Brief Description: Riveting left wing top inboard skin
Well I debated with myself over the viability of having my 12 year old son Mitchel run the rivet gun over the last few months and today I faced the crossroads. I knew that if it went well he would be on cloud nine and if it went terribly wrong we would both feel stressed. I have good news to report, a 12 year can be an outstanding pneumatic gunsmith! We installed the left inboard top wing panel today and since Mitchel's friend Kia was here we put him to work pulling clecos and putting in the rivets as I manned the bucking bar. (Kia's dad is a 767 driver for AA). We drilled out a few, but no big deal. No gnarley dingles or abraisions to report - GOOD! We used the ole' "masking tape on the rivet set trick" - thanks VAF and the internet! I left the rear spar and inboard rib rivets to the hand squeezer which I will get to tomorrow morning, if possible. About 2 hrs was enough for a couple of 12 yr olds especially with the heavy 3x gun. I am proud and excited that we have successfully crossed this bridge and hopefully he can enjoy the ultimate satisfaction of looking out over those beautiful surfaces in a few years and know that he drove each of those rivets that are holding use up in the air. This is why we build airplanes in our garages!
Mitchel in the white and his friend Kia in the green - a couple of future airplane nuts.
Gittin' er' Dun!
Now that the bucking is complete this panel is almost done.
