Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:05 pm
by Spaceman
How have you guys dimpled skins for smaller 3/32" flush rivets? The plans call for SSC-32’s to attach the nutplates to the wing skin where the pitot tube mounting plate installs, for example… Can you dimple them with the Sonex simple dimple die? That’s the only dimpling tool I have, and I’d rather not have to go buy anything special just for these few rivets!
Can you just use a smaller nail in the same dimple die? Maybe I’m over thinking this…
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:34 pm
by Direct C51
I would imagine the dimple will be much to large using the simple dimple die. The nail would have to be really small and wouldn’t center the die well either. I use with a 3/32 solid rivet, or remove the mandrel from a pop rivet and use that as the dimpling die with a rivet squeezer and small piece of 1/8" or thicker aluminum with a hole for the rivet as the back plate.
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:17 pm
by Bryan Cotton
There are 3/32" dimple dies. Don’t use the 1/8" ones of any flavor. As far as I can tell, the 3/32" pops are the same shape as the solids, unlike the 1/8" ones. I am a big fan of solid rivets for nutplates.
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:32 pm
by Spaceman
Oh yeah you guys are right, I guess the dimple from the 1/8" simpler would be way too big!
I guess I could buy a hand squeezer and dimple die set like this
http://www.yardstore.com/catalog/produc … gory/2242/
And this
http://www.yardstore.com/squeezes/dimpl … emale.html
I was hoping I could figure out a way to do it with the tools I already have, but I’m not coming up with many good ideas!
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:07 am
by Direct C51
If you are only going to do a few, the rivet itself can be used as the male die. You won’t need a female die, just 1/8 thick aluminum with a hole for the rivet will work. This works fine if you only plan to do a few and don’t feel like buying the dies.
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:19 am
by Spaceman
Ohhh I see what you mean now. Thanks for the tip, I’ll test it tomorrow!
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:56 am
by Bryan Cotton
You can do that, but I think it is money well spent to buy the tools.
http://m.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/top … cfer=25370
Or borrow them. Any guys in your local chapter have them?
One of the main purposes of the hobby is to buy tools.
Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:20 pm
by drPete
Bryan Cotton wrote:You can do that, but I think it is money well spent to buy the tools.
http://m.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/top … cfer=25370
Or borrow them. Any guys in your local chapter have them?One of the main purposes of the hobby is to buy tools.
And to develop the interpersonal skills to convince the wife of the tool’s necessity.
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Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 11:23 am
by dgehring
Those rivets are so small I just used my deburring bit and countersunk them.
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Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:23 pm
by Bryan Cotton
dgehring, welcome to the forums!
Typically .032 is the minimum thickness you should countersink for 3/32" rivets. It is thicker for 1/8" rivets, and probably more so for our 125 degree Avex rivets. One reference:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/a … -2322.html
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:56 am
by wlarson861
The minimum thickness you can countersink is .040. Anything thinner should be dimpled. For a few dimples you can use a rivet. Make a back er to form the rivet into by countersinking some thick s of either hard aluminum stock or steel. drill deep enough to accommodate the shank of the rivet/die and countersink for the rivet and material to dimple. test on scrap till you’re satisfied with dimple formed. The method is slow and takes time to fabricate the tooling, the rivet/die will dimple a few holes and have to be discarded. A squeezer and dies for solid rivets is much easier, a flush rivet set dies can be used to set the solid rivets for the nut plates. I’m with Bryan, I like the solid rivets for nut plates, they seem to fit better than the pulled rivets and are easy to squeeze or drive.
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:11 am
by mwhatley
For nutplates, I typically use the NAS 1097 “oops” rivets. They have a reduced countersunk head, all you have to do is a few more more cycles on deburring in the nutplate holes and they will sit flush : http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/h … kkey=89700
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:25 am
by Bryan Cotton
Those look cool. We used to call them Martin rivets, not sure why.
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:49 pm
by Spaceman
Bryan Cotton wrote:One of the main purposes of the hobby is to buy tools.
drPete wrote:And to develop the interpersonal skills to convince the wife of the tool’s necessity.
This is accurate!!!
Thanks for all the good info. I still haven’t gotten around to attaching those nutplates yet… I’ve been building other parts. But I did find a few other tools that would probably work too:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/t … ckkey=6499
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/t … ckkey=6499
And here’s a cheaper source for the pliers that Dale Williams tipped me off to:
http://www.skygeek.com/aircraft-tool-su … 3-32.html#
Re: Dimpling for 3/32" flush rivets
Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:04 pm
by Bryan Cotton
I made my own vise grip dimplers. I ground the jaws of old vise grips flat, cut off the shank of the dies, clamped down on them and welded them up. I have both 1/8" and 3/32" ones.