Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jim B Belcher on April 8, 2013 at 7:17pm

I'm of the impression that kits using driven rivets are sometimes designed to make it easier to buck the rivet. How some of the rivets on say, an XLB or 650 could be reached to do this isn't clear to me.

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Permalink Reply by Woody Harris on April 8, 2013 at 7:47pm

Why?

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Permalink Reply by Robert McNaught on April 8, 2013 at 8:41pm

  I scratch built my 701 and used solids in all the inside primary structure and blind riveted all the skins on. I prefer solids but some of these A/C have been flying for over 20 years with very little problems with blind rivets installed as per the drawings and as far as I know with no major problems. I had the tools and solid rivets more easier available to me so I used them.

                  Rob M

 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Elkjaer on April 9, 2013 at 2:08pm

Thanks for the reply - Yes you are right Jim. Access is a point to consider so clearly not all rivets can be solid. That is one advantage with pulled rivets .. you do it all from one side.

To answers Woody's question ...why ?   Well because I like the look of AD better .. the cost less (not a big deal) and the weight less (also not a big deal) .. yes the are stronger but absolutely NOT needed for that. The design is perfect as it is.  It is just that I like the look better ... and no small holes to fill with epoxy ...  So since I am able to drive solid rivets .. I would say why not ? :-)

Robert - You have shared my sentiment entirely. I agree with everything you say

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Permalink Reply by Jacob on April 11, 2013 at 6:04am

Im using ad solids on my 650 and there is one big advantage I have found.  With the solids you are able to go down a size because they are stronger so all 1/8 become 3/32 and 5/32 become 1/8.  For example my carry thru spar where it attaches didn't line up very good with the pre-drilled holes in the bottom of my fuselage but because the holes only had to be taken out to 1/8 instead of 5/32 the install was fine but had I taken both rivets line out to 5/32 I don't believe I would have had sufficient edge to radius distances, not a good place to be in when your talking about a spar carry thru attach.  This is not the only example where the smaller hole size has been saved me alot of hassle.  With my 650 I'm using the solids in the fuse and all other internal structure etc but I don't feel it's worth it on the control surfaces for example.  I may make the effort on my wing skins but haven't decided yet.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Dempsey on April 12, 2013 at 7:59am

 

I used solid rivets where I could reach to do the bucking or use a rivet squeezer.  I also made a rivetting tool that made the job much easier where it could be employeed. http://daniel.dempseyfamily.us/zodiac/fuselage/rivettool.htm

I had no better reason than aesthetics.  I like the way they look. Like others have mentioned, they are less expensive, stronger and lighter, but sense the plane was designed for pull rivets those are secondary arguments.

I also dimpled the skins for flush rivets.  I'm building from scratch and after all the work of laying out a part, drilling deburring etc, dimpling does take that much extra time.

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