Bucking Bar For VS skin to front spar rivets

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:32 am

Hey guys:

Which bucking bar did you use for your front spar to skin rivets on the vertical stabilizer, particularly on the tip? I can barely get my hand/arm in there much less a bucking bar.

Antony

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:42 am

Antony, I don't recall having any particular difficulty getting to those rivets. Seems to me that it was a matter of technique more than special tools.

My technique was to rivet one entire side then, starting at the nose rib and then working my way down the spar beginning at the top.

My hands and arm are pretty big. I did okay. What is your technique.

...also, this weekend I will be at Thermos' house in Boston helping him to set up his wing jig. What do you think about amending your flight plan to exclude KPYM and include KBED and we can pick you up there? Thermos has extened the invitation to show you his shop and you can see mine another time.

Will that work for you?

Just as well, his work is better than mine!

CJ

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:27 am

I had a helper - way too easy to slip with either the bar or the gun on something like that.
Also make sure the whole assembly is firmly clamped to the bench.

Thomas
-8 flaps

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:56 am

This is not my website but it does show the exact way I did the HS and VS. The forth picture down shows the bcking bar.

http://www.rv7factory.com/log/050716.html

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:17 am

i don't have that particular bucking bar that brad (RVFactory) has, but i do have one similar. i did the same thing though, by grinding the side of the bar smooth.

do get a helper...it's soooooo much easier. my dad came over the help with those parts, and he really liked it. that's good, 'cuz there's a lot of help needed for the wings!

i tried bucking by myself back on one of the practice kits, and the results were not pretty.

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:52 pm

Thanks guys. The trouble I am really having is that I am working alone. I will try to enlist my wife, though she has kept the project at arms length so far.

I managed to get my arm inside and used the nutplate bucking bar to get everything. It turned out pretty well, but took a while to do a good job.

John -- PMd you re Saturday. Bedford works even better. I am looking forward to meeting you guys. Let me know how late you will be there.

Antony

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:04 pm

Yah, umm about the wife thing... I can relate! Same drill here!

You are gonna need a bucking partner from time to time. The commute is a long one for me, but I will help ya out here and there!

Maybe next time we will come up and visit you? Which airport are you closest to?

PM'ed ya back. See ya soon!

CJ

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:54 am

I am currently finishing up the rudder and have yet to use a bucking partner. Every rivet so far I have driven myself. Not trying to brag or anything just trying to understand how it would be easier with two people? Unless I couldn't phisically reach the other side it seems it would be easier to control everything with just myself. Then again, maybee I'm a control freak

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:46 am

i just find it hard to control the rivet gun (meaning STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN) on the skin with it rattling away. it's much easier (for me anyway) to run the gun, while a partner holds the bar. that way, i have one hand on the trigger, and one hand holding the set in place so it never dances across the skin.

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:07 am

Get one of these if you don't already have one

http://www5.mailordercentral.com/clevto ... ber=RSMS75

It is a big help for solo riveting

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:18 am

i'll second that bill! those are GREAT!

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:59 am

Yep - I've never used anything else

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:16 pm

I have a swivel mushroom set. It works nicely, though I had to trim the rubber a bit so that there wasn't so much of a gap between the driver head and the rivet. I was getting too many raised rivets that I had to drill out before I trimmed the rubber.

At the builders workshop I attended I tried driving rivets both with and without a partner. It was much easier and faster with a partner. One person focuses on keeping the gun in place and the other on holding the bar perpendicular to the rivet.

I don't have access to someone to help out yet. I have already threatened to put my friends, neighbors and mother to work. Now if I could just get my wife involved. She is more likely to be around when I need help.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:00 pm

Yah, this little bugger is GREAT!

Trimming it is a good idea, Antony! Wicked Stick gave me that little tid bit and I am thrilled to have done it!

It doesn't force so much pressure onto the skin when the rubber is trimmed back.

CJ

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 4:48 pm

I got mine from The Yard and the rubber part is black - but I removed it before I even used it once. It just too much with -3 rivets.

Also,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

Half the fun of working this RV project is having someone to share it with. This forum is a really cool way to do that. For that I am thankful

prestwich · Post by **prestwich** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 8:33 pm

How did you guys trim the rubber guard, and how much did you trim?

I don't have an assistant either, Antony, and I'm somewhat skeptical that wolfie here will be able to hold a bucking bar steady.

http://members.cox.net/prestwich/wolfie2.jpg

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 8:47 pm

I touched it to my disc sander and it worked pretty well!

You call your cat "Wolfie"! Hahaha, I love it!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

CJ

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:03 am

and a healthy and hearty happy thanksgiving to all from chad, brit, and wiley!