Riveting question

There is probably a simple answer to this, but . . .

I was looking at some pics of the vertical and horizontal stab on an RV-3 builder's website and was wondering . . . how do you buck the rivets along the forward spar?

Fritz Deininger
Sonex builder, RV-3 admirer

On the forward spar the flange is facing aft, so the bucking bar goes in from the aft side. Before the aft spar is clecoed in place, you can easily reach in from the aft end to buck. I'm working on a -7, but looking at DR's RV-3 site his HS forward spar looks very similar to mine.

Even with the aft spar in place (DR's is already riveted) one can gently peel back the skin to reach an arm in there and buck rivets.

That's how it is done.

sgordon said:

Even with the aft spar in place (DR's is already riveted) one can gently peel back the skin to reach an arm in there and buck rivets.

Click to expand...

I kept mine in the jig. The rear spar was in place as the skeleton is was done. You might be able to leave the rear spar out and figure out a way to hold things in place while riveting, but that is not how the instructions read. The standard method is to reach in.
While it is a shorter distance to reach than on the other models, this makes it more difficult as there is less room for your forearm and the skin gets pushed out more. Use a smaller size mushroom set, not the great big ones.
On the HS, I would highly recommend that you get a friend to hold the bucking bar and do the top side first. This allows you to keep the entire bottom part of the skin unzipped and then you can cleco the top skin down to the rear spar. Once the top is done, you have no choice but to do the other side reaching in.
It is a tough job on the 3.

Riveting

Thanks for the replies. Those RVs sure are nice looking planes (especially the RV-3).

Fritz Deininger