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How to hold down bulkhead flanges for riveting?

J

jacoby

Well Known Member
I'm riveting the tailcone on the -10 and a couple of the flanges on the F-1011 bulkhead are sitting proud. One that goes on the stiffener and one on the bottom of the curve. Both of these locations only have one rivet so I can't use a cleco to help. There isn't enough room to get another finger in there plus the bucking bar.

The only way I can think of to make this work is to try and tape down the flange and then try and use a piece of foam with a hole in it to try and use the bucking bar to push it down.

Is there a better way?
 
Rubber hose

I use the rubber hose method. Buy two 12" lengths of rubber windshield washer hose from the auto parts store. One fits #3, one #4. Slice off a doughnut a tad longer than the protruding shank when the parts are held together. Slip the doughnut over the shank. Drive the rivet till parts are held then remove the doughnut and finish setting it.
 
wirejock said:
I use the rubber hose method. Buy two 12" lengths of rubber windshield washer hose from the auto parts store. One fits #3, one #4. Slice off a doughnut a tad longer than the protruding shank when the parts are held together. Slip the doughnut over the shank. Drive the rivet till parts are held then remove the doughnut and finish setting it.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I searched all over the forum and couldn't find anything. This sounds like it'll work great.
 
Never thought to use the windshield hose, as I was taught a "draw" technique by a WWII Lockheed worker.

Which is . . . to slightly swell the shank of the rivet to increase it's diameter. The bucking bar has a hole drilled into it the next step is to insert the slightly enlarged diameter shaft into the hole and, once again, very lightly "tap" the factory head with the rivet gun. It draws the two flanges together and you proceed with "normal" riveting.

The hose can be a useful accessory to the "draw" technique.

YMMV
 
Marc Bourget said:
Never thought to use the windshield hose, as I was taught a "draw" technique by a WWII Lockheed worker.

Which is . . . to slightly swell the shank of the rivet to increase it's diameter. The bucking bar has a hole drilled into it the next step is to insert the slightly enlarged diameter shaft into the hole and, once again, very lightly "tap" the factory head with the rivet gun. It draws the two flanges together and you proceed with "normal" riveting.

The hose can be a useful accessory to the "draw" technique.

YMMV
Click to expand...

I've been trying to figure out what you mean but just can't visualize it. Can you expand a bit on this? I'm not sure how drilling a hole in the bar helps..
 
The pre squeeze is too complicated for me.
An O-Ring of the right thickness or a piece of rubber with a hole punched in it. Pretty much the same as the hose idea. Either work great for getting the first few licks in with the gun (or squeezer for that matter) so that the flange stays put.
 
Last edited:
rzbill said:
The pre squeeze is too complicated for me.
An O-Ring of the right thickness or a piece of rubber with a hole punched in it. Pretty much the same as the hose idea. Either work great for getting the first few licks in with the gun (or squeezer for that matter) so that the flange stays put.
Click to expand...

I ended up using a piece of vacuum hose a bit over 1/8" long. Worked great.

Thanks for the help all who commented!
 
I kept a supply of aquarium style clear hose. About a million little pieces cut of the end of the hose made their way to the floor of the shop. Works the same as vacuum hose, just another way to skin the cat.
 
jacoby said:
I've been trying to figure out what you mean but just can't visualize it. Can you expand a bit on this? I'm not sure how drilling a hole in the bar helps..
Click to expand...

The two skins are, say, 1/16" apart. You slightly "tickle" the rivet gun and it simply swells or fattens the shaft of the rivet sufficient to create some drag between the shaft and the hole of the part you're trying to draw up to the skin that the manufactured head will be bearing upon.

Now, you grab your "drawing-bucking bar" the one with a hole drilled , (say #31 drill & face covered with masking tape) insert the exposed end of the slightly swollen shaft into the drilled (and deburred/polished) hole, and, then, even more lightly, tickle the rivet gun until the parts move together. Because of the drag, they stay together. Then shift back to a standard bucking bar and form the shop head.

FWIW
 
wirejock said:
I use the rubber hose method. Buy two 12" lengths of rubber windshield washer hose from the auto parts store. One fits #3, one #4. Slice off a doughnut a tad longer than the protruding shank when the parts are held together. Slip the doughnut over the shank. Drive the rivet till parts are held then remove the doughnut and finish setting it.
Click to expand...

Well that?s about as handy as a pocket on a shirt.... THANK YOU!
 
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