26 October 2013

Wings: Ailerons. Nose and top skins on spar.

The nose and top skins are riveted to the spar on both ailerons.  Fairly straight-forward process.  Some rivets holding the nose skin to the nose ribs are blinds (MK-319-BS).  Though a squeezer can fit with the right yoke, I believe the skin curvature is excessive for the squeezer sets to accommodate, hence the blinds.  Anyway, after completing all skin-to-rib rivets, I noticed this unfortunate occurrence on both inboard ribs.  Yes, if you look closely, a rivet is set in there, it just moved the tab out of the way.  That's no good.


Here was an opportunity to learn how to remove pop rivets.  Turns out, it's fairly simple (at least, if you can access its "shop head" side).  First, tap the mandrel out of the body (see image below), then hold the body with a needle-nose (to prevent spinning) and drill to remove the head.  Finally, yoink the "shop head" side out with the needle-nose.


Below is the replacement rivet with the tab properly positioned (compare to very top image).  This required one hand to push the tab against the skin (after all, it was bent out), one hand to drive the pop rivet tool and my chin on the tool's head to push the rivet's head down flush.  Good times.


Here are the ailerons setup for riveting their top skins and spars.  The astute will note the fuel tanks directly behind and the flaps in the way background to the left.


Here are the ailerons with their top skins riveted to the spar.  The right side is in the foreground.  The  tungsten (wolfram) bucking bar makes this so easy.  In fact, did both top skins in 47 minutes.


I'm trying to solve how to set the rivets shown below.  A post with the associated solution will follow.  For now, I believe that part A-1006-1B (outboard hinge bracket) should not be riveted on the outboard rib until after the A-1005A ribs are riveted to the spar.  This is contrary to plans, however that bracket seriously impedes access to the AN470AD4-4 rivets and that bracket can be easily squeezed-riveted after the skins are in place.


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