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