While I was attempting to remove my tail strobe the lower #40 screw bound partway and snapped off in the nut. I attempted to drill it out with a left hand bit but was unsuccessful. It looks like the builder of my plane fixed a nut using some composite material.
I am considering a potential fix that I found in a thread from vans airforce circa 2007. Sparky suggested installing blind rivets and tapping them as a mounting solution. In my case, I'd only install a rivet in the hole that is broken. For those of you who followed this method did it stand the test of time? Other option is to get and install the alu doubler that is now called out by Vans.
Originally Posted by*Sparky*

I thought about all the great ideas on this thread, but in the end decided to do this my way...
1. Drill mounting holes in the rudder bottom fairing to #30
2. Install a couple of LP4-3 blind rivets, using 5-minute epoxy for added strength and to help keep the rivet from rotating
3. Punch out the rivet mandrels
4. Drill the holes in the rivets to #43 for 4-40 screws
5. Tap the holes in the rivets with a 4-40 tap
6. Mount the strobe/tail light using 4-40 screws supplied
This is a very simple, cheap, lightweight solution that seems to work very well.

I am considering a potential fix that I found in a thread from vans airforce circa 2007. Sparky suggested installing blind rivets and tapping them as a mounting solution. In my case, I'd only install a rivet in the hole that is broken. For those of you who followed this method did it stand the test of time? Other option is to get and install the alu doubler that is now called out by Vans.
Originally Posted by*Sparky*

I thought about all the great ideas on this thread, but in the end decided to do this my way...
1. Drill mounting holes in the rudder bottom fairing to #30
2. Install a couple of LP4-3 blind rivets, using 5-minute epoxy for added strength and to help keep the rivet from rotating
3. Punch out the rivet mandrels
4. Drill the holes in the rivets to #43 for 4-40 screws
5. Tap the holes in the rivets with a 4-40 tap
6. Mount the strobe/tail light using 4-40 screws supplied
This is a very simple, cheap, lightweight solution that seems to work very well.