What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Back riveting wing skins

Gregg Brightwell

Gregg Brightwell

Well Known Member
Guys,

How about using the offset back riveting set from Avery to rivet the wing skins on? Reasons against? Looks like it would do a better job (like on the control surfaces) with less set marks... :)

Thoughts??

Gregg
 
Backriveting

We tried the offset backrivet set on our wing skins. No joy for us. I think that offset tool was made by the devil :eek: Very hard to control. Maybe we should have stayed with the offset program a little longer. I know many others have used it quite successfully.

We are just about finished with the wing skins using a gun and a bar. No major problems for us using this technique.
 
Works like a charm.

I have used the offset back rivet set (and the big honkin mushroom bucking bar) to back rivet the top skins of four wings now. Two on my 8A and two on my buddy's 7A. It works like a charm. The top skins are smooth as a baby's aft section.

The trick to using the long offset back rivet set from Avery's is to hold the little delrin collar with two fingers while you drive the rivet gun with the other hand. This keeps the tip of the rivet set on task and makes for a happily set rivet.

I would not rivet a top wing skin without it. Of course you can't use it for the bottom skin because of space issues. You will have to rivet the bottom skin with the more traditional set up (the rivet gun on the outside and the bucking bar on the inside).
 
I second Steve's. 2 fingers on the plastic from the opposite hand as the gun.
I used a backrivet plate instead of a bucking bar. Did my RV-10 wing top skins 100% by myself. You can rivet 4-8 rivets, and then adjust the wing on the plate (to keep with the curve) and then repeat. Probably much faster with a helper, but it can be done.
 
how do you make an offset work?

i have tried several times and just keep giving up. what do you do to make an offset of any kind work
 
This did not work for us either! We ended up using the flat set and the bucking bar and all turned out well. :mad:
 
...for that matter...

... would a LONG straight backrivet set be able to be 'straight' enough on the rivet to make a nice finish? That would help keep the squirrely offset out of the picture??

Gregg
 
Same comment on holding the nylon ring with your fingers to keep it from walking around, AND...increase the air pressure somewhat (the long rivet set seems to absorb a lot of the energy, thus making for longer rivet times, which increases the odds of things going awry, it seems).

Used on my wings with that ginormous mushroom backrivet "bucking bar" thingie, and they came out perfect!

Keep trying...
 
I am a week or so from riveting my top skins and have researched this a little bit and as said previously that holding the delron piece on the end and air pressure of at least 60 psi. Best of luck.
 
In defense of the Avery offset: Tuppergal and I used it to back rivet both wings and most all of the fuselage. It worked perfectly (and the work was blessed with an award from Oshkosh too) :D Rosie
 
Gregg Brightwell said:
... would a LONG straight backrivet set be able to be 'straight' enough on the rivet to make a nice finish? That would help keep the squirrely offset out of the picture??

Gregg
Click to expand...

That is why ours is straight, the angle is minimal and most of the time you can push the bottom side of the rib aside a little. We also machine in a slight concave to the end of the set to keep you in the middle. But capturing the collar with your finger and holding against the Aluminum is a must. I use the capture and brace technique with any rivet set though, backrivet or regular.

-
 
Back Riveting Top Wing Skin

I back riveted all the top skins on my RV7 wings. Had trouble controlling the offset until I put the hook side of a velcro sheet (pile & stick) on the offset. After that I had complete control.

Mark
Building RV7
Flying RV6
 
clevtool said:
That is why ours is straight, the angle is minimal and most of the time you can push the bottom side of the rib aside a little. We also machine in a slight concave to the end of the set to keep you in the middle. But capturing the collar with your finger and holding against the Aluminum is a must. I use the capture and brace technique with any rivet set though, backrivet or regular.

-
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, I will check yours out.... I do the capture and brace thing too. Absolute MUST for control. Have had NO issues with backriveting. Piece of Cake...

Regards,

Gregg
 
Flying Scotsman said:
Same comment on holding the nylon ring with your fingers to keep it from walking around, AND...increase the air pressure somewhat (the long rivet set seems to absorb a lot of the energy, thus making for longer rivet times, which increases the odds of things going awry, it seems).

Used on my wings with that ginormous mushroom backrivet "bucking bar" thingie, and they came out perfect!

Keep trying...
Click to expand...

Steve,

Is this the mushroom backrivet "bucking bar" thingie?

http://www.averytools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=635

Thanks.
 
I used the extended backrivet set from Cleaveland with very good results. Like Mike says, the length makes the slight angle caused by the rib flange a non-issue, especially if you flex the rib out of the way a little.
 
Double offset back rivet set

I used the Avery double offset and had fits trying to get consistent shop heads. Eventually discovered that the gun end of the shank was not parallel with the set end of the shank, so every time you would change position for an obstacle, the tails would come out different. Lots of drill outs...

About 3/4 of the way through the top skins the set broke and we went back to a swivel mushroom set on the gun and tungsten buck. Every one came out perfect.

If I were to do it again I would not use the double offset, though might try Cleaveland's straight one...
 
Although I had good luck with the straight backrivet set with the plastic collar on the control surfaces with a bench mounted back riveting plate, I did not have good success trying to back rivet the wing skins with the big mushroom set on the outside.

I used a standard flat set in my 2X gun on the outside of the skin and a tungsten bucking bar on the inside. To prevent the rivet set from marking the alclad skin, I used a piece of riveter's tape on the manufactured head.

Very satisfactory results.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top