Poor man's rivet cutter....                    

Since Spruce sent the wrong length rivets twice, I decided to shorten the AN470AD-5-10s to -5s, which I could then use to finally fix my screw up with the oversized holes. To cut the rivets, I drilled the correct diameter hole in some scrap aluminum, in this case  with a #21 bit, to hold the rivet securely, shimmed with washers to get the desired length protruding from the hole, then used a hack saw to make a square cut in the rivet. I used the ScotchBrite wheel to smooth the cut, then finished riveting the rib to the doubler and spar. Amazing how much time I wasted on this.

 At least I can finally move forward with the rudder spar.  The picture at right shows the two oversize rivets in the center.  I suppose a little extra strength can't hurt.  As much as I like my Main Squeeze from Cleveland Tool, I had to revert to my 30-year-old squeezer to do some of these.  The body of the old squeezer is thinner and will fit into some spaces that otherwise can't be reached.  I'll be glad when I get  back to the pulled rivets.  Haven't had to drill one of those out yet. 

Then to add to my pressure, the fuselage kit showed up today.  Same deal as before, the driver of the 18-wheeler said "How you gonna get this box off the truck, boy?."  Once again the driver told me I should have told the shipping company that the delivery was to a residence and that there was no loading dock and no one there to help unload.  The box is about 9'x5'x1' and weghs about 440 lbf.  Fortunately, exactly as before, he said that, just this once, he'd help me get it off the truck and over to my garage, although I should have been charged an extra $100.  Quite a nice fellow.  I offered him a $20 tip, which he refused.

Back to the aforementioned pressure.  I have six days to get my antique Corvette through its final inspection, or it will be what the Germans call ein Klöster Föken.  Antique cars, at least in North Carolina, have to have one special inspection, by a designated officer, then never again.  Hallelujah!  But that's another story.  Additional pressure comes from the Spousal Unit (my brainy, hard-working and beautiful wife, Karen) who has an offer of a full-time job contingent upon her defending her Ph.D dissertation in August.  This is causing a pronounced lack of sleep for both of us.