No matter what I do the rivet seems to tilt to the inside of the stiffener. I have tried different pressures, tilting the back rivet set slightly outward, two different back rivet sets (big black one and small Cleveland one). I didn't have this issue during the sports air workshop but I wasn't back riveting a stiffener. I attached some additional photos of the same stiffener to see if I can get any ideas to correct the issue prior to continuing.
The face of many of the shop heads are not parallel to the skin surface.
The only way that can happen is if the rivet set was not perpendicular to the skin as you finished setting the rivet.
If that was the case, then there is a good chance it wasn't perpendicular as you started setting the rivet. That will make the shop head form off to the side slightly (the amount depends on how far out of square the rivet set was).
All of the rivets are more than acceptable and should be left. Just work towards improving as you go.
As already mentioned, sometimes the guard interferes with the stiffener slightly cause you to tilt the rivet set. Grinding a bit more off the flat with a belt sander can help that.
Btw, it really isn't a guard (but that is what people typically call it)m It's primary purpose is to apply a down force to the parts being riveted to make sure they are tight together as the rivet begins to set. As a secondary purpose it is there for insurance to prevent the set from accidentally wandering off of the rivet. If the tool is being used properly, that should never be able to happen though.
A common error (even by Flight Chops
) is to operate the gun using one hand and expecting the guard to keep the rivet set in the proper position. This is a recipe for disaster.
There should always be one hand on the grip of the gun, and fingers of the other hand grasping the rivet set at the bottom. If I am using one with a guard, I just grab the guard. If no guard, grab the rivet set itself
It can not hurt you as long as you always keep the set tight against the rivet.
With practice, you can learn to put down pressure on the part right adjacent to the rivet set (a good practice to assure that the parts are in tight contact with each other) using your ring and middle fingers, and hold the rivet set with your thumb and pointer finger.
An additional tip that can help people having trouble aligning the rivet set square to the skin, is to place something right beside the rivet being set to use as a sight guide in determining if they are aligned (a small machinist square, precisely cut wood block etc.). Make the rivet set parallel to the corner edge of the object being use and you will be square every time.