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Machine countersunk the incorrect holes

StewCrew

I'm New Here
Hello fellow builders,

I was incredibly excited to use the holiday weekend as a way to get some work done on our vertical stabilator. However, I accidentally countersank the wrong holes. Would it be acceptable to just use countersunk rivets instead of the universal head rivets the plans called for? Or should I scrap the piece entirely?

We are building an RV-14. Exactly where I went wrong in the plans is 08-04 step 5.

Bummed to have hit this roadblock and am unable to get a hold of Vans until Tuesday. This is my first build and it's still early days of the project. I hope I'm overreacting.

I'd greatly appreciate any guidance y'all have.

- Kylie
 
I don't have a 14, so I looked up the plans online for Page 08-04 and Step 5. That drawing is for the horizontal stabilizer, and the step says to countersink 12 holes. So I'm confused. Did you do other holes than those 12 called out in the drawing? Which ones?

BTW, we've all done goofs like this, so don't beat yourself up. Most everybody learns the hard way. Sometimes it helps to write on the actual piece with an extra fine Sharpie what is needed (e.g. c-sink, rivet size, etc.) so you don't get carried away and do the wrong thing. Sharpie markers are your friend.:D
 
Picture of the mistake

9 on each side. 18 holes total that were countersunk in error.
 

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9 on each side. 18 holes total that were countersunk in error.

You need to get a replacement part. There are brackets that rivet over those holes that would cause the machine countersinks to be buried in the middle of the riveted joint with no rivet head in them. That would be totally unacceptable. It is a critical load path because it is the brackets that hold the front spar of the horizontal stabilizer onto the fuselage.
 
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