Builder's Tips: Camloc installation

[GWright6970]

Would someone please be so kind and send me a pdf of the Builder's Tips Chapter portion on installation of the camlocs for the fiberglass cowling? I have the smooth cowling if that makes any difference.

(I understand the part of installing them on the metal tabs using the rivets, but I do NOT understand using the rivets on the fiberglass... It is NOT in my 1992 manual!)

I would hate to crush the fiberglass or crack it!

THANK YOU!
Grover

email address:
gwright6970@yahoo.com

[Geowitz]

Same idea as the metal tabs. Counter sink the rivet into the fiberglass and buck it lightly. My personal opinion and experience has been that you don't really need a typical "structurally tight" rivet on a camlock receptacle like you would have through two pieces of metal. When you buck the rivet most of the expansion seems to occur on the receptacle side which then pulls the beveled end of the rivet tight into the fiberglass which snugs everything up plenty enough. Just my opinion and the way I did it without any problems.

[GWright6970]

It sounds as if you successfully used a rivet gun and a bucking bar.... without crushing the fiberglass, which is my fear. I do not have one of those squeeze rivet tools, just the air powered rivet gun, which has worked real well so far..... but thats on metal!

Were there any tips in the Builder's Tip Section of your manual on this?

Thank you very much!!

[jiott]

I had neither a rivet squeezer or an air tool. I used a pair of vise grip pliers with the jaws ground down to smooth surfaces. With this I could carefully squeeze the rivet to the exact amount I wanted with no impact to the fiberglass. I used these same vise grips for installing the camlocs on the metal tabs. I guess I am just cheap, but it worked for me.

[jrevens]

For Camloc or nut plates in fiberglass, I've found that the soft aluminum aircraft rivets work very nicely. They squeeze or drive easily without harming the fiberglass, & are fine for this application. Where the heat-treated AD rivets have a small dimple in the head to identify them, the soft rivets have a plain smooth head. You can probably get them from Spruce.

[mr bill]

I agree with using soft rivets. They have adequate strength to hold the CamLocs in place and they won't crack the fiberglass. I used them on the flaperon trailing edge and the wing tip trailing edge.

[HighWing]

I had neither a rivet squeezer or an air tool. I used a pair of vise grip pliers with the jaws ground down to smooth surfaces. With this I could carefully squeeze the rivet to the exact amount I wanted with no impact to the fiberglass. I used these same vise grips for installing the camlocs on the metal tabs. I guess I am just cheap, but it worked for me.

I have a rivet squeezer, but find the head is too large to get into some areas for a proper squeeze. I did the same modification to a pair of vice grips for those tight areas. Then I modified it further for round head rivets with a dimple to make the round head look the same as if it was squeezed with the high end squeezer. I also prefer the soft rivets for the things we do on the Kitfox. I can't imagine the need for the hard rivets on our airplanes. Regarding ACS, I did order some rivets and got a mixed bag, some hard and some soft. Do check for the dimple.

[GWright6970]

Thanks gents!!! I'm off to buy a pair of vice grips to file down and dedicate to this!! EXCELLLENT!!! THANK YOU ALL!

[Geowitz]

Add another vote for the soft rivets and vice grip idea. If you don't have a rivet gun you can easily build a Kitfox without one. I also used the soft aluminum and they compressed very easily without any damage to the fiberglass even with a gun, but vice grips definitely work.

[PapuaPilot]

I did my cowling camlocs with soft rivets and a hand squeezer. I ended up cutting my top cowling into two parts to make it like the boot cowl of the SS7. The soft rivets squeezed like butter. I'm sure the vise grips will work great.

If you install the camlocs on sheet metal or steel parts I would suggest using the normal rivets that have the dimples on the head. I don't think it would be wise to use soft rivets everywhere on the airplane.