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How did you do that? ( Tight Space Rivet)

Reflex

Well Known Member
I seem to be running to to a few areas that need some special attention to complete. The latest spot is the rivet closest to the trailing edge at the top of the rudder. The plans call for a MK-319-BS pop rivet to be put in place.

As you can see from the pictures below, there appears to be no room to get the second one in due to the lack of room. What's baffling to me as in searching this site, it looks like that I'm the only one having trouble with this spot. This makes me believe that I've done something in the wrong order or.....I'm just plain stupid. Both are distinct possibilities!!

The pictures below depict the problem. I expected to have a problem with the last rivet on the bottom side, but this one surprised me.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Fred

Rudder%20Skin%20Rivets_2.jpg~original


R-903%20Rivets.jpg~original
 
Very slowly pull the rivet. As it gets shorter, keep pushing the flush head into position. It will come out fine.
 
Not that it solves your problem but on my build the bottom rivet causing the interference is a solid rivet and sits lower giving a tiny bit more room for the pulled rivet. That's probably why I didn't seem to notice the clearance issue. As Bill said you will be fine.

Yup, after getting everything in place, I realized that I could have indirectly driven a solid rivet on one side giving me a bit more room. Too late now as the plans state that the hole in the R-903 rib should be drilled out to #33 before installation. Now to big for a -3 solid rivet. Hate to go to an oops rivet as it means drilling again and taking another step toward creating a "point of no return" mess by drilling a larger hole.

Fred
 
Mandrel

In the picture it looks like the mandrel is too far down. Maybe if you pull the mandrel back into the rivet it would seat better before you start squeezing.
 
Have you considered drilling out that driven rivet below that is holding things off? Then pull the top rivet. Then buck the lower one again.

Not sure about the order of riveting called for, or that was done, but it seems to me had you started at this tight end first and worked your way toward the more accessible rivets you could have had more room to get to these rivets in this section while the skins were still unattached down the line.

Just thoughts from an armchair quarterback.
 
Solid rivet on one side, squeezed to the max that tolerance will allow, to get it pretty flat (no hole yoke helps here), then ease in a pop rivet on the other side.
 
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