SonexBuilders.net

First time poster, long time follower and future Sonex builder.
Which brand of rivets are used in construction (aluminum/steel mandrel, aluminum/aluminum, stainless/stainless).
Are there any 'Cherry' or 'Pop' type structural rvets used (Q type)?
I've seen references to 'Sonex type' or 'Zenith type' rivets but would like to know exactly what they are. I've worked on planes for 35 years or better and have experience with driven rivets but the pulled-type are relatively new to me.
Which 'brand' is used, and are the usual vendors able to supply them (such as Spruce, Wicks, etc.) and are there other vendors selling the same rivets if only a small number is needed.
Thanks in advance for the help.

The Sonex does use some solid AN470 rivets for the main wing spars but the vast majority of the airplane is assembled with Cherry "N" type pulled rivets. They are stainless rivet and stainless mandrel type. You will use varying lengths (-42, -44, -46) and both countersunk (CCC-) and domed (CCP-) styles.

Welcome!

The rivets sonex use, CCP and CCC rivets are actually a commercial grade rivet. Sonex used to be and most likely still are the cheapest place to buy them. There is a quite a bit of info on the different types of cherry rivets here on the Aircraft spruce site.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/h ... nrivet.php
All of the accessible stainless CC rivets can be substituted with solid AN rivets if it takes your fancy.

Since you also asked about zenith type rivets. They use flush rivets in a non dimpled hole. They use a modified tip on the rivet gun to form the rivet head. Also from the ACS site
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/p ... 9-SPEC.pdf

Did some investigating years ago when learned of the folding (in-flight) wing problems with the Zenith CH650 I started building. Found that the aluminum Axex pull rivets (available from ACS), that Zenith uses for the entire air frame, are designed to form a bulge, and then draw that bulge back to clamp the two parts together, but they do not expand their shanks to tightly fill the holes as do the Sonex supplied Cherry rivets and thus two parts can move relative to one another. Not what I like to see in an airplane. However, that bulge forming and clamping characteristic is ideal for riveting to fiberglass parts and avoids added stress and cracking out of holes in fiberglass. Since fiberglass does not have the strength to retain the rivet shanks from expanding, often see the heads of mandrels drawn all the way through the fiberglass. Also applicable to riveting somewhat softer hinge material to fiberglass minimizing distortion of the hinges around the rivets. Those are available in flush type as Zenith uses but which require a concave nose piece in puller, or conventional domed head. The heads of the flush type, after forming by the concave nose piece, are noticeably smaller than the domed heads with those of the 5/32" Avex flush rivets about same size as 1/8" Sonex domed rivets. The aluminum body of the Avex rivets may not be as strong as the SS body of of the Sonex - Cherry rivets, but is stronger than the fiberglass.

David A. Sonex TD

Thanks a bunch for the replies and information.
Looks to me like the Sonex is a very strong structure once completed.
Thanks again.