets. The shop head for any given rivet size should be the same, regardless of the *length* of the rivet, be it an AN470AD4-4 or AN470AD4-11 or whatever.

What gauge were you using to check these rivets?
 
Flying Scotsman said:
You were setting AN470AD4 rivets so you use the rivet gauge for size *4* rivets. The shop head for any given rivet size should be the same, regardless of the *length* of the rivet, be it an AN470AD4-4 or AN470AD4-11 or whatever.

What gauge were you using to check these rivets?
Click to expand...

And that's what happens when you take 5 years off from your build, you have to relearn how to use your tools. Now I feel like an ***.

The upside is I still drilled out the wrong rivets and installed the right ones anyway.
 
Bonus lesson, then...two for the price of one :) Using the gauges, and drilling out rivets!

Glad you got 'er squared away...build on!

Steve
 
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