trailing edge of flaperon

[TJay 1041]

Do any of you know what I need to do with the trailing edge of my flaperon on my kitfox 1, does it need to be riveted  together or let the glue be enough. If I do need to rivet it together and you have a picture please post it so I can see how they are laid out thanks.

[C5Engineer 1170]

Just checked my barn Avid and it has rivets every 3 inches.

[TJay 1041]

Sure there right in that little flat spot on the trailing edge aren't they, that's what I thought, are they pop rivets or nice little squeezed rivets and thanks for the response. Here is the beast.

[High Country 69]

either works, I've seen both and squeeze rivets look nicer also a little cleaner thats what we used on our build

[dav8or 20]

Definitely rivet! The original builder on my Avid did not rivet. They did last for a long time but the right flaperon separated on me a little over a year ago. I noticed slightly strange handling in the air, then on the ground I found a small separation of the trailing edge. I came back a day later to repair it and about 2 ft of the flaperon had separated with a gap large enough to stick my hand into. Glad that didn't happen in the air! It took me quite a bit of work to get it back together and straight again. I used squeezed rivets as they do not have the big tail that a pop rivet has.

 

Dan

[akflyer 1427]

use squeezed rivets.  The pop rivets would be sweet little scalp slicers when you least expect it.

 

The bird is looking good, your really kicking some ass on it!

 

[IFMT 36]

Starting to rebuild.Took apart the really bent flaperon. Is there a source for the styrofoam ribs and leading edge. Setting up a hot wire and cutting them with a template sounds like a lot of fooling around. Thanks.

Edited 11 Feb 2015 by IFMT

[akflyer 1427]

a band saw and sanding block would make them in short order.  Make a plywood template then cut them out and a quick final sanding and you should be good to go in an hour or so.

 

[TJay 1041]

I dont have a rivet squeezer any body know of a good affordable one to buy, or any tricks of turning any other tools into one.

[EDMO 1078]

TJay,

You may be able to squeeze aluminum rivets with a modified pair of Vicegrip pliers.

If you decide to use pop rivets, use the shortest one possible, and install them with the tails to the top of the flaperon, and file the broken sharp end of the stem on bottom slightly.

EDMO

Edited 12 Feb 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[TJay 1041]

thats what I was thinking I bet I could grind and file an old vicegrips to make a nice squeeze, what do you think for size on rivets, smallest and shortest I can find.

[TJay 1041]

Actuality I think I may have them, Just went and looked through my hardware kits and found a package that says Driven Rivets An426-3-4 I have 66 of them I bet that is what there for.

[akflyer 1427]

When John Stoner was building the ribs for dakota cub he modified a few pair of vice grips to get into some tight corners.  He ground the teeth off both sides of the jaws, then drilled one side just enough to capture the head of the rivet.  It takes a couple practice rivets to get the vice grips set just perfect for each size your squeezing to get the set perfect.  He also put a jamb nut on the vice grip "lead screw" so once set for that length rivet, he could lock the nut down and squeeze away and never loose the setting when you flip it open. 

 

[Av8r3400 1179]

If you have a block of steel and a small ball pene hammer, that works, too.

You can also squeeze them with a small "c" clamp.

[IFMT 36]

Flaperon spar. I assume the spar material is 6061 T6. Canʼt find numbers on my orignal.Thanks.

[dav8or 20]

a band saw and sanding block would make them in short order.  Make a plywood template then cut them out and a quick final sanding and you should be good to go in an hour or so.

 

This is basically how I made the replacements for my damaged ribs when repairing my flaperon. It worked very well. I used Dow Blue insulation foam from the hardware store which funny enough is the same exact thing I received from Aircraft Spruce when I ordered Styrofoam from them.

 

Dan

[1avidflyer 1983]

Bet there was a difference in the price!  Jim Chuk