Tyson “T-bone” Brown is building an RV-14A project at home in Georgetown. He’s currently working on the empennage, and it’s coming along nicely. He demonstrated how he dimples the pre-drilled holes in the aluminum panels used to cover the tail section of the plane.

 

Tyson uses a compression dimpler with dies to manually make dimples in the pre-drilled holes. It squeezes the hole into a shallow little dish just deep enough to accommodate the head of a solid aluminum rivet with a tapered head. He also can use his pneumatic rivet squeezer with special dies to dimple holes.

You can get these tools from Cleaveland Tool as part of a tool kit when you order a kitplane, saving money (they are each $300 to $600 retail).

 https://www.cleavelandtool.com

There are two sizes of rivets, AD3 and AD4, in the RV-14A. They are small aluminum rivets that you squeeze or drive. Sometimes they are driven with a pneumatic rivet gun against a bucking bar, especially in tight places where the squeezer cannot reach. All of this makes for a beautifully smooth airplane. Sometimes pulled (pop) rivets are used in especially tight spots.

Photos and videos on Dropbox at

Dimpling with Tyson Brown

Bill Elliott, April 19, 2023

Lew Adams passes this along:

Rather than removing, repairing, and/or replacing the leading edge skins (expensive) I tried a local Austin guy advertising "Dentless Body Repair."

He showed up with all kinds of specialty tools, suction cups, rollers, lights, etc., and within a few hours the dings and flat spots were gone! No drilling rivets, pulling sheet aluminum, re-painting, downtime, etc.

I figured... what do I have to loose? Cost a few hundred$ and it was done!

Evidently he has been doing this a long time. Would probably work well on any hangar rash too. His info is below. Perhaps this will help others.

Best,
Lewis

The Ding Company.com
Oscar
512-441-9999

Our chapter has various tools in our storage unit at GTU, including an engine hoist, aircraft scales, metal brake, metal shear, bandsaw, and many others. We can loan out tools to our paid members.

In addition, you will need to provide a deposit. Deposit is cash or checks only, and is $30 per tool unless otherwise noted. Tools are free to use, unless otherwise noted.

Please check with Gary Hamilton to arrange pickup. See roster.

Tools available [updated 10/9/24]:  

2 Hole Saws

Bill Elliott donated 2 bimetal hole saws to our chapter tool crib. 

I used these to drill 2 1/4" and 3 1/8" instrument holes in a plywood panel when I built my Challenger II years ago. One can use them on an aluminum panel if needed. Clamp the workpiece on a piece of plywood on your workbench first. Carefully mark the center point, pre-drill it at the same size as the drill bit on the hole saw, and use lubricant like WD-40 or light oil, even beeswax. Drill very slowly and use lots of oil to cool and lubricate. Don't rock the hole saw or you'll wallow the hole out of shape. Better practice on a piece of scrap first. The resulting hole needs deburring. 

Most builders prefer using a Greenlee Punch, specially made for the job. This YouTube video from Kit Planes shows how to use it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5qfo2OgQRo 

This hole punch is pricey, $178 from Aircraft Spruce (see Instrument Hole Punch - ATS-123C).  

Bandsaw

This monster has no instructions, but it has several types of saw blades and is ready to use. Don't get your fingers in the blade!!

Metal brake, 48" wide and Metal Shear, 30.5" wide

This 48" metal brake is sitting on top of the metal shear, which accepts sheet up to 30.5" wide and is operated by a foot treadle. The brake should be anchored to your work bench so it has a solid connection. The brake is activated with two handles, which can be unscrewed for storage.  [The old metal brake was bad and was retired in 2020.]

Pocket Thermometer 

Coverite pocket thermometer [used to calibrate your iron for fabric ironing & shrinking.]

Tubing Bender size 4, 6, 8

 

Hole Punches 

Hole Punches for Panels and Firewalls

Fabric Tester

Cable Cutter

Brake Rivet Set 

 

Hand Rivet Squeezer

Nicopress Tool

Tap and Die Set

Magneto Synchronizer 

Cable Tension Gauge

Hydraulic Wire Crimper ($50 deposit)

Pneumatic Rivet Squeezer ($100 dep.) 

 

Cylinder Pressure Tester 

Piston Ring Squeezer 

Digital Tach 

 

Engine Hoist ($100 deposit)

 

 

Digital Scales ($100 deposit, $25 fee)

Details

Written by Mike Thompson

Created: 25 May 2002

Who

Us! If you can build it, you can paint it. You may not come out with a Grand Champion finish, but you can get a respectable, go-to-a-fly-in-and-say-I-Painted-It finish!