Dings and Dents

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:15 pm

I am a relative newcomer to this list and have found the various posts quite helpful.

I am building a 9A and have completed the HS and VS, and am in the process of completing the rudder. My question deals with a few dings and dents that have occurred, most recently while backriveting the stiffeners to the rudder skins, when I went back over two rivets that were not fully set and forgot that the skin was no longer over the plate. Neither dent and/or ding is huge, but there is a crease in the metal perhaps an inch long right next to the rivet. It is visible in bright light, but will hopefully not be that obvious when it is painted and perhaps filled in with something.

I am not expecting to build a show plane, this time anyway, but I want something safe, obviously. Is anyone aware of a resource that exists somewhere that tells us when is a ding a problem, and when is a dent something that should not be ignored and the skin replaced.

I don't want to spend a bunch of money building the same plane twice, but if I have to replace something that is a safety issue I won't hesitate to spend the money.

I live in the boonies in Central Illinois and have not yet come across a technical advisor that I can have come over and look at it. I have looked at a few of the other lists, and so far I haven't come across this question Any help, suggestions, and great thoughts would be appreciated.

Post by **Spike** » Sat May 28, 2005 5:24 am

Welcome to the group!! Do you have pictures of the ding? What you are describing doesn't sound too bad. Have you checked with your local EAA chapter? I would think that there would be one somewhere nearby. And don't hesitate to call Vans technical help. This is the type of stuff that they are here for!!

-- John

Submitted via email

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Sat May 28, 2005 6:06 am

I second all of what Spike said.

A picture would be huge. If it as miniscule as you say, not a problem. If it is worse, still not a problem in the forseeable future.

If it bugs you, problem. If after flying for a few hundred hours it begins to crack there, problem.

If you stop drill the cracks and leave it, no problem.

If the stop drill holes and crack bother you, problem. If it cracks some more, problem.

Aside from fixing it with you, I hope this helps.

CJ

Post by **Spike** » Sat May 28, 2005 2:52 pm

Here are some pictures from Frank. (Our guest)..

Frank, to me they dont look that bad. Personally I wouldn't sweat it.

As for how to post pictures, there are a few threads on how to do this in the "Support" Forum. They should be stickied to the top of the list.

Again, welcome to the group and stick around. Feel free to register if you are so inclined, and we are glad that you stopped by.

-- John

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Sat May 28, 2005 5:17 pm

I did a similar thing on my rudder - got in a hurry and missed the back rivet plate. It's just cosmetic - I'll fill it with some Superfil prior to painting.
You can place the assembly on the back rivet plate and hit the rivet a couple times with the set and it may flatten out some (mine did).

Here's mine before rehitting:

Thomas
-8 empennage