Old timer at LAX taught me about skin panels back in 2018

I was wrestling with a stubborn 737 belly panel near gate 14B, couldn't get the rivet line to match up. This older mechanic named Ray came over, just watched for a minute, then said "try backing off the forward fastener first, kid. You're fighting the stacked tolerances." He showed me how the stringer flex changes once you relieve that one point. Has anyone else run into a simple trick that saved them hours on sheet metal work?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery6291mo ago

Stacked tolerances" just means someone didn't tighten bolts in the right order, Ray was overcomplicating it.

lily_craig1mo ago

Watch how any old pro solves a problem and they're usually just working with the grain instead of against it.