Homebrew PCBs

In a message dated 9/9/2005 3:12:51 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
andrew@... writes:

I'd be  interested to hear peoples experiences of using rivets for 
through hole  connections.<<
I use "surplus" eyelets from a local dealer.  These are  sadly a full 1.5 mm. 
dia., not counting the head of the rivet, so require a  pretty large hole as 
PCB drilling goes.  I swage 'em over with a  home-turned awl-like point made 
on the end of a  convenient-to-hold-in-the-fingers socket-head cap-screw 
(fairly hard  material).  But just about any smooth/hard prick-point awl-like thing  
should do.  I tap the head of that with a SMALL hammer until it "sounds  
different" when it "hits bottom".  Takes all of twenty minutes  practise.  
 
I learned, however, you'd best SOLDER-TIN the PCB pads before  installing 
these, as they DO "cover" the area that should be soldered to the  underside of 
the head of these tiny things!
 
Better were some tinier "samples" from International Eylets  (USA; don't 
recall State nor city) which were gold plated.  They got used  up very, very fast, 
and "minimum quantity" for ONE size is like 1000 pieces, and  the cost is 
like a car-payment!  Sad.  It'd be nice to be able to buy  100-each of several 
sizes.  But NO!  

a  litle ingenuity should help create a homebrew  setter.<<
If I had to DO this more than two or three times a year, I'd  come up with 
some kind of electropneumatic press with adjustable "punch-force",  but I'd have 
to be making at least 50 boards a year to inspire that.  Fifty  boards a year 
inspires paying for professionally-etched, plated-through  holes!            
Jan  Rowland







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