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Fluidyne Airglide C3000 Hydraulic Skis

I have to tell you that rivetting is a black art with more magic and wizard stuff than science and technology going on. It is a balancing act between the air pressure and the setting on the rivet gun, the size and weight of the bucking bar, the metallurgy and hardness of the rivets, the diameter and extension of the rivet, and which side you buck and drive from. There is definately a learning curve - I am glad they made me buy the rivets by the pound instead of the count I did plus 5. In the rivet kit we bought years ago, there came a bucking bar - looks like a little hammer, not sure what you would use that for but we tried it. We ended up with better results using a variety of steel rounds and squares we had on the shelf. You can see the bucking hammer on the big steel round.

10-AprSkiRebuild-07.jpg


We found that if you could have the rivet supported by your bucking bar against a solit object, you got better results. If the rivet extension was too long, it folded over instead of smooshing down. It seemed the flat head hammer in the gun worked better than the concave hammer. We never got a nice round head on the drive end that you would expect with the concave hammer and bucking the flat countersunk end.

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Captain Ron 8)
 
Did you try with the bucking bar on the shop head and the gun on the flat head? You can get more consistent results that way, IMO.
 
I did try driving with the flat hammer on the flat head of the rivet and bucked the top side, but it was difficult to keep things lined up. The gun runs all over the place. I also drove one rivet until the head broke off and another that spread the countersink hole until I thought it was going to break the plastic. I removed those two rivets and redid them driving on the top side. I did anneal the first batch and melted half of them and did not have a high confidence that I did it correctly. I ran out of that batch with one rivet to go to finish for the day and I used one that was the 'AD' hardness just to see what happened. Actually it went well and I did the last row today putting on the final long strip, and drove the rivets from the top side, in the hard condition and I used the concave hammer that really helped hold the gun on the rivet. This last row is the only set of rivets that look neat and professional. I am sure the other ski will look good, the only question now is how many am I going to go back and replace.

10-AprSkiRebuild-04.jpg


8)
 
In re-riveting the cover sheet back on top of the ski, did you use Cherry Max rivets, some other kind of pull rivets or did you find a way to buck solid rivets? I'm thinking of the row of rivets that are drilled out in the following picture.
Ski Picture with front sheet off.png
 

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Also, did you ever heat MS20426AD8? These are made of 2117 and as per the VANS RV8 manual, they are not to be heated. I've tried using 2017 to start rebuilding my skis, but I don´t seem to have the heating part all worked out, so I walked over tot the RV builders on my aerodrome and asked, and they suggested the 2117 for this very reason, they are T4 treated and don´t require further heat treatment.

I´m new to rivets, but my ERCEM skis have the similar shape and rivets at the front if the skis. All I need to get my done is change the bottoms, but I need to figure out if I can properly seat these rivets.

Here an image or my skis when I picked them up:
IMG_00371.JPG
 
Alas, it's probably time to think about replacing the UHMW on my own Fluidynes. If I start now I might be finished by ski season. Looking at the pictures makes me groan. Oh well, the first step toward finishing is starting.

I hope CaptainRon is recovering. Best wishes.
 
That sounds like a great idea rivets can be a hassle!! Did you replace the steel runners with plastic?? I wonder if the runners are even really necessary
 
If you use SS screws and nuts make sure you use anti seize on all the screws or they will never back back off. I am a plastic runner guy but may add a metal strip to the heal where it gets the most abuse.
DENNY
 
The "runners" or "wear strips" are there for a couple of reasons:

1). They help to keep the skis headed in the right direction, including in turns. For the most part, you do NOT want those skis sliding sideways. That can fold a gear leg if you hit anything while sliding.

2). They help to protect the rest of the ski bottom from wear or damage.

But number 1 above is their essential function.

MTV
 
Skywagon8A:
. . . .Just a note of info for all you out there who have these. When we first bought these, the mechanic was putting them on for the first time and had the tunnel cover off while he was working on them. He went to pump them over to test the pump or something and folded the ski in half. Don't ever try to cycle them with the tunnel cover off. We have one ski with a new tunnel!

Ron
8)

Been there done THAT! Took the skis to an old timer here and explained what I did. He smiled and explained that it's just one of those 'everyone does it' type of mistakes. So spread the word, as it is an expensive lesson.

Web
 
I have replaced the bottom on a few sets of skis and one trick that works is to cut the plastic about 1/2-1 inch wider than you want the final to be and trim with a router once it is all bolted on this gives you a smooth straight edge. So if you want a two inch edge all around add extra inch and trim to fit. On the turned up outer edge of the federal hydraulic skis I cut a wedge from some scrap plastic and extended the outside edge out also. Spring gear likes to have that turned up edge so if that is what you have bend the plastic up to match the edge.
DENNY
 
stewartb
Very nice!! Did you use any heat at you bent it up? I will see if I can find pic of my wedge.
DENNY
 
file:///Users/dennis/Pictures/Photos%20Library_2.photoslibrary/Masters/2012/Denny's%20phone/IMG_0296.JPGfile:///Users/dennis/Pictures/Photos%20Library_2.photoslibrary/Masters/2012/Denny's%20phone/IMG_0296.JPG
Boy I suck at the computer stuff!! We will see if the picture posts and how many show up.
DENNY
 

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I see Wipaire will sell the STC and drawings to install Federal C3000's on a C-170 for $350. Does anyone have an opinion on this installation of these skis on a stock engined (145 hp) C-170? These skis have more surface area than a straight Aero Ski 3000 by about 100 sq inches each so theoretically they should have decent floatation for an aircraft with 2200 lb gross weight. Obviously they are heavy and will add about 120 lbs. but will they perform at all on a 170 or would I be installing an expensive AND poor performing ski? That would be a horrible combination. They are 20 inches wide in the front meaning I would be pushing down a 40" wide block of snow down between the pair in deep powder. Frankly that sounds a bit much... Do these ski really need a C-180 or a Maule to run effectively?
 
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