Riveting Battery Spring Contacts Inside A Project Box - Rivets In General

[JoeN]

I removed the contacts (one spring contact and one dome contact) from a battery holder for a project that I want a battery in where the project box happens to be the perfect size for a AA battery.  I put the contacts inside with a temporary fastener and it works fine.  It looks to me like the best permanent fastener is to just do what the battery holder manufacturer did.  Looking at a battery holder, the general construction looks to me like the contacts are simply riveted to the holder case.  The rivets look like they are brass.   The construction was like the following picture.  Is that a good idea?  Any suggestions on the best place to get a riveter that might work well on a plastic project case for electronic gadgets?  I see cheap riveters on eBay but they seem to be for more heavy duty applications (e.g. http://www.ebay.com/itm/140-pc-Pop-Riveter-Gun-Set-Blind-Rivet-Hand-Tool-Kit-Gutter-Repair-Heavy-Duty-/371143956163)

[ajb]

That eBay link isn't what you want, those are blind rivets which wind up as a sort of squashed top hat shape where the brim is on the side the rivet was installed from and the rest of it protrudes through the materials that it joins.  The protruding part wouldn't make a very good contact as it usually wind up oddly shaped from the installation process.  Also those rivets are typically aluminum or steel, so not ideal in that respect either.

The type of rivets used for that battery contacts are more like grommets.  You can probably find something that will work at a fabric and craft supplier. 

[JoeN]

That eBay link isn't what you want, those are blind rivets which wind up as a sort of squashed top hat shape where the brim is on the side the rivet was installed from and the rest of it protrudes through the materials that it joins.  The protruding part wouldn't make a very good contact as it usually wind up oddly shaped from the installation process.  Also those rivets are typically aluminum or steel, so not ideal in that respect either.

The type of rivets used for that battery contacts are more like grommets.  You can probably find something that will work at a fabric and craft supplier.

That's what I thought.  It looks like it makes a good mechanical connection but maybe not a good electrical one.  In any case, it doesn't look a lot like the "rivet" in the battery holder I disassembled.  Sort of why I asked this question in the first place, because I am not sure.  Maybe I am calling it a rivet but it's something different.  If anyone has a good solid pointer I would appreciate it, otherwise I will keep hunting.  Thanks.

[SeanB]

Would not trust the fleabay rivet gun to work at all even to finish off the supplied pack of rivets, those die cast ones will often just break after a few uses.

As to the battery holder rivets, those are best done with non blind rivets, you could try the embroidery section for brass eyelets, as those will ( if not made from coated steel which has an insulating lacquer layer) be small, will conduct electricity and fit the springs. Otherwise the model shop for thin wall brass modelling tube and make 2 mandrels to set the ends in your use. The model shop might also have small solid rivets that will be usable as well.

[JoeN]

Would not trust the fleabay rivet gun to work at all even to finish off the supplied pack of rivets, those die cast ones will often just break after a few uses.

As to the battery holder rivets, those are best done with non blind rivets, you could try the embroidery section for brass eyelets, as those will ( if not made from coated steel which has an insulating lacquer layer) be small, will conduct electricity and fit the springs. Otherwise the model shop for thin wall brass modelling tube and make 2 mandrels to set the ends in your use. The model shop might also have small solid rivets that will be usable as well.

Now that you mention eyelets instead of rivets, what I see on my battery holder looks a lot like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50x-Copper-Alloy-Brass-Eyelet-0-9x3mm-for-Soldering-Connection-e-/161797776928

With the shaft split and spread out on the outside of the battery holder.  Is there a hand tool for that or is a machine doing that in mass production?

[SeanB]

There is a mandrel for setting them, you use a hammer and a pointed one on the shaft side and a flat one ( or one with a centring pip to hold the rivet head in place) on the other side, and tap till it spreads out as needed. There is tooling as well, that is either a modified set of pliers or a hydraulic unit, that does the same. The ebay supplier probably has the setting tools for them as well quite cheap.

I just made my own, as I do have some steel shafting that could be ground down to the right profile to do the job.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-Eyelet-Punch-Pliers-Hole-Hand-Belt-Watch-Band-Holes-Punches-Home-Tools-New-/321858695160?hash=item4af045eff8

first hit on ebay.......

[JoeN]

There is a mandrel for setting them, you use a hammer and a pointed one on the shaft side and a flat one ( or one with a centring pip to hold the rivet head in place) on the other side, and tap till it spreads out as needed. There is tooling as well, that is either a modified set of pliers or a hydraulic unit, that does the same. The ebay supplier probably has the setting tools for them as well quite cheap.

I just made my own, as I do have some steel shafting that could be ground down to the right profile to do the job.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-Eyelet-Punch-Pliers-Hole-Hand-Belt-Watch-Band-Holes-Punches-Home-Tools-New-/321858695160?hash=item4af045eff8

first hit on ebay.......

That thing will do the trick?  My only complaint is that the eyelets cannot be very deep in the project box, but that is minor I guess.  If the box is larger I will probably use a dedicated battery holder.  Certainly the eyelets and that tool are not expensive.  I will buy them and give them a try when they come in.  Thanks!

[Stray Electron]

  I would just use a small brass nut and bolt.  A bit of superglue or even nail polish will make sure that the nut doesn't come off.

[SeanB]

I worked on aircraft, where I learnt from an old deaf sheet metal worker how to do rivets both blind, solid and hollow. Made working on the aircraft easier being able to replace a self locking plate which was damaged without having to make out a job card to get the aircraft fitters to do it, especially as the instrument trade is colloquially referred to as petrol pump attendants, as all we are seen doing is filling fuel, polishing panels and cleaning the windscreens.

I still always pump my own fuel, even though all fuel stations here in South Africa are full service.