Dimpling the trailing edge holes in the elevator tip ribs is not possible with a C frame or squeezer. Rather than drop some $50 on a dimpling vise for four dimples, I had to think of a way to make do with what I had. One tool in my collection is a pop rivet dimpler set.
Turns out, the nails were too long to slide in the trailing edge and I didn't want to flare out the ribs to accommodate the nail. So, I tried cutting down the nail to a length that let me slide the parts into the trailing edge. But, by the time enough of the nail was cut off, there wasn't enough length remaining for the pop rivet tool to bite on to. I then tried placing the parts with the stubby nail into the hole to dimple (the nail is necessary for proper alignment of the dies in the hole) and squeezing them with a channel locks. Well, I just couldn't balance the die properly to get a nice dimple.
Then I thought about using the rivet gun somehow. What if I used a footed bucking bar to hold the female die in place and use the mushroom set on the male die? As long as the stubby nail was short enough to avoid sticking out of the male die yet long enough to center the dies in the hole, it should work. The mushroom set would ensure the applied force is balanced across the back face of the male die, as with the foot of the bucking bar on the female side.
Then I thought about using the rivet gun somehow. What if I used a footed bucking bar to hold the female die in place and use the mushroom set on the male die? As long as the stubby nail was short enough to avoid sticking out of the male die yet long enough to center the dies in the hole, it should work. The mushroom set would ensure the applied force is balanced across the back face of the male die, as with the foot of the bucking bar on the female side.
Female die with stubby nail in.
A footed bucking bar in place.
Lined up and ready to go.
Worked great on all four holes in each rib!
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