Homebrew_PCBs

I'd be interested to hear peoples experiences of using rivets for
through hole connections. Newly joined the list and was surprised a
search on this topic on the messages gave no results. the ones I'm
considering are made by 'Favorite' and come in a range of sizes @
£14.50 per thousand here in the UK (that's about $27). The tool
for
setting them is vastly expensive but I think a litle ingenuity should
help create a homebrew setter.

AWEM

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







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I fabricate RF boards and consequently employ a lot of rivets for
grounds. I use solder coated rivets from International Eyelets.
Used to carefully crimp them using the proper tools. But have found
use of a small ball-peen hammer in conjunction with a flat steel
backing plate is just as effective and a lot faster. The resulting
crimp is not as uniform nor as pretty but it is then covered with
solder anyway.

Lyman