More HS riveting....

Today we had a Young Eagles event that got rained out but we ended up doing a nice ground education session where the kids and parents were sent around to many different "stations" each with a different aviation related education session going on.  Then they fed them burgers.  Great thing!

Also I have maintenance shutdown this week at work and when that happens, I have to work weekends to get projects done.  That left me with little time to rivet on the HS tonight.

 Started tonight by finishing up riveting the front spar flange to skin rivets on the top right side.  All of the front spar flange rivets are done.

Next I cleco'ed the inboard four inspar rib flanges and the stringers to the skins on both sides.

Then the directions have you rivet the four inboard most inspar rib flanges to the skins up to the stringers and stop.  No idea why they have you stop at the stringers but I just follow directions.  Top right done.

Top left done.

Bottom left done.

Then I went on to rivet the stringers to the skins on both sides top and bottom.

HS riveting

 Started this evening by placing the HS front spar, stringer, inspar ribs assembly into the cradles with the skins.

 Then I blind riveted the nose ribs to the front spar.

 Then I blind rived the second from the most outboard inspar ribs to the front spar on both sides.

 Squeezed the outboard most inspar rib to the front spar on both sides.

 Then I cleco'ed the front spar flanges to the skins.

 And started riveting the front spar flanges to the skin.

 This and a bunch of tape on the bucking bar keeps the damage to the primer to a minimum.  I just slide it down as I go.

 One side of both skins riveted to the front spar flanges.

The other side of the left side of the HS riveted to the front spar flanges.  1/4 more to go and I can start riveting the inspar rib flanges to the skins.

That is all for tonight!

HS Dimpling/Riveting

Back from my business trip to Chicago.  Glad to be home!

Started tonight by squeeze dimpling all the holes on the HS skins I could reach with the squeezer.

Then I used the DRDT-2 to finish all the HS dimples.

Next I cleco'ed in the nose ribs and started riveting them in.

The inboard and outboard nose ribs can be squeezed.

The rest of the nose rib rivets must be shot with the gun and bar.  The front most ones can be a challenge.

To get the front most nose rib rivets, I used a reamer tube to space the tungsten bucking bar up just the right amount.

The spacer keeps the bar somewhat centered on the rivet.

I used a wire and some cleco side grips to pull the skin tight to the aft side of the nose ribs.

Locked the wire on one side.

Then pulled the skin tight and clamped the wire on the other.  It worked like a dream to keep the skin pulled tight.

These nose ribs can be a challenge since the skin tends to pull away from the rib flange.

I used a small piece of plastic tube stuck over the rivet shank to act as a pusher between the bucking bar and the rib flange.  This eliminates the gap as you drive the rivet.  I usually just hit it a time or two and then remove the tube to finish the rivet off.

Does a great job at bringing the flange and the skin together.

Tonight I got all of the nose ribs riveted in.  Tomorrow I will start on the rest....