VAN'S AIRCRAFT, INC.
OP-51: SHEET METAL BASICS
NOTE: Know the terms used in this section including; match-drill, final-drill, dimple countersink (or dimple) and machine
countersink. Definitions for these and other construction terms are found in Section 5 of the builder's manual. Go to
Section 3 of the builder's manual for information on tools used for this project.
Step 4: Cut a five inch length of AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Aluminum Angle from the provided material.
Step 5: Use a fine point felt tip marker to lay out the hole pattern and corner trim lines on the AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Aluminum Angle.
Remove hatched areas and drill #40 hole locations. See Figure 3.
Step 1: Use a fine point felt tip marker to lay out the hole pattern on the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet as shown in Figure 1.
Step 2: Drill #40 the hole locations shown in Figure 1.
1.000
REMOVE
HATCHED
AREA
(5.000)
DRILL #40 TYP
DRILL #40
TYP
1.000
.250
REMOVED
HATCHED
AREA
(4.000)
AS3-032X4X5
2.750
TRIM LINE
FROM TANGENT
POINT
FIGURE 3: MODIFYING THE ANGLE
Step 6: Align the AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Aluminum Angle on the top surface of the AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet. Clamp in place
then match-drill #30 the aluminum angle to the aluminum sheet and cleco. See Figure 4.
.750
TYP
Step 7: Bend the edge of the AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet as shown in Figure 4 for lap joint (see Section 5K of the builder's
manual).
.250
MATCH-DRILL
#30 TYP
.250
ALIGN
SURFACES
FIGURE 1: DRILLING THE ALUMINUM SHEET
TOP SURFACE
Step 3: Align the AS3-032X4X5
Aluminum Sheet with the
AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet
and clamp together. Match-Drill
#40 then cleco the holes drilled in
Step 2. See Figure 2.
MATCH-DRILL
#40 TYP
AS3-032X4X5
AA3-025X5/8X5/8
AS3-020X4X5
MARK
THIS SIDE,
2 PLACES
Mark the surface of the aluminum
sheets with a felt tip marker as
shown in Figure 2. The marks
denote the bottom surface of the
final assembly.
Remove the clamps and clecos.
BEND DOWN
THIS EDGE FOR
LAP JOINT
FIGURE 4: MATCH-DRILLING THE ANGLE TO THE SHEET
FIGURE 2: MATCH-DRILLING
THE ALUMINUM SHEETS
DATE OF COMPLETION:
PARTICIPANT:
DATE:
08/31/09
REVISION:
0
RV-ALL
PAGE
51-01
VAN'S AIRCRAFT, INC.
Step 3: Remove clecos, screws and nutplates. Deburr all parts.
Step 1: Cleco the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet, the AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet and
AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Aluminum Angle together then final-drill as shown in Figure 1.
Step 4: Dimple the holes in the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet called out in Figure 3. Dimple the holes in the AS3-020X4X5
Aluminum Sheet and AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Angle called out in Figure 3. Dimple the rivet holes in one of the nutplates.
Step 5: Cleco the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet, AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet and AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Angle together.
Machine countersink the holes in the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet called out in Figure 3.
AS3-032X4X5
FINAL-DRILL #30,
7 PLACES
NOTE: Install all rivets with manufactured head on bottom/back side of assembly.
Step 6: Rivet the AS3-032X4X5 Aluminum Sheet, AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheet and AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Angle together using
the hardware called out in Figure 3. Rivet the nutplates called out in Figure 2 to the aluminum sheet and angle assembly.
AS3-020X4X5
AS3-032X4X5
FINAL-DRILL #19,
2 PLACES
AN470AD4-4,
7 PLACES
TOP
SURFACE
AS3-020X4X5
AA3-025X5/8X5/8
MACHINE COUNTERSINK
OPPOSITE SIDE
THESE HOLES ONLY
AN426AD3-3.5,
5 PLACES
FIGURE 1: FINAL-DRILLING
Step 2: Use a screw to attach a nutplate to each of the #19 holes as shown in Figure 2. Use the nutplate as a guide to match-drill
#40 the nutplate rivet holes into the AS3-032X4X5 and AS3-020X4X5 Aluminum Sheets and AA3-025X5/8X5/8 Aluminum Angle.
DIMPLE THESE
HOLES, FLUSH
OPPOSITE SIDE
LP4-3,
6 PLACES
MATCH-DRILL #40
4 PLACES
AS3-020X4X5
AA3-025X5/8X5/8
AA3-025X5/8X5/8
FIGURE 3: COUNTERSINK AND RIVET LOCATIONS
AS3-032X4X5
2X
FIGURE 2: MATCH-DRILLING TO NUTPLATES
PAGE
51-02 RV-ALL
REVISION:
0
DATE:
08/31/09
AN426AD3-4,
4 PLACES
K1000-08
AN515-8R8