What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Aileron Question

A

Adam W

Well Known Member
Hi All

Do I need to dimple the aileron leading edge skin were it rivets to the counterweight pipe? the pipe has been countersunk and the rivets are the countersink kind. It seems to me if i dimple the skin i will deform the leading edge bend. the manual references the rivet forcing the skin to deform to the shape of the countersink, but that is in regards to it being 100 degrees instead of 120 degrees.
Do i just rivet the skin to the pipe and the skin will form to the countersink hole or must i dimple the skin. it is a 1/8 dimple and the dies are wide and im afraid they will distort that preformed bend
 
dimpled

I dimpled the skin but I ground the dimple die down to just the hole so I havenot used the die since
 
Adam W said:
It seems to me if i dimple the skin i will deform the leading edge bend. the manual references the rivet forcing the skin to deform to the shape of the countersink, but that is in regards to it being 100 degrees instead of 120 degrees.
Click to expand...

It has been a while since I did this but if memory serves, I attempted to use a small hammer to tap on the male dimple die with the counter sunk pipe serving as the female die. I don't believe that this was very effective at all. Then I tried to use a center punch that had about the right angle on it as the male die with the counter sunk pipe as the female die and that worked a bit better. Doing those things didn't harm anything, but in the end, I think that pulling the rivets is what really formed the dimple.

The one part of the experience that does stand out in my memory is that I ordered a new leading edge because I screwed up the first one by dimpling it normally.
 
I used the following method with great results. BTW, as I recall, I read about this method here somewhere on the forum.
With the counterbalance pipe already match-drilled to the leading edge AND countersunk at a depth appropriate for the leading edge skin dimple, cleco the leading edge to the counterbalance pipe.
I stood up a piece of 2x6 on edge and placed the counterbalance pipe (with leading edge cleco'd on) on top of the edge of the 2x6. The 2x6 is a rest and a backer to support the pipe during the following dimpling process.
I removed my c-frame ram and inserted the male dimple die into the set holder end of the ram. I then formed the dimples by striking the ram with a mallet just as you would when forming dimples in the c-frame. The countersink in the counterbalance pipe acts as the female die for the dimple forming operation.
Caution... you can damage the leading edge if you get carried away, so hammer lightly and be patient.
Worked great for me. Good Luck.
Ian
 
Countersink

N329JR said:
I used the following method with great results. BTW, as I recall, I read about this method here somewhere on the forum.
With the counterbalance pipe already match-drilled to the leading edge AND countersunk at a depth appropriate for the leading edge skin dimple, cleco the leading edge to the counterbalance pipe.
I stood up a piece of 2x6 on edge and placed the counterbalance pipe (with leading edge cleco'd on) on top of the edge of the 2x6. The 2x6 is a rest and a backer to support the pipe during the following dimpling process.
I removed my c-frame ram and inserted the male dimple die into the set holder end of the ram. I then formed the dimples by striking the ram with a mallet just as you would when forming dimples in the c-frame. The countersink in the counterbalance pipe acts as the female die for the dimple forming operation.
Caution... you can damage the leading edge if you get carried away, so hammer lightly and be patient.
Worked great for me. Good Luck.
Ian
Click to expand...

Basically the same way I did it. Works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top