I'm fabricating a Switch Panel for rocker switches. The panel will be located in the cubby hole of the dash on the right side of the steering wheel.

I attempted to bond metal straps to plastic molding with JB Weld and used Gorilla Glue for the nuts. I glued the parts and let them dry for a few days before I checked to see if it held. As you can see, two of the brackets didn't hold. The Gorilla Glue is holding good, but I don't know how they will hold once I install threaded studs and tighten them up to the back of the cubby hole.




What adhesive is a strong-holding glue that is good at bonding metal to plastic?

I have found a thread discussing loctite, but, I was just wondering if anyone has used any other products, and how are they holding up?

Thanks in advance folks.

 

Bump......

 

You need to try a two-part epoxy. You can find it a Vatozone.

 

Fiberglass. Use Gorilla Glue to get everything positioned where you want it, then come back over with the Fiberglass

Once that stuff dries, it will never move again. Then you can sand it smooth and paint

 

Thanks for the epoxy idea, Jeff.

OT....20 years ago I had a lowrider.

 

I like that idea.

I hadn't thought of fibreglass, is it pretty easy to work?

Do you have any tips or tricks you can add to working with it?

Thanks for your input, Tylus,

 

you mix the resin up, then lay the strips in the resin and make sure they're completely covered. then take the strips and position them how you want

it will be rough at first, the important part is to make sure you have even good coverage

once it all dries, wear a respirator/mask and sand it to fit/smooth. fiberglass is much like working with papermache if you've ever done that

 

I can't recall working with papermache. Maybe in grade school 40 years ago, but I can't remember back that far.

Anyways, I'm gonna try the fibeerglass idea.

Thanks again

 

I finished the fabricated panel a few weeks ago, but, I've been trying to match the color of the dash with mixing model paints and after a few different tries, I've settled for the color it is now.



The progress went like this:

I experimented with bonding metal to plastic and metal to metal.

For the metal to plastic, I tried JB Weld, Loctite(2part epoxy), Gorilla Glue, and melted plastic.



For the metal to metal, I used JB Weld, Loctite, Gorilla Glue, and Solder (I don't have a welder).




For the metal to plastic, the JB Weld, and Loctite didn't hold. Gorilla Glue held but it felt like, with a little bit of tension it would break off. I was liking how the melted plastic held (rigid).

For the metal to metal, the Gorilla Glue didn't hold, but, the JB Weld, Loctite, and solder held firm.

I opted to go with melting plastic. I melted a divot into the panel, Gorilla Glued the nuts in the divots, then the next day, I started melting plastic and formed it up into a cone shape.











This is what it looks like in the truck.



It doesn't match the color and the edges are not flush, but, it's solid, I can add 3 more switches (for a total of 8) to the panel when I'm ready, and I like it. I will only be using 3 in the beginning (fog lights, back-up lights, and auxiliary power).

So, Thanks Tylus and Jeff for your ideas and guidance.

 

Well done!

 

Couldn't you just get the upfitters switch kit from eBay? Very nice project and man I had a good laugh at the papermache comment. Project looks good, you going to wire it up soon?

 

Thanks Jeff

Thanks Matt,
Ebay and any other store that sells the kits would have been easier, but, I had bought the switches a while ago and wanted to do the fabricating myself.

I, still, can't picture what papermache looks like. Oh well, I won't loose any sleep not knowing. It sounds like it could be used in a professional aspect, though. I'm sure I'll learn it again when the grandkids start going to school.

I'm now going to start shopping for the fog lights and back-up lights.

 

Be sure to give us an update concerning the lights. With your determination, I'm interested in the type of lights you use.

 

Love the DYI projects...I learn something every time. Your questions are usually the same things anyone else would ask....like me.

The panel looks great.

 

Thanks for your interest JimRay, but I don't plan on getting fancy with the lights.
I had a set of fog lights, on my previous T-100, that threw out a yellow hue. Mixed with the regular halogen headlamps, I believe it helped showing the road and landscape clearer. It especially helped while driving in the snow at night.

I do have future plans of installing an overhead shelf and wiring up a CB, power outlets, and other stuff.

thanks scurling, I like to learn and do the work myself, as well.