NorthernRV4
Well Known Member
I'm at the point of drilling the horizontal stab skin to to the skeleton but I have a dilemma. Van's notes to alter the rivet spacing on the rear spar as needed to avoid putting a rivet in the area of the hinge brackets thereby making it difficult or impossible to buck the shop head.
I've laid out the spacing using the nominal 1.25" called out on the plans starting at the tip rib and sure enough a rivet lands exactly between the two hinge plates. Now my dilemma is: Is about 1/2" spacing between the brackets enough to allow a narrow bucking bar to fit in or is that all just too much hassle and just re-space them out? I may just be being picky but I hate the idea of uneven spacing and it worked out so well other than the one bloody rivet.
Here is the nominal spacing in blue with a proposed altered spacing in red at 1" (or so) apart. The vertical line shown is that of the mid rib centerline so I could start the new spacing there but that puts 3-4 rivets at 1" apart and I don't want it to look strange. Someone please push me into a decision, I sat and stared at this for way too long last night, sheesh!
HS Stab by jim_soutar, on Flickr
I've laid out the spacing using the nominal 1.25" called out on the plans starting at the tip rib and sure enough a rivet lands exactly between the two hinge plates. Now my dilemma is: Is about 1/2" spacing between the brackets enough to allow a narrow bucking bar to fit in or is that all just too much hassle and just re-space them out? I may just be being picky but I hate the idea of uneven spacing and it worked out so well other than the one bloody rivet.
Here is the nominal spacing in blue with a proposed altered spacing in red at 1" (or so) apart. The vertical line shown is that of the mid rib centerline so I could start the new spacing there but that puts 3-4 rivets at 1" apart and I don't want it to look strange. Someone please push me into a decision, I sat and stared at this for way too long last night, sheesh!
HS Stab by jim_soutar, on Flickr