Step 1.1, HS continues

In the previous episode we saw the protagonist flying his assembled, but not yet riveted horizontal stabilizer about the shop.  The interested reader will be relieved to see that the stabilizer has made a safe landing back on the work bench and is ready for the skins to be attached.  I thought it prudent to begin on the bottom side while our riveting skills improve.

And so we bucked our first rivets.  We found it challenging to get a tight fit between the skin and spar at first, but a little experience plus a setting tool I made really got things going.

Setting tool

The setting tool is just a piece of steel with a female dimple die counter sunk into the end, and then a shallow hole drilled into the bottom of that to accept the shaft of the size rivet in question.  In this case an AN426D3-3.5.  I have observed these tools before in pictures from Vansairforce forums and in some other blogs, but I didn't know what they were for until I faced this problem.  I just love the "Ah Ha!" moment when a problem is solved -- or in this case, the purpose of a mystery tool is discovered.

Most of these setting tools that I have seen pictured have been drilled right into a bucking bar, but I couldn't quite see myself taking a drill to my brand new tools, so I just used some scrap 1" x 1/4" mild steel I had laying around.  Because of its light weight, the tool is a little uncomfortable when the 3x rivet gun is hammering from the other side.  Fortunately not every rivet needs it!

And so the bottom skin and then the top skin are attached to the forward spar and the middle ribs.  I found that the top skin did not need the setting tool as much because the skin was pulled down tight to the spar instead of open as in the picture above.  In retrospect, I don't think it saved any time to do the bottom skin with top open.

Done riveting for the night.  Carolina and Roxy preparing to bug out.

Flush rivets along top skin

 The six ribs on the ends and the aft spar are next.  These can be reached with the squeezer.

Finally, I thought I would mention my parts caddy which has turned out to be a real time saver.  A Harbor-Freight mobile parts rack with a white board attached to the top.  The plans are held on by two clip board clamps bolted to the top.  Fold the plans over the top and the white board is usable.  In the parts bins it's mostly rivets and clecos.  But the true utility is that the parts are so easily accessible and nicely labeled by Carolina.

Roll around parts caddy with plan holder attached