Anyone use Heavy-duty double sided Foam tape to...

[Exocer]

mount your crossover caps, inductors, resistors etc.?

[ThomasW]

One more time, hot glue.

[joecarrow]

I second that! I did that for my last crossover, and it was a snap. Also, it's harder to get good contact with double sided tape due to the irregular shapes of the components.

[Exocer]

Sorry Thomas, I know you've suggested hot glue gun about 10 times.
I've tried a hot glue gun (a VERY cheap one) but the glue doesn't seem to stick to the PC board which the crossover is mounted on, nor to the component itself.I figured it would be a simple process but either the gluegun and/or glue I am using is crap or the PC board along with the other components do not work with the glue this gun uses. I've got only 1 cap to stick and if I'm not too careful I'd definitely pull it off accidentily... ops:

[ThomasW]

I don't know what gun or glue you're using. Over the years I've used 1/2 dozen different guns and 4 types of glue, all stick to pretty much everything.

My guess is that you could hit the PC board with a little sandpaper and that would do the job. Other wise use a piece of Masonite and get a glue gun from a home center store instead of Hobby Lobby ....:wink:

IMO foam tape is not a good idea unless you've found some industrial stuff. Any I've used didn't continue to 'stick' over a period of time

[poneal]

I too agree with Thomas. Hot glue is the way to go. I've had excellent results using it and I have an el cheapo small handheld unit. The cheapest the store had :-). Takes awhile to warm up so that the glue melts but once it's ready, it squirts out nicely, place inductors on top and press down. Hold in place a few seconds and its dry. Sometimes I get a little crazy and lay a horizontal bead of glue over caps and such for added holding strength.

[joecarrow]

Another possibility is that there is some sort of coating on your PCB that is preventing the glue from sticking. This is sometimes an issue on smooth surfaces, but you can fix that. At my job I've made it standard procedure to wipe any surfaces with high purity isopropyl alcohol before adhesives are applied. As Thomas said, roughing up the surface with sandpaper can help too- just make sure you clean it well between the sanding and glueing.

[Exocer]

The PC board is definitely coated with something. I'll try sanding them later today and re-applying glue. I found the glue gun in my kitchen...possibly the smallest glue gun ever made :E

[Amphiprion]

Why use PC board? Everything audiophile is point-to-point wired.

[ThomasW]

I found the glue gun in my kitchen...possibly the smallest glue gun ever made

They make tiny ones for female hobby/craft builders. No real man would be caught dead using one of those..... :nono:

[Hank]

Good one, Mark! :T

You want heavy-duty adhesive foam tape? You want foam tape that will hold like it's bolted down? You want foam tape that is used to attach molding and badges to vehicles? 3M. Disclaimer: I work for 3M
Example: http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_6052.asp

[joecarrow]

Hank, I've used the VHB 4951 before (not the same one you linked to), and I found that it really works better when you have two flat parallel surfaces and some clamping force to let it get situated.

Having said that, the stuff works like a charm. As a demonstration, I took a standard red brick and stuck it to the underside of a desk with a 1" square of VHB in the center. The brick stayed up for seven hours before it fell down and scared everyone.

Really though- I haven't seen a situation where that stuff will stick and run-of-the-mill hot glue won't. The main reason I use it is for neatness and control of thickness.

[Exocer]

Why use PC board? Everything audiophile is point-to-point wired.

Because I had two 6"x8" peices around the house. Figured what the heck, its small enough to fit inside of the box so why not use it for the crossover?

Hey, at least I'm trying damn hard to keep the costs down on this project :P

And Thomas, that was a bit...low...lol

[chasw98]

They make tiny ones for female hobby/craft builders. No real man would be caught dead using one of those..... :nono:

Thomas, you are absolutely right! Real men don't use those. They wire them like this..........




I've been waiting to use this smiley ;zx

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ThomasW]

NO WAY..... :B

Those lack the 'handcrafted' look we all desire.... :takecover:

[Martyn]

You could try silicone caulking as an alternative to hot-melt glue. I'm sure we've all discovered that silicone sticks to just about everything!

Just set each component into a generous bed of caulk and then go and have a beer while it cures. Silicone has the added advantage of offering some vibration isolation (for those who believe that this sort of thing makes an audible difference). Use cable ties to strap everything down (just to be sure).

Works for me...

[ThomasW]

You could try silicone caulking as an alternative to hot-melt glue. I'm sure we've all discovered that silicone sticks to just about everything!

Unless you buy the special 'green' version of the silicone it's not the best chioice of materials .

[jkrutke]

If the crossover board is final and permanent, I use epoxy. I also scuff up the components so they stick better. I never had good luck with hot glue, particularly with heavy inductors. I must have been using the female craft store variety.

[ThomasW]

I never had good luck with hot glue, particularly with heavy inductors. I must have been using the female craft store variety.

There are multiple formulas of hot glue. The darker milky amber colored hot glue provides a particularly tenacious grip. I used it on very large steel laminated inductors weighing several lbs each...

[chasw98]

And the number one reason to use hot glue, caulk, epoxy or whatever is...... (Family Feud Music)







I was working on one of my WWMT's this morning and dropped it! By accident, but you can see where the wire ties alone do not hold good sized or medium sized inductors in place when a sudden shock occurs.

[Exocer]

chasw98, sorry you dropped your WWMT! That's gotta suck. Hope all is well

[ThomasW]

Oops!...... 8O

[chasw98]

Bondo is my friend. I am listening to them right now. And they sound very, very good.

[Amphiprion]

Zaph,

What's the underside of those boards look like? Looks like a cool way of doing it.