3/13/2021 – 4.8 hours
The ultimate test with the RV-14 Elevator Bucking Bar arrived with a little bit of unease. Can I use the very long bar to adequately set every rivet down the length of the spar without a catastrophe that would send me back to Van's with an order for a new elevator kit? The short answer is yes! My alignment marks on the bar worked well to get everything into position, and provided enough situational awareness during the riveting process to ensure things didn't move around too much. It also allowed me to focus on the gun to keep it steady. I looked at the finished height of the shop head with a flashlight to judge when the rivet was completely set and to keep them uniform. I also spot-checked the rivets near the end of the spar with a gauge to be sure. The rivets went in successfully without incident. Phew!
After riveting the rear spar, the ribs were riveted together with blind rivets (pop-rivets). Each set of ribs gets 4 blind rivets – 2 near the rear spar and 2 near the forward spar area. The rivets by the rear spar are in a very confined area, and it is virtually impossible to get your arms in there and generate enough force on the rivet puller to set the rivets. I started with the rivet nearest the open forward spar area to clear the clecos out of the way, and worked toward the rivet closet to the rear spar. Van's suggests using tubes or pipes to extend the rivet puller handles, and that was the perfect solution for inserting and setting the last 2 rivets on each set of ribs. In addition to the standard ribs, one rib half gets riveted to the trim access doubler. Four of the rivets are identical to the other ribs, but there is a 5th rivet that goes through the rib to attach the doubler reinforcement. That rivet is very close to the skin, so I used the wedge I made for the rudder to angle the puller for more clearance while providing a flat surface for the rivet head.
[Spring Clamps, 3x Rivet Gun, Swivel Flat Set, Special RV-14 Elevator Bucking Bar, Blind Rivet Puller, 1” PVC for Handle Extensions]
3/14/2021 – 2.8 hours
The main elevator structure was completed with the attachment of the front spar assemblies. This task went relatively quickly. The spar assemblies were cleco'd to the elevator ribs and skins, and then permanently attached to the ribs with 3 blind rivets at each rib base. I noted on a future step that the tip rib skins are placed beneath the main skins, so I cleco'd the tip ribs in place with that in mind. There are 3 AN470 rivets that are used to attach the trim reinforcement doubler to the left front elevator spar. (Note: There is an error in the plans, which say to rivet the “Trim Tab Reinforcement Doubler to the E-00902-1L Rear Spar.” E-00902-1L is the front left spar. I held the bucking bar inside the doubler and drove the rivets with the 3X rivet gun. The space inside the doubler is very confined, so you need a copmpact bucking bar. It is an awkward setup, but it turned out well.
[3X Rivet Gun, 3/32” Cupped Rivet Set, Small Tungsten Bucking Bar, Blind Rivet Puller]