Rivet Bottom Skins and Doublers

 Yesterday I emailed Van's Aircraft to ask a question about a note in the drawings.  It said I have the option to install 4-nutplates at some holes in the bottom skin.  The location is where a comm antenna will be installed.  The response from Van's is that unless I am a double-jointed concert pianist I should install the nutplates.  I had already decided to do so.  I needed to remove the bottom skin from the fuselage.  This morning I put lines through the holes defining a square on the bottom skin.  I used some 8-32 screws to hold the nutplates in place.  I then drilled one of the ear holes and then installed a cleco to hole the nutplates while I drilled the second holes.

I used the pop rivet dimple tool to dimple the nutplate fastener holes.  It worked really well.   I then installed CCR-264SS flush pulled rivets to hold the nutplates in place.  It went very well and the nutplates are now securely attached to the bottom skin.  It will make installing the antenna much easier.

 

After installing the nutplates I reattached the bottom skin to the fuselage and began inserting clecoes.  I clecoed the support angles by reaching through the channel opening.  I then clecoed the doubler plates to the bottom of the skin.  I finished installing the clecoes and then started at the bottom to pull rivets.

 

At this point the rivets are going in with little trouble.  

I continued to install rivets until the bottom skin was completed.

I turned the fuselage right side up and discovered I had not installed 8-rivets connecting the flaperon mixer bracket to the seat rib.  Luckily, with a lot of effort and the hand rivet puller with the rotating head I was able put all 8-rivets into the holes and pull them.  I was amazed that I was able to get the rivets to go in and that I didn't have to ream the holes.