Skin replacement

[Ken J]

Don

You are the man - where do you get this stuff - I looked all over the internet this past weekend researching this stuff and did not find your two outstanding sites. Thank you very much.

Ok ok I'm convinced - guess I'm going to learn another new skill - oh boy! Gonna finish my floor, then I'll buy some rivets and play with them till I get comfortable.

As far as the noise goes, figure I'll just wear my ear muffs. I use them a lot anyway because my ears already ring constantly (too many rock concerts )

Ken

[markdoane]

Ken,
It still boils down to economics, schedule, and available skill set. If I didn't have the interior panels off, and only needed to replace a few dozen-there's not question I'd be using blind rivets.
But if you're talking a couple hundred or a thousand rivets, then the economics drive me toward solid rivets.
And then there's the 'head shaving' issue.

[Ken J]

I am a pretty handy kind of guy so hopefully I can pull it off. The price of olympics was not a deal breaker for me, schedule - thats another story - really want to get the trailer buttoned up before it gets too cold here. Speaking of which - can you use Vulcem in cold weather? I figure its ok if I start out with a warm tube.

I'm still going to have to do some olympics, because I've got some old screw holes here and there that need to be filled where I don't have the inside skin off, sooo guess I'll be buying a shaver anyway - figure that over time, it will come in handy.

Ken

[greg176]

Uwe
Most of the rivets I used were gold coloured.It is just a thin conversion coating and comes off with a rag.It is there for corrosion prevention and for paint adhesion.I am polishing so they come clean pretty quick.

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by greg176

Uwe
Most of the rivets I used were gold coloured.It is just a thin conversion coating and comes off with a rag.It is there for corrosion prevention and for paint adhesion.I am polishing so they come clean pretty quick.

Greg,
I noticed the 5x6 were a really nice gold color, but the 5x5 were more of a goldy-silver. Maybe they're color coded?

[till]

You have to shave standard rivets?? Is there a 5 o'clock shadow issue I didn't know about???

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by markdoane

. . . . . then the economics drive me toward solid rivets.
And then there's the 'head shaving' issue.

Ted, If your question is in regard to the statement above, the answer is no. I was just drawing a comparison between the blind rivets (shaved) and the solid rivets (no shaving required).

[till]

Don,

You called it. I thought that I would have to add one more tool to the collection. As it is I'm learning all kinds of new "jobs" with my many hobbies. Riveting, wood working, interoir design and how to use a paint gun...... I might learn welding before this is all over.

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by till

Don,
As it is I'm learning all kinds of new "jobs" with my many hobbies. Riveting, wood working, interoir design and how to use a paint gun...... I might learn welding before this is all over.

Tedd,
Fun, isn't it. Do you have a vocational school near you? I took an auto-body painting class several years ago. I was the oldest guy there by a couple of decades. Sure is fun to hang out with the young hot-shot cowboys once in awhile.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by till

Don,
...... I might learn welding before this is all over.

When and if you do, Make sure you somehow get a hold of a pro mig welder. Don't waste your money on a toy welder, or hobby grade. They simply do not have the power to make a nice continuous weld. Just fyi.

[greg176]

The gold on the rivets is not a color coding. The difference is just from the difference in the strength of the solution when the batches were processed.See:
http://www.poly-metal.com/alodine.shtml

[till]

As long as I can learn something I know I'm doing OK.

I do not know if I will ever own a welder, but the ones here atr work are high end Miller rigs. I have learned that you get what you pay for when it comes to tools.

[greg176]

Having enough good weather on long weekend to do front panel.Just got panel off Saturday morning and it started to pour rain.Finished front belly panels saturday and spent Sunday fitting and drilling new front panel.We'll rivet on panel tomorrow.Phots are of opening and panel held on with two cleco's.

[uwe]

This is starting to look really good!

[Ken J]

Ahh it looks pretty sunny to me...

VERY nice work - was the front originally one piece, I've never seen that before, all the ones I've seen are three pieces. I noticed you did the back in one piece also.

You are inspiring to me - I'm getting the courage to do it too - next project after the new floor.

Ken

[Ken J]

Did you ever get your angle drill?

[greg176]

Yes the front and back were originally one piece.The front is 12' 2" long and the back about 14' long so the roll of aluminum from Airpartsinc helps.The front and back are easier to do than the side as the curve gives the sheet some stiffness.I'm hoping a sheet of 040" will show up before I do the curb side.I have not got an angle drill yet.I am back to work and can borrow one for a couple of days at a time when I need it.For this panel I can pick up the holes from the side panels.

[uwe]

Such a clean look! Too bad you have to put rivets in it. It looks very clean this way.

[greg176]

Well we had a long day today but the panel is riveted on.My wife did a great job again.We used up two tubes of Sikaflex on this one (one for the panel and one to cover me)

[Over59]

Very very nice.. Skill does show.... Is that a 59 overlander?