Rivet Question

(Sorry if this has been discussed but in my search I could not find a definitive answer.)

I seem to be out of LP4-4 rivets and swimming in LP4-3 of course. Currently I am assembling the wings and attaching the ribs. As you know most of the rivets used for this task are LP4-3 but LP4-4's are used where the Un-trimmed ribs attach to the main spar.

I have a supply of N-Cherry rivets for aircraft spruce. These BSP-44's have the same grip spec as the LP4-4's from Vans. I see the LP4-4's are rated similar to the BSP44's (200lbs shr, 325lbs tens). My question is can I substitute the BSP-44's for the LP4-4's.

One item I note in the difference is the LP's seem to have a zinc coating on the steel mandrel shaft but the Cherry N BSP's appear to have a bare steel mandrel.

Any insight would be appreaciated.

Thanks

I can?t answer your specific substitution question, but I just checked my inventory. I completed my wings a couple of weeks ago and have 9 LP4-4s left over. And I don?t recall having to have removed any either. Probably tough to tell where you might have used LP4-4s now, but you might have gotten a bit carried away with them? I will admit there were a couple of places I would have thought LP4-4s to have been more appropriate, but the plans called out the LP4-3s. Go figure.

I'd just buy some LP4-4s. You 'll probably need them eventually anyway ...

Thanks,

I will be ordering more LP4-4's since mine are no where to be found (they may have gotten legs), the issue is this side of the boarder takes about 2 weeks from Vans and it's a long weekend here. I also haven't gone crazy with the incorrect size rivets as I double check every time for proper length both physically and to the plans, it's just an inventory issue

What I can see from the spec sheets the Cherry N BSPS44's seem to be stronger than the LP4-4's and both have the same working length, so I think I'm ok but I was looking for an expert opinion. I tested the two on a piece of scrap the N's definitely have more of a grunt and snap on the rivet gun than the LP's but this is by no means a technical answer My plans of finishing the wing skeletons on this long weekend maybe postponed...

Thanks for your help.