Dan,
My suggestions for riveting:
Air pressure about 40 psi for 3/32" rivets, maybe 45-50 for 1/8" (3X gun). If you have a cheapie regulator (mine's from Harbor Freight), watch the gauge--mine drifts sometimes.
Bucker & riveter agree on a system. We fire the gun in 3 short bursts. That's usually enough to set a 3/32 rivet, and the bucker never removes the bucking bar until the third burst ends. 3 short bursts seem to give us more consistent results than one longer burst, but your results may vary. Also, with short bursts, the bucking bar and the gun are less likely to drift off the rivet. Hold the gun in one hand and hold the rivet set in place with the other.
Experienced help helps a lot. A couple days ago, working with an inexperienced kid (our chapter sent him to the EAA Air Academy), we did about 75 rivets in 2 hours and I had to drill out 3 or 4 rivets. Working alone, I had about the same results on a portion of the skin that I could reach by myself. Today, with an experienced helper, we riveted the rest of a top skin on a wing: Over 400 rivets in 2 hours and didn't have to drill out a single rivet and put no dents in the skin. FWIW, the work went like this: Riveter inserts rivet, puts gun on it, says "On it." Bucker sets bucking bar in place and says "Go." 3 quick bursts follow, bucker checks rivet and says, "Good." In just a couple seconds, the next rivet is in place & the gunner is saying "On it."
Sometimes a rivet won't go into a hole & you know you have match drilled it. You can drill it again, stick an ice pick in & work it around to line up the holes or set the bucking bar beside the hole and with light hits, drive it in with the rivet gun. Should probably try the ice pick first, but round off the end to minimize scratches and reduce the chance of sticking your helper, which makes good help hard to find. I read somewhere that the last method is a no-no, but I don't remember why & I suspect almost everyone does it anyway. Just be sure the bucking bar is flat against the surface or you can dent the skin.
R. Scott
RV-9A Wings
570 hrs. total time so far.