Close Quarters Pop Rivets

[skelrad]

Simple task - pop rivet in the ELT bracket (RV9A - putting it in the standard Van's location behind the baggage bulkhead). The top side was easy, but the bottom flange attaches to the J channel where the side skin has the big bottom curve in it and also has another J channel nearby. My pop riveter is too long to slide over the mandrel in between the two J channels. Using my usual wedge to bend the mandrel isn't even enough, since it would probably need to bend close to 45 degrees because of the skin curve. Is there another trick to close quarters pop riveting like this, or is it not a big deal to just crank the mandrel way over?

 

[Desert Rat]

I did the lower flange first with the bracket pulled out at the top so I could get behind it with a puller and the rivets inserted down, not up from the bottom. I built up a combination of wedges and washers on the mandrel to get it to be a pretty much strait shot.

The details are in my build log entry from Oct 23 2020.

 

[Desert Rat]

I did the lower flange first with the bracket pulled out at the top so I could get behind it with a puller and the rivets inserted down, not up from the bottom. I built up a combination of wedges and washers on the mandrel to get it to be a pretty much strait shot.

The details are in my build log entry from Oct 23 2020.

Edit- make your life easy and make sure the mounting tray for your ELT matches that thing before you rivet it on. I know that the claim is the hole pattern fits virtually every ELT, but it doesn't even come close to fitting an Artex. I had to drill it out and add extra nutplates. It would have been cake doing it on the bench. It was a huge hassle with it already installed in the airplane.

 

[skelrad]

I did the lower flange first with the bracket pulled out at the top so I could get behind it with a puller and the rivets inserted down, not up from the bottom. I built up a combination of wedges and washers on the mandrel to get it to be a pretty much strait shot.

The details are in my build log entry from Oct 23 2020.

It would have made a lot more sense to do it in that order! I didn't realize the issue with the bottom flange until I had already done the top. It may just be easier to drill out the top rivets and switch up the order of operations.

 

[AlphaCharlieBravo]

Brandon
I just bought one of those close quarters "Pop rivet pullers" that Van recommends for the RV12 crowd. Im in Oly but you are welcome to borrow for a day or two.
Its the cats meow for close quarters.
Let me know.

 

[skelrad]

Brandon
I just bought one of those close quarters "Pop rivet pullers" that Van recommends for the RV12 crowd. Im in Oly but you are welcome to borrow for a day or two.
Its the cats meow for close quarters.
Let me know.

Thanks for the offer Arnie. I think I’ll just drill out the top rivets and put the bottom ones in from the opposite direction. I didn’t even think to look for a smaller profile rivet puller back when I started. Good to know they’re available though.

 

[AlphaCharlieBravo]

Thanks for the offer Arnie. I think I’ll just drill out the top rivets and put the bottom ones in from the opposite direction. I didn’t even think to look for a smaller profile rivet puller back when I started. Good to know they’re available though.

Its this one.
I didn't know they existed either until I saw Scott McDaniels using it to install Z brackets in his tank building video.

 

[mturnerb]

Do you have enough access to put in some screws with nuts or nutplates?