Rib angle rivet size at caps?

[Flytaildragger]

Does the rib angles get 2- 5s and 3- 4s
thanks

[sjt]

for patrol

at the main spar

at the attach angle

there are 2 ad5 into the capstriips and the nose rib attach angel and the center rib attach angle

there are 6 ad3 into the rib


the drawing shows 3-ad4 between the 2 -ad5 cap strip rivets

although I used 5-ad4 in between the 2-ad5 or main spar

[Flytaildragger]

Thanks Stan why use 5 -ad4s in between the 25s ? Did you use 2 flush rivets to hold spacers

[sjt]

I had no good reason for 5 instead of 3. The correct hand squeezer makes it easy to do. (AD4 AND AD3 NOT AD5)
There was some anti symmetry with the 6 AD3 that go into the rib in relation to the AD4 rivets that go into the spar.

Probably the only consideration was that you try to avoid having two rivets at right angles. The squeezer has inserts for different size rivets.
I wanted the rivets at right angles to not interfere with the squeezer set being used on the right angle rivet.

They rivet pattern does not have to be offset by much, but the squeezer set will not fit correctly if they are at the same location.

[sjt]

While I am at it:

Do not bother trying to make the lightest airplane that has ever been made.
For example, The drawing shows the attach angles with 1/2 inch flange.
That is the correct answer for the lightest airplane.

That also takes longer to build.
Rivets have a hole to edge distance spec. If you screw up the hole by just a little bit you might have to scrap the piece.
If you had made it with a 9/16 flange the part will be perfectly usable if not made perfectly.

[sjt]

r2.jpg r1.jpg
I tried to use these but I could not do ad5 and even the ad4 needed to have extension handles

r3.jpg
I eventually went ahead and got this from the yardstore.com. I got 4 inch to do the ad4 rivets


The ad5 needs a rivet gun
r3.jpg

The ad5 needs at least a 4 rivet gun. If you had a helper or are more coordinated then me you might not need a c-frame.

[sjt]

r4.jpg This tool was very useful.

Note, you have two assemble the ribs in a sequence so that the handle does not hit a rib already riveted.

[sjt]

AD5 rivet locations

r5.jpg

r10.jpg
r9.jpg

[sjt]

do not bother riveting these locations -- just drill the hole
r6.jpg r8.jpg r7.jpg

[sjt]

This is for the rear spar
a1.jpg

Only one of the cap strip rivets is pre drilled. The other cap strip rivet is match drilled.



Below is example of what I was tryng to avoid.
The rivets at the dead center are in the same location. If the attach angle was 1/2 inch the rivet squeezer would interfere with the
other rivet in the center.

If the holes are offset a little or the angle flange is a little more then 1/2 inch all problems can be avoided.

a2.jpg

[sjt]

This is what I did for attach angles.

I make no claims about it being the best way to do it. I just like to make tools. - You should see my attempt at making a pneumatic rivet squeezer. On second thought I do not want anyone to see that monstrosity.


I break a lot of drill bits so I have 1/16 drill bits that are sawed off. I then use a jig to make holes arranged for mass producing the same hole pattern in each angle
j1.jpg
j1.jpg