Cotton Waiex 191 - N191YX

[Bryan Cotton]

Hannes,
I will try the mandrel trick. I tried using a pin punch to take out the remains of the mandrel but bent it. I have drilled out a lot of solid rivets before from my previous restoration project. They are a lot easier! I have also been using vise grips to keep the rivet from spinning.

[Bryan Cotton]

Hannes,
Thanks for the mandrel trick. It works. Had to whack a little harder than I was but was able to eject the mandrel out of the rivet. The nose ribs were still miserable because I could not hold the back side of the rivet. So, I have the skin opened back up.


I wonder if I can pop out the mandrels and drill from the back side. I don't need to get the rivets out of the hockey stick, just need to get the hockey stick off the forward spar.

Got a UPS notice that the new hockey stick is on the way. Still need to order some more angle, some more 3/4" square bar, and some more carbide drills.

[hsjvorster]

My pleasure. I am just glad I could help somebody in return. Receive so much goodwill from Sonex builders in the US in the past.

I may have neglected to mention to use a a new sharp drill bit, by now you probably gain that knowledge yourself. Difficult mandrel? That's the rule. 1 out of 10, 20. Always a difficult one.

Drilling from the back? Never tried it. I would not do it on account that the back of a rivet is not normally true to the hole. You may ruin the hole.

Thank you for the feedback. I also had to reorder some material, but had tried to avoid it on account of living in South Africa. Till that day when a pigeon had thrown my rudder from the rafters and I had to reorder a rudder. But that a a story for another day.

Regards

Hannes Vorster
#1135

[Bryan Cotton]

Riveting the fuel filler box:


Done with this page!

[Bryan Cotton]

I have the damaged hockey stick out. I did drill a bunch of rivets from the back. I cut the tail off with a dremel cut off wheel first. I made a guard out of sheetmetal so I did not slice up the spar. Then I drilled up the rivet tail a bit, stuck a #30 bit in backwards, wiggled a bit and snapped off the tail. Leaves the spar free and undamaged.


Here is the hockey stick out, and the new one I bought from Sonex:

[Bryan Cotton]

The road to recovery - transferring holes from the old hockey stick to the new. After drilling in the 4 corner holes, the rest of the pilot holes seem to line up but this rig makes me feel better.

I am NOT going to drill the 3/16" holes until after I bend the hockey stick.

[Bryan Cotton]

Got all the rivet holes drilled. You have to love CNC parts. It fits.

[Bryan Cotton]

Here we go again- the big bend.


I am not going to do this tonight. Too tired.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

So, Bryan, did you guys make the big bend tonight?

(And I always thought the Big Ben(d) was some old clock tower in London)

[Bryan Cotton]

Not last night-was camping with the family and in-laws up in Madison. Just got to the hangar and I am about the right amount of tired to give it a try.