Rivets: A How To Guide

[Capper]

Enclosures have become more sophisticated throughout the years, using new methods, technologies and materials in which to construct them. However, while these aspects of case manufacturing may have changed, one thing has not: the manner in which these cases are held together. As you know, rivets in a case are like what nails are to a house. Without the joining of materials together with the aid of a binding item, such as a rivet or a nail, you are surely setting yourself up for failure.


The simple fact of the matter is that while we rejoice in an age of technological advances and breakthroughs in computer technology, little do we realize or appreciate the stress and extra weight that this puts on an enclosure itself. For example, higher-end computers are now being outfitted with not just one power supply, but two: one for the motherboard and your peripherals, the other solely for your video cards which in themselves are heavy. Another example are the kilowatt PSU's that leading power supply companies are now manufacturing. These behemoths start weighing in at a hefty 10 pounds... this is a vast departure from the 'regular' PSU's that have been on the market for years, weighing around 4-6 pounds apiece, depending on wattage and manufacturer.

Rivets: A How To Guide

[zepper]

My original post should have been moved here instead of into Gen.Hard. Since it wasn't, I copied it here.

Good guide for the technically un-schooled.

Re. selection of rivet. Rivet should match the metal being riveted as you said. If you must use a steel rivet on softer metals it is imperative to use a steel backing plate on the back of the join, but it would also be a good idea to use a steel backing plate on the rivet-head side as well. The steel rivets grip with a lot more pressure and can easily pull right thru soft metals like aluminum - the backing plates will spread the extra pressure over a wider area. The dissimilar metals corrosion problem is another good reason to match the rivet to the material but that can be ameliorated by treating the join with something like Caig Labs (wwwdotCaigdotCom) PreserveIt product.

.bh.

[Quakindude]

Originally Posted by zepper

My original post should have been moved here instead of into Gen.Hard. Since it wasn't, I copied it here.

Good guide for the technically un-schooled.

Re. selection of rivet. Rivet should match the metal being riveted as you said. If you must use a steel rivet on softer metals it is imperative to use a steel backing plate on the back of the join, but it would also be a good idea to use a steel backing plate on the rivet-head side as well. The steel rivets grip with a lot more pressure and can easily pull right thru soft metals like aluminum - the backing plates will spread the extra pressure over a wider area. The dissimilar metals corrosion problem is another good reason to match the rivet to the material but that can be ameliorated by treating the join with something like Caig Labs (wwwdotCaigdotCom) PreserveIt product.

.bh.

Thanks for posting that BH! I personally have done no small amount of riveting on aircraft, so these things are a given for me. But for the uninitiated, the fine details as you've pointed out here can go a long way to making home modding a more enjoyable experience.