Today I set most rivets on the vertical stabilizer skeleton:
Vertical stabilizer skeleton riveted (except for bottom ribs)
Conduit for running wires up the stabilizer
Being my first big riveting job, it took some trial and error - for instance, I put all the clecos in, then realized that the rivets wouldn't go into the holes (tiny misalignment) - removing the clecos, putting some rivets (without setting them), and then putting the clecos back worked perfectly with no misalignment. Also, I tried to use my mighty pneumatic rivet squeezer, then realized (and forums confirmed) that the AD4-7 rivets I was trying to squeeze are too long for it - it only has maximum force at the last bit of its travel, and with a long rivet it just never gets there. I ended up setting most rivets with the hand squeezer, and only using back riveting for the rivets closest to the hinge brackets (where the squeezer doesn't fit).
I also realized that I need a better rivet squeezer - preferably lighter and that can access tighter areas such as the junctions of ribs and spars - those were more challenging than they should have been. I'm considering the Main Squeeze.
Other than that, the skin is fully dimpled, and as soon as I finish securing the conduit (need to buy supplies for that) I can start riveting the skeleton to it.
I also broke my big toe on Friday, so the next few sessions will be slow at best.
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