VS skeleton riveting

The AKZO session was successful and today it was time to dimple all the parts and rivet together the skeleton of the VS.

I used the pneumatic squeezer to dimple all the spar flanges.  Easy peasy!  The AKZO handles this with ease with only 20hrs of cure time.  No damage at all by the dimpling process.

Some of the holes don’t get dimples because they will get nut plates later when the emp fairings are mounted.

Use the pneumatic squeeze to dimple the rib flanges.

First riveting task for the RV-10!  Riveted the rudder stops to the top side of the bottom rudder hinge brackets.  Used the squeezer on these.

All finished!

Next I riveted the flush rivets on the rear spar.  No issues.  Used the squeezer on all of these except the ones right next to the rudder hinge bracket.  I could not get the right angle on it so I just used the rivet gun and the tungsten bucking bar on those 2 rivets.

Bottom rudder hinge brackets riveted on.  I moved up a size on these since the ones called out on the plans were a bit short.

They call for 4-7 but I used 4-8 instead.

Working on the top rudder hinge brackets.

Squeeze em if you can is my motto!

I love my pneumatic squeezer.  It is the best luxury tool to buy for a build!

This top hinge bracket has a trap that many may fall for.  If you rivet the two steel brackets on before riveting those 2 rivets that sit in between them, it will be very difficult to get to the rivets in order to squeeze them or buck them.  I caught it before it caught me.

Here is the top rudder hinge bracket doubler rivets all completed.

Rear spar all riveted together.

The other side of the rear spar all done.

Riveted the front spar mounting doubler.  Flush ones at the bottom.

Started riveting the ribs to the spars.  Top rib front....

Middle ribs front....

Top rib rear...

Middle rib rear...

The bottom ribs remain clecoed at this point because they must be removed to rivet the skin on.

Skeleton is all ready for the skin.

Used the DRDT-2 to dimple all the inboard VS skin holes.  I used the squeezer to dimple all the holes around the edges.  The front most hole for the middle ribs had to be dimpled with the close quarters pop rivet style rivet dies.

Skeleton going back into the skin.
(warning...don't do what I did and countersink the flanges of the rear spar below the bottom edge of the VS skin.  This area calls for AN470AD3 rivets not AN426AD3.  I am going to go forward with the AN426 since I countersunk them)

A million clecos and the skin is ready to rivet to the skeleton.  Everything lighted up very well.

I am loving the AKZO.  This stuff is tough as nails!  I am really glad I decided to use it on this project!