RV7-Factory

Today at work, the USPS Santa delivered a couple of new tools. I have been meaning to buy a no hole yoke for my squeezer and since the last rivets on the top and bottom ribs are really hard to get to the shop head…it was time to take the plunge. So I hurried home, took care of some “honey-do” items and then set up the new yoke on the squeezer and attempted to get the last of the rivets that I was not able to do during the last build session.

Turns out, I was able to get all the rivets on the lower rib with no issues. The yoke shines. I then got four of the six remaining on the upper rib. The last two are simply too tight. I tried the indirect riveting method as shown here:

My thin bucking bar is apparently too thin. It is 1/8″ plate steel and simply appears to bounce and take all the hits from the rivet gun and absorb them. It did not set the rivet well. I may see if I can get a 3/16″ piece of steel and see if that works. If it is still too tight, I may just give up on being a hero and use some CherryMax countersunk blind rivets and call it good. I hear there is no shame in admitting defeat in that area of the rudder! 😉 Either way, once these are set, it will be time to hit the trailing edge procedure and get on to the elevators.

Here is a shot of the “No Hole” yoke in my squeezer. I wish I had bought it earlier because looking back, I could have used it in some other spots on the other parts of the tail I have completed so far. If you are just getting started on your tools or thinking what you need…put this on your list along with the longeron yoke.