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dimple in HS skin

Jake14

Well Known Member
The HS skins come from Vans bent at about a 45 deg angle with straight sides, so fitting them to the nose ribs requires some force. I noticed than when I clecoed the skin to the nose ribs, there was an indentation at the cleco, apparently due to the springback force of the skin trying to resume its 45 deg shape. I assumed this dimpling would reduce or disappear when all the ribs and spars were riveted in place, but it's still there (see pic, looking forward along a nose rib rivet line). Seems like the way to avoid this on the other skin would be to pre-bend the skin to closely approximate the nose rib profile, thus eliminating the springback forces, but I'm worried about creasing or otherwise damaging the skin.

Just wondering how experienced builders handle this; or am I over-reacting?

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The scale of that picture makes it difficult to judge accurately but I think you are fine. Go look at riveted production aircraft and flying RVs. You can spot the rivet lines even after paint and even if the rivets themselves have been filled; there will be a visible bowing between rivet lines (or, conversely, the rivet lines will be slightly indented, depending on how you look at it). It will be slight but should be in line with what you have shown in the picture.
 
Old Question but reviving for new builders using the Wiki.

The Op did not state if he started the cleco's at the front of the nose ribs or back. An option is to use the cradles to conform the skin before clecoing.
 
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