Metal to Metal adherence (powder coated)

Projects
1

Long time listener, first time caller -

I am making a keychain/key holder for my son. I’m making it out of 14ga steel which I want to affix to another piece of 14ga steel behind it. I am powder coating both pieces different colors.

I am trying to figure out the best method of adhering them together. It’s rather small - 13" long by 2.5" high. He’s just going to hang it on his wall in the kitchen.

I thought of epoxy, rivets, screws (least favorite) or tack welding (tig). Just need some thoughts. This would obviously be done post-powdercoating.

Thanks,

Bill

2

I like the look of nice shiny pop rivets myself

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3

Have you looked at 3M’s VHB? It’s ridiculously strong.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y7H56E/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_VFtyEbXAH412D

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4

I may just pick some of the stuff up anyway. I’m not sure if the thickness, didn’t want this project to have any type of a gap. I’m gonna use these smaller type hammer-on rivets and see how that works. Pics to come.

The kid just had his twenty birthday and he’s having a supercharger installed on his Lexus - this is all I can afford to do for him. Lol

5

James, have you ever used this in outdoor conditions? It would be great if this could survive outdoor exposure.

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Here’s the final product.

image
image1280×925 530 KB

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7

VHB (very high bond) is wonderful stuff, works miracles. You can get different thickness and width.
These 2 piece signs are held together with one small strip on top and one on bottom.!

I can not.pull them.apart, the signs I assembled last fall are still together and they have been out all winter.
20200305_155538|500x500

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20200305_1555242160×2160 1.43 MB
20200305_155546
20200305_1555462160×2160 1.65 MB

20200305_155606
20200305_1556062160×2160 1.19 MB

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8

I agree… Good stuff !!

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9

Have you used it on any of the textured powder coated metal?

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Beware of repackaging!! it sucks I had to return some to Amazon last year

if IT DOES NOT have the yellow 3M tube it has been recut and rewound on cheap white tube and it sucks, it loses sticky on side that is rewound

3M 4200 cures fairly quick 24 hrs and is very strong and weather proof also, the tape above is the bomb and not messy!

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11

That’s good to know, thanks

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I use 3m 2 sided tape. Comes in a large roll and you can order different thickness. Check eBay.

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Gunny:
I have used 2 part epoxy to set my large saw tooth hangers on the back of some of the signs I made. It will hold up to 250lbs. I did a little experiment to see how well it holds and it bent the sign metal and the bond never moved.

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14

Like all the others said - exterior rated and you’re going to bend/break the metal before you’ll separate the 2 sheets :slight_smile:

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We make engraved name plates for our machines and when we went to powder-coating in the 90’s the adhesion between the plates and the machines was a huge problem. VHB was the best of the tapes but was only good for 3 years n an industrial sometimes filthy environment, we ended up using drive screws in the end. and they look the best, Kinda look like hammered rivets and they won’t fall out.

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On this there are “hammer” rivets we used on navy missle carts, drill holes, position plates and tap the things in.