Big dummy: rivets at root rib

[Chewie]

Hey guys, if someone in my garage who looks a lot like me drove the rivets on the main spar attach fitting, only to realize he forgot to leave out the rivets at the root rib attach location... any suggestions on punching those suckers out? These are -4 rivets passing through .532" of material. I can't think of a tool in my shop that can handle that; I've bent several practicing on scrap.

Only thing I can think of is drill them 100% through and up-size to a -5 rivet later. I might as well up-size the angle as well to keep the edge margins within reason. Thoughts?

Such an easy mistake, and would've been such an easy setback to avoid! Arg.

Thanks!
Mark

[DRLPatrol]

The ones that go through the spar caps and attach fitting are -5. Right?

Doug

Reread your post. You are talking about the 3(?) in the attach angle between the spar caps?

[Chewie]

Correct, I am referring to the -4's on the fitting *between* the cap strips where the root rib angle overlays. See attached. Thankfully the cap strips have screws at all the rib stations, no issue there.

[patrickh99]

Drill 90% through with a smaller bit, try to tap out with a pin punch, swear at it several times, use a larger bit, try punch again, swear more, finally drill to #5 rivet size and use a larger attach angle to meet edge clearances. :-) Good luck!

[geraldmorrissey]

Try drilling with a #30 bit to remove the manufactured head. Drill a pilot with a #40 drill about 70 -80% through the rivet shank. Either use a drill stop or a piece of tape to indicate depth of the drilled hole. Drill a hole in a block of steel or AL that just fits over the shop head of the rivet to be removed. Place the block over the shop head of the rivet and clamp the block securely to the spar reinforcements. Back up the block by clamping the whole mess to a bench or some other non movable object. Insert a drift punch in the hole and tap away. This method has been used to remove rivets on aircraft assembly lines for 90 years. Mechanics that do this every day would never go to all the trouble I just described but for the rest of us it works. Practice on some scrap. I see no reason to drill out to a larger size. It's an AD rivet not a Hi-Lok. It's all attitude, it's you or the rivet. What it going to be?
Cheers
Gerry
Patrol #30 Wings

[dedgemon]

it's you or the rivet. What it going to be?

Now thats one of the funniest lines I've ever seen, dont care who you are. 😊😊😊😊
True too.

[Chewie]

Thanks gents! What I ended up doing was a combination of everything that was suggested. I used a #40 drill almost into the shop head, then followed with a #30 about 1/16" to pop the head off. Most frustrating thing was the punch getting stuck. I think it's called the Navy method, and yes there was plenty of cussing.

[Chris In Milwaukee]

The Navy Method and I go way back to, well, when I was in the Navy :-). Glad you got it sorted out!