First off this post in no way reflects on any tool company. Mistakes happen and it's how things are handled after-the-fact that really matters. As most of you know, this company (along with most of the big players), are 1st class. I only post this in hopes that I prevent someone from going through my frustration.
Began to back rivet my tail cone j-channels the other day and was really having fits with getting a well driven shop head. It was seriously slow going as each rivet was done methodically in an attempt to get a square shop head. It was almost as if getting a square shop head was a totally random event. This pic is indicative of the results. Frustrating...
After a bit of searching, I came across this thread posted last year by Mike Lauritsen:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=101692&highlight=back+rivet
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, you can see a small nub in the center of the set. More critically, the set is slightly concave - not flat - with the center being slightly lower than the outer surface. Fairly tough to see in the pic:
A quick order to ACS yesterday had this on my porch this evening - definitely flat:
After a few practice sets, I did this row in quite a hurry to increase the odds of not being perfectly square:
Much, much easier to get a square shop head! Yes, technique and skill still have a huge role, but if something just seems a bit off-kilter, don't discount an equipment issue.
Began to back rivet my tail cone j-channels the other day and was really having fits with getting a well driven shop head. It was seriously slow going as each rivet was done methodically in an attempt to get a square shop head. It was almost as if getting a square shop head was a totally random event. This pic is indicative of the results. Frustrating...
![DSC_2822.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FDSC_2822.jpg&hash=2262c15664ad535df0e462c92189d0cc)
After a bit of searching, I came across this thread posted last year by Mike Lauritsen:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=101692&highlight=back+rivet
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, you can see a small nub in the center of the set. More critically, the set is slightly concave - not flat - with the center being slightly lower than the outer surface. Fairly tough to see in the pic:
![DSC_2824.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FDSC_2824.jpg&hash=1c883337b60cf8addf9cc660001f9548)
A quick order to ACS yesterday had this on my porch this evening - definitely flat:
![DSC_2825.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FDSC_2825.jpg&hash=018fdd6b57f4126f31ee11f33bc10f3a)
After a few practice sets, I did this row in quite a hurry to increase the odds of not being perfectly square:
![DSC_2823.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt98%2Fh60av8tor%2FDSC_2823.jpg&hash=3740ec1b712e258bf47b06909603097b)
Much, much easier to get a square shop head! Yes, technique and skill still have a huge role, but if something just seems a bit off-kilter, don't discount an equipment issue.