Dave’s RV-7A Building Log

Finished the right flap!! Julie helped me rivet the spar to skin rivets under the curl and I squeezed the rest of the rivets. It’s nice to finally have that thing done and off of the bench.

Julie helped me rivet most of the right flap. This one went much easier than the left flap. We almost got it done in one session, but we started having problems with the front spar rivets. Better to wait until tomorrow rather than screw up a dozen rivets.

I also pulled the spar to rib blind rivets.

I did the rest of the blind and squeezer riveting on the left flap. I probably could have done the riveting along the top of the spar solo, but Julie offered to help. We cranked that out almost without any problems. The inboard-most rivet was impossible to buck, so I used a blind rivet there. The left flap is done!! Now i just have to drill the hinge to the wing.

Julie helped me finish the interior riveting on the left flap. For some reason, we had a tough time tonight. We were just not in the groove. I slipped off the shop head a couple of times. Julie slipped the gun off the flush head a few times. I was switching between using the yoke for the tight spots and the bucking bar for the easy spots. The yoke takes a lot more hits to set the rivet. When I’d switch to the bucking bar, we overset a few of them. I actually had to use a few oops rivets for the first time. Those things work great.

We eventually got all of the interior rivets set including blind rivets in the corners were it’s impossible to buck. I then put on the rear spar and blind riveted it to the ribs. I was able to get two solid rivets in the spar to outboard rib. The plans say to use blind rivets there, but solid rivets were no problem. I did have to use a blind rivet under the curl of the top skin. I also squeezed the rivets holding the two reinforcement pieces together.

I had intentionally stored the hinge on top of the spar, so I wouldn’t forget it. It’s a good thing I did that. I removed one eyelet from the middle of the hinge with the band saw and Scotchbrite wheel.

I could keep going, but I’ll quit while things are going well. It’ll take just another hour or so to finish this flap. These things are definitely not easy to put together.

Built the stand for riveting the flaps and got everything ready for riveting. Julie helped rivet the bottom of one flap.

Getting into the rear spar is tough. I ended up using the yoke from the squeezer, a tip I got from someone else’s site. It worked great. The plans don’t call out the rivets very well. I found that -3.5 rivets worked everywhere except where the two skins overlapped a rib. That needed a -4 rivet. On the end rib, I can’t figure out how to buck the rivet under the nut plate (arrow in pic). I read on someone’s site that they recommended attaching the nut plate after riveting the rib. Now I understand why. I’ll probably just use a blind rivet at that spot. I was able to buck all of the rivets where the rear spar intercepts a rib, except on the end rib (other arrow in pic). Again, the nut plate gets in the way. The plans call for a blind rivet there, so I’ll probably just do that.

Riveting the flaps is certainly not easy. It’s a tight squeeze for bucking, but it’s doable.

I was showing a neighbor the project, showing him the pre-punched parts. He said, “So you just put it together.” Yeah, after final drilling, deburring, dimpling, countersinking, priming, etc. I’m finally to the point where I “just” put things together.

I riveted the flap reinforcement parts to the front spar and end rib. I also riveted the psuedo rear spar to the ribs. This step isn’t mentioned in the instructions, but it’s obvious these will be impossible to set after the skins are on. I then clecoed on the skins and got everything ready for some riveting. It’s really narrow inside the flap. I might have to get creative with the bucking bar.

Also primed all of the flap parts.

Deburred the rest of the flap skins, dimpled the holes around the edges with the squeezer and did the rest with the C-frame. Unless I’ve forgotten something, the flap parts should be ready for priming and assembly.

And now for something completely different: deburred, dimpled, and countersunk flap parts. I still don’t like countersinking, but at least it gave me a break from deburring. I’m officially tired of deburring at this point.

It seems like these wings will never end. While I’m deburring along, I’m thinking about two things. 1) This plane has a LOT of holes in it. 2) I still need to run conduit, install the pitot, prime a bunch of stuff, rivet on the aileron/flap seals, deburr, dimple and rivet the bottom skins, rivet together the ailerons, finish the flaps, etc., etc. I would really like to move on to the fuselage parts sitting on the shelves. I’m forcing myself to finish the wings first, otherwise I know I won’t want to come back to it. The light is somewhere at the end of the tunnel.

Deburred and dimpled more of the flap parts.