• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

II L wings dismantled can they be rebuilt easily?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Messages
40
Hi all.
im downunder, and have a project rebuild option.
current owner has completely stripped the wings for the upgrade. Right down to the last rivet.
All the parts appears to be there, including upgrade material, and old skins too.
Question is ( I’ve not done this before) can this be reassembled O.K.
will the rivet holes be able to be realigned correctly, can new holes be drilled or enlarged ones done to make up for misaligned ones??
can we put extra ones in etc...
would it be easier safer to start from scratch on the wings ?

i humbly await your learned response

many thanks for your assistance
ive grown very fond of this site in a very short time.
wife hates it....
o well.
 
Hi all.
im downunder, and have a project rebuild option.
current owner has completely stripped the wings for the upgrade. Right down to the last rivet.
All the parts appears to be there, including upgrade material, and old skins too.
Question is ( I’ve not done this before) can this be reassembled O.K.
will the rivet holes be able to be realigned correctly, can new holes be drilled or enlarged ones done to make up for misaligned ones??
can we put extra ones in etc...
would it be easier safer to start from scratch on the wings ?

i humbly await your learned response

many thanks for your assistance
ive grown very fond of this site in a very short time.
wife hates it....
o well.

I think it would depend on how precisely the rivets were drilled out. Those skins are pretty thin. It'd be really easy to auger out a few holes and make the whole thing useless.

On the other hand, those old parts make great templates for cutting and forming all new parts.
 
I will soon have to make some decisions about a somewhat similar situation with my 2L wings also. RE. The wing mod. However...I did not think the skins had to be 'lifted' from the ribs other than the inboard/upper sheet and on the top surface only, to facilitate the L-bracket structural improvement mod. to the main spar.
As Matt aka mhflyit stated...pics are most useful to fellow forum members, to help give you the most direct and informed recommendations to your inquiries. And also, as Kenny stated...the precision and care that the fellow that drilled out all those rivets will play a huge part in how 'serviceable/airworthy' the "old skins" & ribs (still are) or, (are not).
Yes sir...send good pics when you can...wide view and closeups together are best.
 
Hi guys .
thanks for reply.
this is the only photo at present, and agree to far away for any good...
I’ll request photo from where the wing is stored, 2000klm away.
as a thought from a non aero engineer.... could you reinforce the ribs with a “ribbon” of aluminium under where the existing holes are in the ribs?
would add a pound or two
just a very quic thought.
thanks again
 

Attachments

  • 14410218-F983-4E8C-9450-580C60FB0D9A.jpeg
    14410218-F983-4E8C-9450-580C60FB0D9A.jpeg
    893.6 KB · Views: 51
When I drill out rivets I drill using a #31 drill (0.120" diameter). It is slightly undersize for a 1/8" rivet (0.125"). Once drilled you can break the head off using an awl and the hole is undamaged. Having said that, I agree that it all depends on if the holes got buggered up.
 
A doubler strip under the rib flange will provide fresh rivet grip if the rib holes are oversize or goose egged. No fix for the skin other than next oversize rivets if those holes are goose eggs. If many are double drilled replace the skin.
 
The time it takes to assemble a wing. Some owners build for speed and some aerobatics so they assemble with solid rivets. That takes a great deal longer than assembling with some form of blind rivets. Even the steel shank "pop" rivets go much faster than solid. If you wanted the best blind rivets that might be Cherry Max. Your hands may not stand very many of those at one time. If you 'assembled' the wing using clicos, it might be affordable to rent a pneumatic cherry rivet puller for a long weekend. Cherry Max is very close to solid in strength and life. Bill
 
The time it takes to assemble a wing. Some owners build for speed and some aerobatics so they assemble with solid rivets. That takes a great deal longer than assembling with some form of blind rivets. Even the steel shank "pop" rivets go much faster than solid. If you wanted the best blind rivets that might be Cherry Max. Your hands may not stand very many of those at one time. If you 'assembled' the wing using clicos, it might be affordable to rent a pneumatic cherry rivet puller for a long weekend. Cherry Max is very close to solid in strength and life. Bill

I wonder what the weight is of a pulled Cherry Max, compared to an equivalent solid rivet.
 
Thank you all for your thoughts and input on this subject.
ill need to compare cost over time, weight over strength etc.
Over sized rivets when needed. I think.
and yes a pneumatic puller is high on the list...
 
Hi guys .
thanks for reply.
this is the only photo at present, and agree to far away for any good...
I’ll request photo from where the wing is stored, 2000klm away.
as a thought from a non aero engineer.... could you reinforce the ribs with a “ribbon” of aluminium under where the existing holes are in the ribs?
would add a pound or two
just a very quic thought.
thanks again
Can't see a benefit of a ribbon through the ribs. The wing skins add a most of the strength.
 
I wonder what the weight is of a pulled Cherry Max, compared to an equivalent solid rivet.
Judging by feel I would say the Cherries are heavier... I don't think I've ever really thought about it before, but considering the solids are aluminum and the Cherries have the stainless shank and "mandrel" at the end that swells the rivet, it would makes sense they are heavier.

You can squeeze them with a hand riveter... But I wouldn't want to do it that way for an entire wing. Milwaukee makes a nice rechargeable pop riveter that my race car buddies love and I bet it has the power to pull cherries.

The air powered ones are cheaper but heavier and bulkier. You want to be as square as possible to the surface and less tool means less chance of something being in the way.
 
Huck has a hand-operated hydraulic riveter, model HK150A, that works with Cherry rivets. I used an older model on a Moni. No electric power nor compressed air source.needed and it's not really big or bulky. They used to run $125-$150 but a quick check shows $200 ballpark now. I think this thing is the best solution for pulled rivets but your mileage may vary...
 
Back
Top