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Setting rivets below skin

agent4573

Well Known Member
Besides just going extra deep with the counter sink, is there a trick or technique for setting flush head rivets below the skin? Working on the cowl and want to be sure the heads are below the surface so I can cover with epoxy and filler.
 
I recommend:
- Setting the rivets flush or slightly below flush.
- Skim coat of micro over the rivet line, let it set then sand.
- A bid of glass over the rivet line, perhaps 1” or a little wider.
- After set, another skim coat of micro, then sand with a long board. This is done when you are ready to final sand all your cowl body work.

Reason - if you just use micro (or some other filler) without the glass over the rivet heads they will eventually pop just enough to ruin the paint.

Carl
 
How do you set them below the surface? For my trial piece I took the countersink a little deep, but just ended up setting the head flush with a gap under the head.
 
This is what I did for the fiberglass parts:
1. Countersink just a little bit deep.
2. Take several of the -3 rivets and with my squeezer and flush sets, just squeeze them as small and flat as you can. These will be used to sit on top (flat head to flat head) of the real rivet that you want to set.
3. Place the "real" rivet in the counter sunk hole.
4. Place the squished rivet on top of the first rivet.
5. Use your squeezer of choice to set the rivet. Just be sure to apply sufficient force to keep the "squished" rivet in place, and on top of the real rivet, and don't let the rivet ride up out of the counter sink hole as you squeeze.
 
I believe VANs recommend not as deep of a countersink on fiberglass parts. If they aim is to get them nice looking after it is done, I have accomplished that with bondo and then using a 3oz fiberglass layer on top and lots of elbow grease. In over 800 hours, not a single rivet head show up under the paint.
 
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