Back Riveting-Bucking Bar

Back riveting is a method of setting rivets, usually in a skin component, by striking the buck tails with a special gun set while the flush head is securely supported in its dimple or counter sink by a steel plate or bucking bar.

Control surfaces are usually back riveted using a horizontal steel plate mounted on a table.  The skin rivets are held vertically in their holes with thin Scotch Magic tape or fine Mylar tapes over the heads.  The internal rib or stiffener is placed over the rivets and the special gun set is used to sequentially set these fasteners.