Riveting experience for the Avion

Riveting is something I usually leave to Duane.  If it's a solid rivet (not a pop rivet), I usually hold the "bucking bar" and he uses the air-driven rivet gun.

But he was busy with other things and said "why don't you patch that hole?"

So, I got busy.  Had to ask advice a couple of times.  It was fun though!

This is a piece of the skin that was removed from under the trailer.  The hole in it is from the old battery drain hose.  We are relocating the battery, so we won't need that hole anymore.

Don't be concerned about the corrosion visible on the sheet - I scrubbed it well with Scotch-brite and that's about the best I can do.  It's under the trailer (so not visible) and the aluminum isn't really in that bad shape.

I cut a square patch and smoothed the edges with the belt-sander.

Drilled the holes and used Cleco fasteners to hold it in place.

All done - this is the underside.

And this is the patch as it will look on the trailer.  (If you crawled under it and looked up, that is!!)