Cheap PCB eyelets/rivets and tools (for DIY vias)

Other Hardware General Electronics
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I'd like to make some PCBs at home for fast prototyping that require vias.
A while ago I have ordered these:

and I guess I can use them without any tools, but it just seems too dirty so I'm thinking about buying one of these tools and using them before adding solder between the rivets and the pads:

But I don't know if this combination would yield good results and it seems to be very difficult to find affordable rivets and tools.

For example this looks really nice, but $200 just seems completely ridiculous.

So I'm curious if anyone of you has been able to find some cheap rivets/tools that work well.

1 Like
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Vias are just holes in the circuit board. You may be thinking of "plated through vias". Back in the old days, they were created by soldering a piece of copper wire from one side to the other. Have you tried that?
Paul

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I agree, but as far as 'old days' go, I etched & built a prototype this morning using wire vias.

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My method of choice.

Drill 0.5mm holes and solder wires. Works a treat (a bit labour intensive but still quicker than having boards professionally made - and a whole lot cheaper for one offs).

Willem

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I used to make my own PCBs. They worked but today hobby boards are so inexpensive I no longer deal with etching, immersion tin etc.

Per your attachment:

  1. Rivets are OK as long as the wet with solder.
  2. You likely don't need a center punch as the copper void in the center of a via should be enough of a guide. For drilling holes that don't have the copper void I used a center drill to get things started.

I've never seen electronic board utilize split or "cracked" eyelets. You should be able to find a number of eyelet setting tools for < $15.
Years ago we used eyelets on a small adapter board. You don't need to set the eyelet very tight, just enough that it doesn't fall before you solder both sides. Too tight will be a reliability issue.

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I agree. I used to just drop all the rivets in the holes, put a piece of aluminium sheet on top, flip the board over, and flare the rivets with a small phillips screwdriver and small hammer.
Leo..

7

I realize I could solder a piece of wire, but rivets seem much cleaner, don't you think.

I'm not etching btw, I simply use a PCB mill. It also takes care of all the drilling.

It would be nice to have a tool that can squash the rivets as clean as this:

8

I have about 1,000,000 of those rivets.

It is important that the length of the rivet is matched to the board thickness.

Too long you will get poor flaring results.

Long rivets can be crimped then soldered.

I have defaulted to simply: solder the top then turn the board over and solder the bottom, much easier.

For DIY, consider wire jumpers on single sided board rather than double sided board.

Soon you will just use the inexpensive board houses to do your PCBs :wink:

9

Single-sided with jumper wires just gets too messy imo. Ordering online is not an option as I only want to wait minutes rather than days for my prototypes.

I just found out that keystone makes nickel-plated PCB rivets. But unfortunately I can't find them on aliexpress and I still don't know what tools you are supposed to use.
https://www.mouser.de/Electromechanical/Hardware/Circuit-Board-Hardware-PCB/_/N-5g2e?Keyword=eyelet&FS=True

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Maybe you can just flair them with a center punch.

1 Like
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Rivets like these?
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/keystone-electronics/33/315958

"EYELET 0.093" BRASS TIN PLATED"

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Yes? I mean that's what I was linking to wasn't it?

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Thought you had linked to AlieExpress as you had mentioned longer delivery times.

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I don't think I mentioned delivery times. In my last post I linked to:
https://www.mouser.de/Electromechanical/Hardware/Circuit-Board-Hardware-PCB/_/N-5g2e?Keyword=eyelet&FS=True

15

Keystone also makes a TOOL STAKING KIT FOR EYELETS for $49.55
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/keystone-electronics/1721/315613

Is that the kind of thing you are looking for to secure the rivets?

You could also likely just get discrete parts of the kit, the part numbers are listed.

16

I also looked into solid copper rivets, thinking they could be dropped into the holes, soldered, flipped over and soldered on the 2nd side.

They do look to be rather large in diameter tho.

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CR, remind me, did someone send you a small bottle of eyelets ?

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Yes, but I have not had occasion to use them, as I haven't etched or milled any boards.

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Just couldn’t remember.

Let us know ‘when’ you run out in 30 years :wink: .

If needed, use them to connect ground plains (top/bottom) if you forgot to do so (but you always use plenty).

Also good as crimps on jewelry tiger wire.

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