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There was some recent discussion on the Matronics list on how folks were
setting the small solid rivets on the ailerons and slats of the 701. These
are the small solid soft 3/32 rivets that go on the trailing edges.
Zenith shows modifying a set of simple slip joint pliers to do the job, and
one fellow said he set his with a pair of vice grips. Another used the
standard $175 rivet squeezer from the airplane tool supply houses. My
friend B.J. Schwaller used a pair of small lineman pliers.
So I set out to make the needed tool. I made one from the wide jawed vice
grips. But it had a tendency to bend the rivet over as the jaws closed as
did a pair of pliers. Probably acceptable, since this is not a structural
joint, but I didn't like the looks of it, and knew there must be a better
way.
I went and visited B.J. to look at his and see how the rivet looked after
it was squeezed. I was surprised the lineman pliers he used were the
small size, 7-8 inches total length. These are the ones with a flat ends
to grip and twist wire, and a side cutter further back to cut wire. When
He said he used these, I thought they must bend the rivet too. But on
examination It didn't, also they were good enough pliers that there
wasn't any side ways motion as the pliers closed
SOOOOOOO I went home and made me a set. And they work great....
perfect
squeeze every time.
If you don't have a pair, they only cost about 6-7 dollars at your local
Wal-Mart and it takes about an hour or less to make them.
I ground the ridges off the jaws of the pliers so that there was 1/16 to
3/32 of an inch gap when you closed the pliers. The smoother the grinding
stone or file the easier it will be to polish the faces. Both faces need
to be sanded with 240 grit paper and polished so that the pliers don't
leave marks in either end of the rivet when its squeezed.
After grinding, I used a 13/64 drill bit chucked in a drill press and put
a recessed dome in one side of the pliers jaw to match the head of the 3/32
rivet. The other jaw is left flat to set the rivet..Then I polished both
faces with a green scotch brite pad and electric palm sander (Black &Decker
Mouse) and was done.
The Mouse sander with scotch brite pad works great too for polishing the
small surface scratches out of alum sheet.
Hope this helps someone, and THANKS B.J.
