Steel CCC or CCP rivet on aluminum part

[xtricity]

Will

[xtricity]

MPEG

[xtricity]

Keny

[xtricity]

Orie

[xtricity]

Erns

[Sacpilot]

No problem at all Tony. Yeah, I agree! It's 75 degrees here. Build on!

[Tony Spicer]

Christopher,

Don't know why, but I assumed you were discussing skin rivets.

Time to turn off the computer and build an airplane

Tony

[Sacpilot]

"you should try to have a large anodic area (aluminum) and a small cathodic area (stainless steel)" this tends to support the use of ss rivet in aluminum vs (aluminum rivet in steel such as zenith 750 skin to fuselage)

I didn't choose SS, the CCC and CCP are ss rivets. They came with tail kit for the stiffeners/spar and hinges to skins/spars

Clearly any electrolyte (salt) will speed up the process. I could have chosen any one of 1000 websites, here is one:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/6690/G ... d-Aluminum

For the record, go to the marina at any Coastal environment, and look at an aluminum mast, with stainless steel fittings and rivets. There will likely be corrosion unless there is an insulator in a paint, gel, or non metal washer applied. I know Sonex does it and I am totally fine with the use of no primer/insulator on a 6061 structure due to its same consistency all the way through, and comfortable with aluminum pop rivets without insulator on aluminum structure. Just wondering about SS rivets on aluminum.

However, I just found this. I think this might suggest that it is ok. One thing the Brits know well, is moisture in the air, and marine environments. And this is from the British Stainless Steel Association.


http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=89

[Tony Spicer]

Christopher,

John Monnett has been using stainless rivets in the Sonex (6061) since the mid 90's. And in the Sonerai (2024) since the mid 70's.

My Sonex was two miles from the ocean while being built, then spent 5 years in a hangar 10 miles from salt water. No paint, no primer. And no signs of any corrosion.

Why did you choose stainless rivets over aluminum?

Tony

[JimParker256]

I did what you suggested, and Googled it. Everything I saw that looked like it was written by a metallurgist or scientist seemed to indicate that stainless rivets in aluminum structures are probably OK, whereas aluminum rivets in stainless structure was highly prone to corrosion. Has to do with anode to cathode ratios, apparently.

That said, I have no special knowledge in this area. Just found it interesting that following your own suggestion alleviated my concerns.

On the other hand, I would be more concerned about installing rivets with anything on them that would be classified as a "lubricant" and that might allow those rivets to "work" more easily. But again, that's just my "gut" feeling with no experience or knowledge to back it up...

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in...