alternate dimple tool ?

[fairchild]

Watching the "Desert Bearhawk" channel----
He shows a place there he couldnt get the dimpler tool on the spar near the root end.
I remember having that problem long ago--- made a dimple tool. Bronze rod fitted into rivet gun. End had a cone cut into it at the proper
angle. Had a center steel guide pin (about 1/16) which fit through a pilot hole in skin. Backup block with concave "v" and 1/16 hole in center
for pin to go into. A few gentle cycles of the rivet hammer and you had a nice dimple. Drill out and de-burr to rivet size.

Anyone tried this for hard to reach areas ?

Found if I made the dimple in the skin about 90% --- and let the flush set finish the compression they came out perfectly flush and smooth.
never had to shave one.

T

[Chris In Milwaukee]

That’s a creative approach. Any potential alignment issues? Like if you’re at an odd angle or something and can’t get a good eyeball on what you’re working on?

[Mark Moyle]

https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=5102D-3%2f32

[fairchild]

Mark--- That pop-dimplier looks like it should work well..... have to try it when I get to that stage.
Chris--- the purpose of the little center pin is to keep the front and back piece centered AND parallel. Of coarse you DO have to keep the rivet gun square to the surface--
just as you would if you were driving a rivet.
T

[johnb]

I have a similar pop rivet dimple tool. Very effective for tight spaces.

[Chewie]

Has anyone tried either of these techniques for dimpling/riveting in tight spaces? "Tight location dimpling and rivet setting"

http://www.experimentalaero.com/Builders%20Tips.htm

The pop rivet dimple tool from ATS seems like it would work equally well for dimpling. Maybe this method just allows dimpling in tighter spaces.

The rivet setting technique seems stupidly brilliant at first glance, I'm tempted to try it on the flaps.