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Just installed my first rivets!

llavalle

llavalle

Well Known Member
After 30h of drilling, deburring, counter-sinking and painting, I finally installed my first rivets!

Started the front spar on my -9 empennage :D

DSC03187.JPG


After setting 55 1/8" rivets by hand(had to do 6 with the gun), I understand why some people buy pneumatic squeezers! My hands and arms are still sore!

Alright, 61 rivets in... how many left? :p
 
Simply looking at the longest rivets in the attach brackets, not seeing the shop head :)., it looks like you have done well. We'll be more impressed when you take a picture of the other side. No kidding, congrats, and I feel your excitement. It is a wonderful adventure.
 
scard said:
We'll be more impressed when you take a picture of the other side.
Click to expand...

Here you go ;)
DSC03189.JPG


All were done with the squeezer except the 3 on top of each angle... had to do them with the rivet gun. Checked all rivets with the gauge and only needed to squeeze 2 of them a bit more.
 
Way to go

Looks great!

I'd hoped to do the same thing today, but my compressor committed suicide half way through spraying primer yesterday (talk about a motivation sapper). What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right :eek:
 
I would highly recommend that you invest in a pneumatic squeezer. This will be one the best tool investments you will ever make. It will reduce your build time and keep your hands from falling apart. I know they are expensive... but they are worth every single penny you will spend.

llavalle said:
After 30h of drilling, deburring, counter-sinking and painting, I finally installed my first rivets!

Started the front spar on my -9 empennage :D

After setting 55 1/8" rivets by hand(had to do 6 with the gun), I understand why some people buy pneumatic squeezers! My hands and arms are still sore!

Alright, 61 rivets in... how many left? :p
Click to expand...
 
Philippe,

Congratulations. As with our buddy from down under, Alexis, I too plan to drive the first rivets in the empennage of my RV-9 project this weekend. I think I have all the countersinking done at the correct hole, and on the correct side, on both the front and rear spars. All I have left is some primer.

I am real nervous about driving the first rivet in the skin and I guess mainly because on my Van’s tool box kit, on the first rivet I drove, I dented the skin some. I am planning to have a fellow RV builder come over and “babysit” my while I drive that first rivet.

Thanks guys, it is really a motivation to hear there are other “9” builders in about the same building step as I am.

I guess the pounding of rivets now will someday turn into the pounding of pistons.
 
Congrats. It's a lot of fun to see your work come together, isn't it? Regarding the squeezer, I used one throughout my build. I was too poor to add a pneumatic one and by the time I got through the empennage it was no longer an issue. But then, I had pretty strong hands to begin with; I play bass guitar. If/when I start a new project, I'll probably invest in a pneumatic squeezer.
 
flion said:
But then, I had pretty strong hands to begin with; I play bass guitar.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the thing. I'm a programmer... my hands are not strong! My left arm hurts a bit this morning. 2 weeks ago, I tried to ask Santa for a pneumatic squeezer but he told me it was too expensive :rolleyes: (hey, you never know!). I then asked for a pair of boots. That was fine... but I think I'll tell him "Just give me money, I'll buy a pneumatic squeezer and pay the balance" :D
 
OK here is a test of my broken French.

“Good work! Only 10,000 more rivets to go!”

Hey Jim

When I said “a fellow RV builder” you know I was talking about you.
 
squeezer

llavalle said:
Yeah, that's the thing. I'm a programmer... my hands are not strong! My left arm hurts a bit this morning. 2 weeks ago, I tried to ask Santa for a pneumatic squeezer but he told me it was too expensive :rolleyes: (hey, you never know!). I then asked for a pair of boots. That was fine... but I think I'll tell him "Just give me money, I'll buy a pneumatic squeezer and pay the balance" :D
Click to expand...
To do the 1/8 rivets by hand riveting this works well. I couldn't squeeze 1/8's very well with the Tapco. Got this and it works great with MUCH less effort. I prefer it over the pneumatic, but then I'm a hands on kind of guy.
http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SCH22
PS- uses the same yokes as a CP pneumatic squeezer. Get the quick release pins for quick change of the heads. I leave the Tapco set up for #3's and the Cleveland with the longeron head set up for #4's-speeds things along a lot.
Good luck,
Mike H 9A/8A
 
Another recommendation here for the Cleaveland "Main Squeeze". Way cheaper than a pneumatic and works great.
 
llavalle said:
This looks interesting! I've bought an avery hand squeezer... It's hard to set 1/8 rivets... I don't want a pneumatic because of the noise of the compressor. I usually work late at night...
Click to expand...

I was nearly forced to get a pneumatic squeeze. My left elbow failed after about six of the 1/8th rivets. The pain started after the third rivet and got too bad to work after the sixth.

My compressor doesn't run that often when using the pneumatic squeeze, I guess it doesn't use that much air. Of course, it never runs whne I'm using the hand squeeze.

And one more thing, use the hand squeeze as often as possible rather than gun and bar - the rivets always come out better.
 
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