Hi! Re.bonding on the top fusilage .
Suggest you do a dummy run with screws first anyway to be sure to get good
alignment . Don't whatever you do break the mandrels off the pop rivets
because when you drill out the rivet the drill will be likely to wander off
into the flange .Yes ,I also 'buttered ' both surfaces ,but you need to
'trowel' off any redux that has squeezed out inside and outside, Better have
a long handled tool available for inside!. Use a light behind the join to
get the message through as to what degree of bond area you are achieving
(you mustn't squeeze out all the redux!) If your kit is Mk1 type you will
need a piece of threaded rod (about 3/16" dia, to pull the forward root of
the fin together to meet the lower fusilage joint surfaces . (I also
inserted a piece of suitably shaped 3/4" ply wood to pilot the threaded rod
through and so to enable the lot to be pulled together.) Any out of
alignment in this area needs to be on the port side for successful filling
later, since the starboard side has the inspection plates fitted and to fill
round them is 'pig's ear'. Better to have put all the inspection holes in
prior to putting on the top anyway, also the reinforcement needed in the
cockpit top area. I also had some locking tabs welded on to the heads of the
bolts which secure the trim motor because when entered from aft will be
impossible to restrain from turning to remove the nuts in the event of motor
failure.
All in MHO though !!!!!!
Regards
Bob Harrison Kit 337 Europa/Jabiru3300 G-PTAG
---Original Message-----
Behalf Of William McClellan
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 6:24 AM
Subject: Re: Redux(Ardalite)
A suggestion: Self taping screws work a whole lot better that rivets.
You don't have to drill a hole then insert a rivet with a rivet gun and
then drill the rivet out. About $5.00 for a box of 100. Using a small
low voltage battery drill to insert the screws works best as you can more
easily control the degree you draw the two serfaces to each other. Even
if the screw strips in the thinner skin area, it still holds the two
surfaces together.
Give it a try.
Bill McClellan A164
Fred Fillinger wrote:
> TroyMaynor@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > Hi ALL,
> > How much Redux should I have on hand to bond on the top molding?
>
> I think 1/4 of the can, maybe even 1/3. I
> recommend a generous amount, since there's no easy
> way to fill any voids along most of the seam once
> riveting commences. The manual sez to butter one
> seam; we did both to play safe, and I'm glad we
> did.
>
> BTW, we used aluminum pop rivets but without
> pulling enough to break the mandrels. The extra
> pulling required to break the mandrel accomplishes
> nothing, and the mandrels can then be removed real
> easy with a plastic mallet.
>
> Regards,
> Fred Fillinger, A063
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