----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- Fellow Coupers,
I recently finished a complete rebuild of the wings on my Alon. In order to install the 5/16ths inch rivets that attach the wing attach fittings (or "hinges", as they are called in the parts manual), I designed a special hydraulic press that is custom made for squeezing these large rivets. I then hired a local machine shop to build the press. The press uses a 12 ton hydraulic bottle jack to squeeze the rivets. It has custom fabricated rivet sets, one with a flat face for the shop end of the rivet, and the other with a concave face for the factory end of the rivet. The rivet sets are also "clearanced" so that they will not contact the wing spar capstrip while squeezing the rivets. The rivet set that is moved by the hydraulic jack is guided by precision rails and guides to keep the rivet sets in perfect alignment with each other. I also designed and built a special fixture that holds up the outboard end of the wing while squeezing the rivets. This fixture is adjustable in all directions (up/down, tilt right/left) so that the wing spar can be properly aligned in the press while squeezing the rivets. After test squeezing a few rivets in some scrap material, I had the machine shop make some additional enhancements to the press. I then used the press to squeeze all of the 5/16ths rivets in both of my wings. Using this press and the method that I developed, every rivet turned out perfectly. The rivets look exactly like the original factory rivets did. This press does a very nice, easy, and controlled job of squeezing these rivets, with a minimal chance of causing any damage to the associated wing spar parts (like those expensive capstrips). I don't know how many folks out there are rebuilding Coupe wings these days, but if anyone is interested in renting this press and holding fixture, please send me an e-mail and we can talk about it. I also have some rough written notes and lots of digital photos that I took while squeezing the rivets. If there is enough interest, I might be able to turn these notes and photos into a "How-To" document for squeezing the rivets. Good Flying, Wayne DelRossi Alon N5618F GYH Greenville SC ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiLm.aVzvvT Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
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