Re: Pietenpol-List: Riveting tanks -- was Rusty tank
Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 2:44 pm
Original Posted By: Jeff Boatright
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Riveting tanks -- was Rusty tankJeff,If you choose to build the tank using rivets and sealant, talk to the RV (Vans type) guys. All RVs use that type of tank (mine included), so it is definitely an option. If you choose to rivet the tank, use 2024 T3 aluminum --preferably .032 inch thick. (See why below.) You will have to keep the bendradius great enough to avoid cracking it -- perhaps 1/4 inch. But this meansthat it can be lighter and stronger than a welded tank. The Proseal sealant makes this a really messy job. Most of the RV guys agree that it is one of the worst parts of building the airplane.I helped a friend do some riveting on his Emeraude tank made of .050 soft aluminum, and it was hard to keep from bending the rivets over. That aluminumwas just too soft to support a long rivet while driving or squeezing it. If you weld it you will have to use soft (5000 series, I think) aluminum -- see Aircraft Spruce catalog for good info. Hope this helps,Dan HopperHave the Piet plans but haven't decided to start it yet.In a message dated 5/26/2006 10:35:03 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jboatri(at)emory.edu writes:Corky,I've been having a heck of a time finding someone to weld aluminum. You'd think in a metro area like Atlanta I'd have no problem, yet it's been three weeks of me and my Piet partner asking around at EAA meetings and small airportswith no luck. No doubt there people to do the job, but we've had no luck finding them.What do you think about the strategy of building one using rivets and seam sealant?Thanks,Jeff________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 17:31:24 -0400
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Riveting tanks -- was Rusty tankJeff,If you choose to build the tank using rivets and sealant, talk to the RV (Vans type) guys. All RVs use that type of tank (mine included), so it is definitely an option. If you choose to rivet the tank, use 2024 T3 aluminum --preferably .032 inch thick. (See why below.) You will have to keep the bendradius great enough to avoid cracking it -- perhaps 1/4 inch. But this meansthat it can be lighter and stronger than a welded tank. The Proseal sealant makes this a really messy job. Most of the RV guys agree that it is one of the worst parts of building the airplane.I helped a friend do some riveting on his Emeraude tank made of .050 soft aluminum, and it was hard to keep from bending the rivets over. That aluminumwas just too soft to support a long rivet while driving or squeezing it. If you weld it you will have to use soft (5000 series, I think) aluminum -- see Aircraft Spruce catalog for good info. Hope this helps,Dan HopperHave the Piet plans but haven't decided to start it yet.In a message dated 5/26/2006 10:35:03 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jboatri(at)emory.edu writes:Corky,I've been having a heck of a time finding someone to weld aluminum. You'd think in a metro area like Atlanta I'd have no problem, yet it's been three weeks of me and my Piet partner asking around at EAA meetings and small airportswith no luck. No doubt there people to do the job, but we've had no luck finding them.What do you think about the strategy of building one using rivets and seam sealant?Thanks,Jeff________________________________________________________________________________Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 17:31:24 -0400