This morning I got up and my daughter, Kali, was ready to help rivet the skins on the wings!! We set up and I showed Kali how we would do it. I decided to back rivet the skins. I purchased an extended double off-set rivet set and a large round bucking bar from Avery's. We started on the inboard skins. Kali would insert 2 or three rivets at a time, then tape over with rivet tape. She would then press the bucking bar flat against the skins and yell 'Ready". I would then back-rivet and yell back 'OK' when the rivet was set properly. We did the inboard skin (and wing walk doubler) and then took a long break (We had lunch and watched 'Casabanca'). After , we came back out to the shop and completed the outboard skin on the right wing. Next came the spanwise stringer. We ended up drilling out about 5 or 6 rivets, but the rest look great. Kali picked up on this well and the second sessions went like clockwork (Thanks, Kal!) Now I have to get the left wing skins on and the wings can be moved off the stands and on to the cradle. Wendy is going to help me on Thursday....
Kali manning the bucking bar...
Inside view of the rivets joining the two top skins
