Slider fwd top skin

I have a RV-7 QB fuselage. The 7 bottom aft rivets on the top skin (F7106, dwg 28/43) are already installed on the fuselage longeron/side skin but need to be removed to accommodate the top skin (pre-punched). These are around the area of the wing bulkhead. Because of the canopy deck (also riveted on) a few of these look like they're going to be very difficult to set properly even with a very narrow bucking bar. Is there a pop rivet which would be acceptable here if need be?

I cannot locate F7106 on drawing 28. Might it be F-706 or F-716?

Also not able to visualize the location from your description.

EDIT: Duh. Clicked on page 28 in Adobe, which took me to dwg 26.

I had a friend with a specially made 1/4" wide tungsten bucking bar that did the trick.

For the life of me I could not finagle a bucking bar to set those rivets so I used some cherrymax rivets in their place. Not saying that is any better or worse but that's what I did

Riveting on forward top skin

We riveted on the entire forward top skin with cherry max rivets. A little pricey at about $1.00 per rivet, but it sure was easy.

LeRoy Johnston RV-6A Esperanza 950 hours

I had a bear of a time setting these. Ended up using a polished piece of scrap steel braced with a heavier bucking bar to slide in there. I'm pretty sure there is nothing wrong with some cherry rivets or similar here, but guess you'd have to check with vans to be sure. It's also a pretty visible spot and I wanted solid rivets.

Chris

+1 for Cherry Max

As I built by myself I chose Cherry Max rivets, it also meant that I could complete the wiring and install the skin completely from the outside. Very easy and difficult to see after filler and paint. Just costs a few $ more

Thank you very much for the replies. I'm thinking it's only going to be 1 or 2 on each side that will be extremely difficult. I don't personally mind a few pop rivets. Anyone remember a part number for the cherry max rivets and where you ordered them?

If I understand the rivets in question are going thru the top forward skin, longeron and canopy decks which are #F-721B-L and F-721B-R. These pieces are shown in cross section on Drawing 18 in the upper left corner. When I was riveting this I had the same problem. What I decided was that the bottom flange forward couple of inches did not add any measurable strength to the assembly because it just kind of ended out in mid air. I cut off about 2 inches of this bottom flange and was able to get a bucking bar to it without any problem. Some may not like my method but I am happy with it.