[Edited on 21/8/12 by foskid]
Hi All some one i know asked me what is the best way to remove solid alloy rivets out of lead they can't be drilled ?
This is on a Aircraft he is renovating
Jacko
I asume that these are the hammered in place type of rivet. I did some work on a very old race car that had alloy skin that didnt want to be damaged. The only way we came up with was to dremel off the head, (carefuly), and then tap the pin part through it worked but was very time consuming and as there were several dozens of rivets a real pain. HTH Ray
I don't know the answer to this but as a lead there are several companies in the historic restoration business who must do this a lot. Bit of a search required but I remember seeing a dismantled Surtees TS5 at the Racing car show a few years back on an exhibitors stand.
All the options I can think of are variations on cutting the head off and knocking the solid pin through.
quote:
Originally posted by DIY Si
All the options I can think of are variations on cutting the head off and knocking the solid pin through.
Disc head off, centre drill the rivet shank at 1/2 rivet shank diameter to the depth of the material it is holding together leaving the tail
undrilled, carefully block back of structure and knock rivet shank out with a punch 0.1mm smaller than diameter of hole.....
[Edited on 20/8/12 by richard thomas]
pure lead melts at 327.5 C - quite low - is melting them an option?
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
pure lead melts at 327.5 C - quite low - is melting them an option?
Is it still attached to the aircraft? if its just a lead weight with some alloy rivets in it then maybe it could be immersed in caustic soda and the
rivets dissolved?
Paul
Im an aircraft engineer, why cant they be drilled ? As long as your delicate and start drilling with a small drill bit. Then proceed to work your way
up to the diameter of the original hole I dont see a problem.
Also if your going to try the rivets, try using cobalt drill bits.
Any pictures or description of the said parts ?
I'm intrigued as to why they can't just be drilled out, cosmetic reasons, affecting the mass or position of the lead perhaps. Most lead on
an aircraft is fitted as ballast or as a "mass balance" to prevent flutter in manually controlled flying surfaces, usually out of sight
fitted in horns fwd of the hinge line. Any material, lead or alloy removed would have to be replaced within fairly narrow limits and they are
generally bolted in anyway. So what is so particular about this piece they can't be removed by drilling. Other than that, Richard Thomas has
Knocked on the head so to speak
[Edited on 21/8/12 by foskid]
Thankyou all for you input ,
I am afraid i don't have the answers to some of your questions
My daughter went for a flying lesson on Saturday and while i was there i was talking to some one who i rebuilding a plane but he had the problem with
the rivets
What i thought was cut the heads off the rivets then pour boiling water on the lead to expand it + punch out the rivets
I will ask him next time we go what and how he got on
Thanks
Jacko
quote:
Originally posted by foskid
I'm intrigued as to why they can't just be drilled out, cosmetic reasons, affecting the mass or position of the lead perhaps. Most lead on an aircraft is fitted as ballast or as a "mass balance" to prevent flutter in manually controlled flying surfaces, usually out of sight fitted in horns fwd of the hinge line. Any material, lead or alloy removed would have to be replaced within fairly narrow limits and they are generally bolted in anyway. So what is so particular about this piece they can't be removed by drilling. Other than that, Richard Thomas has Knocked on the head so to speak
[Edited on 21/8/12 by foskid]
