Rivet Heads

This blog cover the filling of the pop rivets

Overview
After viewing a Sling at AUSFly 2015 I had to do a double take and ask if it was solid riveted. The answer was NO, it was explained that the factory filled each rivet with epoxy micro with a toothpick and sanded after curing.


Installation
Returning to the home base I was still struck with rivet envy, so starting with a small quantity of lightweight filler was applied with a syringe fitted with a needle.  Before use the sharp point was removed using a small grinder.

Purchased from farm supply chain CRT - $9 for the box

The filler was small batches of West Systems 105 resin with the slow hardener. This was mixed with a small amount of blue powder pigment to improve visibility. The needle was inserted into the rivet opening with just enough pressure to allow a continuous drop to be formed at the top between each application with a paper towel at the ready to wipe any excess from the needle. This process is quick with the whole elevator taking about 30 minutes for one side.

The fresh adhesive was first applied to horizontal surfaces as it went off the vertical surface were then filled. 

Rivets filled ready to sand

The vertical surfaces were done with the left over from the horizontal surfaces. When it had begun to gel the process was repeated and as extracting the needle the excess was wiped onto the rivet with a upward motion onto the top face. 

When complete the syringe was cleaned with acetone and wiped down. A watch was set up with any runs cleaned using a towel and acetone. 

Note: After a cold night to cure only about 5% showing runs which were cleaned as described.

The application of a coloring agent is critical and coloured chalk powder was use, clear is a real trap for that reason and once cured onto the skin has to be removed mechanically.

When cured, the excess is carefully sanded off using a piece of metal equal with a hole diameter and thickness equal to the rivet for sanding. A thinner piece of plastic is used to clean the sides if required so obtaining a nice blob on the top side of a rivet saves time

Thanks to Craig at Flying Frontiers in Africa for his input and advising its took about 100 hours plus - woo hoo, happy days....!

Comment
Application was quite quick and my guess with this combination it would take a long hard day to apply resin and a lot longer to sand plus rework. The sides require small batches to be mixed, loaded into a syringe and allowed to start to gel before application.

Undertaking this on a cool night is the go as I managed to use all the resin prepared.

The short needles work well and may have helped the speed but I would make sure the resin was tinted much darker before application.

This idea was found on a RV 12 blog with much thanks.