Brief Description: Finished all riveting on right flap
I began the day by visiting about every tool vendor in the area looking for a pop rivet puller with a smaller head depth than 3" without success. Every vendor seemed to have the same basic tools with different brand names. All had heads of at least 3" which is the same as my current swivel head Craftsman puller. I couldn't even find one that could be modified in the shop to suit my purpose.
Finally, I looked up an EAA Hints for Homebuilders video that discussed riveting in tight spaces. One of the tricks aside from modifying an existing puller was to make a small wedge to place over the bent shaft of a rivet allowing the puller to be used at an angle. I made a wedge from some scrap steel and it worked reasonably well on all the rivets except a corner fastener attaching the spar, rib, and bracket/actuator plate. The rivets in the bracket are very close to the corner and the 90 degree flange of the bracket. To get these final three rivets I made two bushings. The first bushing was straight allowing me to get the lower two rivets. The final corner rivet was pulled with a bushing having an angle ground on one end to match the bent shaft of the rivet. This allowed me to set the rivet keeping the puller well away from the bracket flange and the overhanging flap top skin. The bushings were made from segments cut from an old welding tip (the same one used earlier to fabricate the elevator horn drill bushing).
The right flap is now complete. Work remaining on the left flap includes riveting the top skin to the ribs (top side only), installing the spar and hinge, and pop riveting the spar to the rib ends. I should be able to get this wrapped up in the next day or two. I have some special restoration shop tours to host at the NMUSAF over the next two days.
