First time dimpler

I'm working on my horizontal stab, and I am at the step where I have match drilled all my holes and will start dimpling. When I begin dimpling, will my holes shift? If so is there a pattern to dimple in that will keep all the holes aligned?

Dimple and build on! The metal around each hole has to stretch a little but it should not affect alignment.

Riveting installation is more important. My typical method is to cleco one two, skip one, repeat. Then rivet the open holes. Remove clecos one at at time from there. Avoid riveting from one end to the other in series.

Raymo said:

Dimple and build on! The metal around each hole has to stretch a little but it should not affect alignment.

Riveting installation is more important. My typical method is to cleco one two, skip one, repeat. Then rivet the open holes. Remove clecos one at at time from there. Avoid riveting from one end to the other in series.

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That’s how I do it too, except I remove all the Clecos after the first pass of rivets. Seemed to work well. You can probably use fewer Cleco but if you got ‘em, might as well use ‘em. The rudder trailing edge is the only place where I think they recommend a slightly different approach, but I haven’t completed that step yet.

I’ve never had a problem getting holes to align post dimpling.

I was taught by guys who worked in the prototype shops for Lockheed and North American. For something straight like a wing panel or the HS, Consider attaching two 3/4" extruded angles Cleeco them to the lower skin, When the HS is assembled for riveting, they should be parallel. The metal will "move" in the process of riveting, but if you monitor the angles, (especially early in the task) you'll see the angles move and have a helper put some preload in for the next rivet or two, until the angles are parallel again.