I used a piece 7/8" square stock about a foot long as my bucking bar. Held it in the vice. Dremelled a small indentation in it so the rivet head would be held in place during setting.
While I purchased my tools on eBay for my air hammer, you can make a rivet punch yourself. Go to Sears, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Buy the biggest round punch/chisel/drift they have that is at least twice the diameter of the rivet head. Carefully grind/dremel the punch point off until it is straight across and flat. GO SLOW and do not overheat the metal, ie, turn it blue. When you have the flat made, then dremel a small indentation in the flat, making sure to NOT GO TO DEEP. This is also to hold the punch in place on the rivet while whacking it with a BFH.
This is and example of the punches I am talking about: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=505-0429&PMPXNO=3017404. Get the biggest you can find that is big enough.
Now, insert the rivet and place the round head on the bucking bar. Place the rivet set (punch) on the unexpanded end of the rivet that is inside the receiver. While holding everything still, whack the pucnh with a BFH. Two or three good hits with the hammer should be enough to expand the rivet and hold everything in place.
Total cost for these tools about $10-15. And they can be used to set the rear trunion rivets as well. They need to be modified slightly to set the front trunion rivets.
While I purchased my tools on eBay for my air hammer, you can make a rivet punch yourself. Go to Sears, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Buy the biggest round punch/chisel/drift they have that is at least twice the diameter of the rivet head. Carefully grind/dremel the punch point off until it is straight across and flat. GO SLOW and do not overheat the metal, ie, turn it blue. When you have the flat made, then dremel a small indentation in the flat, making sure to NOT GO TO DEEP. This is also to hold the punch in place on the rivet while whacking it with a BFH.
This is and example of the punches I am talking about: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=505-0429&PMPXNO=3017404. Get the biggest you can find that is big enough.
Now, insert the rivet and place the round head on the bucking bar. Place the rivet set (punch) on the unexpanded end of the rivet that is inside the receiver. While holding everything still, whack the pucnh with a BFH. Two or three good hits with the hammer should be enough to expand the rivet and hold everything in place.
Total cost for these tools about $10-15. And they can be used to set the rear trunion rivets as well. They need to be modified slightly to set the front trunion rivets.
