Bubber Posted September 16, 2012 #1 Posted September 16, 2012 I am building a little Tear Drop trailer and want to sheath the sides with aluminum .040" thick just like I did on the other one I made, so here is the question. I want to glue the aluminum to the wood sides of the body but the glue should not harden and become brittle it should stay tacky and pliable. The glue I used the last time was to thick and lump, so I was looking for alternatives. The stuff I use should be easily spreadable and lay down a thin coating. So do any of you have some suggestions on what kind of glue to use. I was thinking on using spray glue like they use on car interiors/upholstery (spray trim adhesive). From what I remember about the stuff it stays tacky and gooey and never hardens. It should hold the metal down but still allow it to move a little. Any body got any suggestion (that would be helpful)?
Trader Posted September 16, 2012 #2 Posted September 16, 2012 Isn't that the ideal job for contact cement? ...paint both surfaces with it, wait for it to set up a bit then press and roll it together. It stay's "rubbery" when dried. I used "scotch" contact cement on a few jobs and it was not only easy to work with but very strong when dried.
dacheedah Posted September 16, 2012 #4 Posted September 16, 2012 Butyl should stay pliable I know they use some kind of putty for RV's that is very sticky, holds things very well and is water tight. If you ever put a light on or something you use it between the light and skin and it protects it.
friesman Posted September 16, 2012 #5 Posted September 16, 2012 Ive used Gorilla glue on a small project bonding wood to a steel edge and the staff at Lowes recommeneded the Gorilla glue. It goes on like regular white glue, but over a bit of time it expands like the expandle spray foam from a can. I liked it real well, and after it set ip for a day i just trimmed off the extra with a knife and scraper. http://au.gorillaglue.com/eng/glues/glue-list/1/8/gorilla-glue.html Brian
dingy Posted September 16, 2012 #6 Posted September 16, 2012 3M makes a tape that provides an extremely strong bond. I'm not sure how it would do on the wood though. If wood had a good finish it would possibly work. Gary http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-Industrial/Adhesives/Product/Bonding-Tapes/VHB-Tape/
Condor Posted September 17, 2012 #8 Posted September 17, 2012 3M 5200. Best caulk since sliced bread. Pick it up at any marine chandlery.....
Flyinfool Posted September 17, 2012 #9 Posted September 17, 2012 You do not want to use Gorrila glue on a large flat area, the mentioned expansion will cause your sheet metal to endup uneven with ripples, and since it is an air cure it will take months to fully harden. For what you want, I would go with contact cement, there are a lot of good ones out there.
Prairiehammer Posted September 17, 2012 #10 Posted September 17, 2012 Check with your local cabinet/laminate counter shop. Most use a low volatility SPRAY contact cement to apply plastic laminate to a wood product substrate. Might check with those same people about a preferred adhesive for metal to wood. Metal is often adhered to wood substrate for bar tops and back splashes.
Yamamike Posted September 17, 2012 #11 Posted September 17, 2012 I agree with Jeff about Gorilla glue...plus it gets quite hard and possibly brittle.
ragtop69gs Posted September 17, 2012 #12 Posted September 17, 2012 I was thinking on using spray glue like they use on car interiors/upholstery (spray trim adhesive). From what I remember about the stuff it stays tacky and gooey and never hardens. It should hold the metal down but still allow it to move a little. Any body got any suggestion (that would be helpful)? Not a good choice, the summer sun and heat will soften the glue and it'll lose the bond. I used it to cover the headliner with vinyl in one of my mud boggers and the heat caused it to let loose and sag. Like others have said, contact cement is a good choice.
Condor Posted September 17, 2012 #13 Posted September 17, 2012 Not a good choice, the summer sun and heat will soften the glue and it'll lose the bond. I used it to cover the headliner with vinyl in one of my mud boggers and the heat caused it to let loose and sag. Like others have said, contact cement is a good choice. Like I previously posted 3M 5200 will stick to anything, remain pliable, and is bullet proof. We use it to mount deck hardware on boat decks. Just make sure you have the part where you want it...'cause once it sets you ain't gonna move it later on. As far as putting an aluminum ply on a sheet of plywood I'd run a bead around the edge and a few dots around the middle surface. It won't move. I'd also use it to caulk the seams. There isn't a product on the market that will do as good of a job............
dacheedah Posted September 17, 2012 #14 Posted September 17, 2012 The contact spray we used to use for counter tops is good stuff, spray one side and the the contact side, when dry you put them together. Now once they touch you are done, no fixing that, so you use a bunch of dowl rods and pull them out one at a time while working the sheet. I would trim to size once done but that puppy ain't coming apart.
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