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Punctured Skin

echozulu

Well Known Member
Punctured my rudder skin while it was on the DRDT-2. I didn't have the holes lined up and slipped, and now there's a dimpled hole where there should be no hole at all.
See Picture Here
My initial thought was I would need to get a new skin...however, can I just drop a short rivet in there to cover it up?
 
I like the rivet idea or, if you intend to paint, Bondo. Git' 'er done.

I did think about some sort of putty, but I wasn't sure how that would compare to rivets in terms of cost and structural rigidity. Definitely going to paint, never worked with bondo or anything like that though.
 
Punctured my rudder skin while it was on the DRDT-2. I didn't have the holes lined up and slipped, and now there's a dimpled hole where there should be no hole at all.
See Picture Here
My initial thought was I would need to get a new skin...however, can I just drop a short rivet in there to cover it up?

I did the same on my 9A, just put a rivet in the hole and move on.
 
Unintended consequences

We are here to help, sometimes maore than expected but always with helpfulness in mind.
So I have to ask, are you dimpling thru the blue plastic? Normal it is removed prior to dimpling, either be removing it off the the whole sheet, or carefully trimming a strip along the rivet lines. The only exception is generally if it is going to be a polished finish.

For me I was doing the strip method, but coukd never get it off without leaving a line from the soldering iron. So now I am just taking if off the whole sheet at once.
 
Blue vinyl

Are you dimpling with the vinyl in place? Maybe the photo.
Agree. If there is no substructure, put a rivet in it. Mix some JB Weld and fill the hole. Scrape off the excess with a razor before it fully hardens. No one will see it unless you plan to polish.
 
Put a rivet in there. No need for bondo, fillers, or putty. After painting, no will ever know the difference and you?ll forget about it after a few months. The extra rivet never stopped anyone from awarding me various workmanship awards.
 
Thanks! I'll throw a rivet in there and call it a day.

I am dimpling through the vinyl. I don't remove it until I prime. I figure for one I'm about 400 feet from the ocean, so it helps a bit with the humidity here. And two, it protects against scratches and oil from my hands. I haven't had anything unexpected happen from the blue vinyl being on there, am I missing something? Total beginner really so any advice helps.
 
Just put a rivet into the hole. When you get to the wings, the instructions tell you to insert a rivet into the hole in the wing leading edge meant for the stall warning indicator in the opposite wing in order to fill the unused hole. So you will be doing this again.

I was taught to remove the blue plastic before dimpling the holes. Otherwise the plastic causes the dimple depth to be off by the plastic thickness.

Welcome to the world of RV-10 building. Enjoy!
 
Remove the plastic before you dimple. If you really want to just remove around the rivet holes on the outer side of the skin but on the inside just remove since you plan to prime.
Also I tend to prime before I dimple as dimples eat scotchbright pads ;)
 
Thanks! I'll throw a rivet in there and call it a day.

I am dimpling through the vinyl. I don't remove it until I prime. I figure for one I'm about 400 feet from the ocean, so it helps a bit with the humidity here. And two, it protects against scratches and oil from my hands. I haven't had anything unexpected happen from the blue vinyl being on there, am I missing something? Total beginner really so any advice helps.

Try dimpling on some of the trim pieces both with and without the blue plastic.

Take the plastic of the one test case and compare the dimples for sharpness and depth.

If you are happy with the results - carry on. A lot of it is technique dependent. :)
 
Make sure you hold the skin down with one hand and whack it with the other hand. Most beginners make this mistake and are not careful enough or they are trying to go a little too fast. Mine was slightly off center so I had to fill the hole.
 
I have a rivet to nowhere on my -7. To confuse and distract the eagle-eyed smart alecs at Oshkosh, I put a matching one in the symmetrical spot on the other side. :D
 
Make sure you hold the skin down with one hand and whack it with the other hand. Most beginners make this mistake and are not careful enough or they are trying to go a little too fast. Mine was slightly off center so I had to fill the hole.

I removed the return spring on my C-Frame Dimpler.

It's a bit slower since you have to hold up the upper rod as you move the skin around, but once you let the top (or bottom) outie dimple enter the hole you know it's aimed right. :D
 
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