Advice on Repairing Small Holes in Skin

[mello mike]

See the pic on two small holes in my Overlander. These holes were from a couple of mounting bracket screws for a side mount TV antenna. It looks the bracket was simply pulled out, damaging the skin around each hole. As you can see the holes aren't simple holes. The bracket when it was pulled out tore the edges of the holes. Any advice on getting these tears flush? Once I get these flush, I will repair the holes with a couple Olympic rivets.

Thanks in advance.

[pbearsailor]

With those tears in the skin, I think it's unlikely that Olympics could seal those holes. I'd be thinking more along the lines of a couple of small round aluminum patches riveted on.

-steve

[r carl]

If you could hold a steel block behind the holes you could hammer the holes flat and use big rivets. Without access to the back side, you could screw 2 stainless screws with vulkem on the threads into the holes and wipe off the excess vulkem.

[wasagachris]

Mike I agree a patch is the best way to go. I`ve seen some others cut a patch in the shape of their home state and that way the patch looks intentional and not to cover up a hole. Would the area in question lend itself to such a patch.

[Aerowood]

Depending on the hole size it can be dimpled and a soft flush rivet installed. Drill a hole in a rivet set to accept the male die and a hole in a bucking bar to accept the female set and shoot like a rivet. This will make a dimple in the skin that a MS20426A5-X will set flush in. Then shoot the rivet with a flush set. The hole will almost disappear. The dies are available in all the standard rivet sizes.

5/32" Dimple Die Set

[mello mike]

Thanks for all of the replys.

I was hoping I could repair these two holes without removing the inner skin, but it doesn't look like that's going to be possible. A bucking bar behind the skin and lightly pounding the tears down is probably the best way to go.

Aerowood, your idea is intriguing. Your method would require removing in the inner skin also, correct?

[Dag68]

I see a panel located below the tears but I'm not sure what that is. Would removing that panel (and later re-riveting it back) give you enough access to brace the back of the tears while you smooth them? What else is around your damage?

[Melody Ranch]

This may work....they make aluminum fairing washers. Get some (pick a size) and smooth out the rip/hole. Install the washer...it will lay flush....and fasten it with an Olympic rivet. Don't forget the Vulkem... The washer will polish out like the dressed Olympic.
Cessna 'Fairing Saver' Washer Stainless For No. 8 screw on eBay.ca (item 290252800921 end time 31-Oct-10 11:16:01 EDT)

[Aerowood]

Originally Posted by mello mike

Aerowood, your idea is intriguing. Your method would require removing in the inner skin also, correct?

Yes