Main Spar

[xtricity]

Vogu

[xtricity]

Geor

[xtricity]

Thin

[xtricity]

Ayan

[xtricity]

Alis

[xtricity]

Dona

[xtricity]

Manu

[xtricity]

Taka

[Greg Pixley]

I completed the spar rivet process this weekend using the Panther tool. Took three easy days. I learned the following:
1. To press straight rivet heads, holding a square against the spare to ensure vertical seemed to give me consistent results. I pressed several hundred rivets before learning this! The rivet tool does not hold the spare vertical, especially when you move to the thinner sections.
2. The majority of my holes were reamed to .1885. On one spar I had some holes I drilled with #10 and in the thicker sections, the rivets expanded in the hole and didn't leave much rivet left for a rivet head. On the smaller holes (.1885) I was left with a big rivet head so even if it drifted off center some, I was left with a (maybe false) sense of security.
3. The -10 rivets required a larger reamer (.189) for some reason.
4. For the rivets in the mid section of the wing root, I did one wing with the Panther tool and did not get great results so I did the second wing on the floor with a C-frame and hammer. Then I ran it through the Panther tool tool to finish the squeeze. When you raise the tool up you get some flex.
5. When using a C-frame, push down on the spare and don't let it bounce off the rivet!

Thanks SPA for the support!

Keep Calm and Rivet On!
Pix

[Sacpilot]

Great reminders. Thanks Paul!