Suitable Adhesive

Impact adhesives.

(usual disclaimer).

Yeah, when it comes to sticking that stuff's not to be sniffed at.
Shelf life is pants, I had a tin from about 20 years ago, it had gone solid.
Del

Rapid epoxy, a bit expensive, but a splob* in each corner and one in the middle would do it.
Depends how many you are doing I s'pose, is this a few or a production run?
Del
* A cross between a spot and a blob

Thanks Del

It's a production run, but on-site assembly with hand tools. The unused adhesive needs to last the rigours of the fitters truck! So an extended shelf life would be good.

This looks like a good place to look. From the activator page, click the link to the 600 & 800 adhesives.

Thank you for that, they have an agent in South Australia.

Hi Tony,

Is there any way to scarify (make rough) the underside of the table prior to application of the adhesive?

Just a thought - KJK

I appreciate the bond would be better if the resin surface was roughed and/or degreased and I will tell the fitter!?! but..... There is also the risk the plating would be damaged if they decided to do the plate also. Maybe I should leave that one alone.

Take a look at windshield glass adhesives. They are single component and come in tubes that fit caulking guns.

1. Glass Adhesive Products | liquidnails.com

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1. 3M™ Auto Glass Urethane Windshield Adhesive

Thanks Lyn, I'll check out 3M here.

GA. I wasn't aware that double sided tape had come that far. The savings in time, and mess, should easily compensate for the price.

GA! I have used VHB tape for a variety of permanent fastening jobs over the last thirty years as a mechanical engineer / manufacturing engineer / design engineer (Mosler safe used it to attach interior panels & shelves to safe walls - my first encounter with the stuff). BTW, there is a useful online adhesive advice site - which unfortunately does not seem to include tape materials - at www.thistothat.com.

GA, double sided structural tape is also used in the manufacturing of Semi trailers. It has replaced rivets used in the side panels. Since the sides or walls of the trailer provides the strength to hold the load, I would have to say its good stuff.

Have you tried 'liquid nails" or a generic equivalent? A stud adhesive or other building adhesive might work. Both of these are strong, cure fairly quickly, have long service lives, are suitably packaged for rough transport have long shelf lives, can buy them anywhere, yadda yadda.... Using your favorite search engine you will be able to find adhesive selection charts that will guide you or confirm your worse fears. One of Global Spec's advertisers, I forget who exactly, has such an online tool. Try there. I have consulted it on a couple of occasions and the information helped a lot. If this is for production then it isn't unreasonable to experiment a little and spend a bit of cash until you find an adhesive that fits the bill. Good luck mate.

General 2part epoxy used for marine purposes for joining wood should be OK, it is slightly flexible when cured. Your table plate will receive a lot of flexing during its life.

De grease is a must use acetone after lightly sand blasting the surfaces. Also it would be preferable to feather taper the edges of the Zinc plated plate to reduce stress cracking at the edges.

Another choice would be silicone sealant when cured it has a very strong bond on metal surfaces the gray roofing type is best, metal preparation as above.

If you are selling these, you need the best method available.

I personally would clean the two surfaces intimately, then use a two part Epoxy.

Even 1 in 10 tables coming apart will play havoc with your profit margins....

I personally would clean the two surfaces intimately

Interesting choice of words. Somehow I can imagine the line slowing way down at the cleaning station.

The fun is there and the terminology is also correct, which makes it more fun to use!!!!

Send us a pic of the components Tonymech

Thank you all for your input, unfortunately the table top is not close by to give you a picture. But imagine a reasonably flat, smooth, resin surface and a 200x200x3 steel plate, zinc plated, maybe passivated, laid on it.

• I've received another suggestion from the industry using Sikiflex 11FC polyurethane which cures with moisture
• Also suggested leaving an air gap i.e. leave a gap between beads

Tony

Interestingly, even using an air cure adhesive, I reckon on not leaving an air gap, but using joined circles or squares, because then there is an element of suction working for you. In other words, when the two surfaces are being pulled apart, air has to find its way first, so you have air pressure outside working for you.

I have tried both stripes and closed shapes on the same job accidentally, and the stripes failed.

I got the idea from a guy who sticks the panels on the outside of skyscrapers.

But imagine a reasonably flat, smooth, resin surface and a 200x200x3 steel plate, zinc plated, maybe passivated, laid on it

It's not so much the two surfaces that I can't imagine, it's the mass/weight of the table top and base attached to them. Do you have that info?

Jim

Weight of the tabletop ranges from 10-30kg and size from 500-800mm square or round. The column, 65mm round or square attached to the 3mm plate is 700mm for seated to 1200mm for stand up.

Tony

Well it should do it, especially the small ones where there is less leverage. I guess it was out of your control, but the tops really needed these in at manufacture:

http://www.bighead.co.uk/

If you don't find an adhesive, is there the option of a decorative disc in the centre of the table top hiding a bolt through to the plate, and thread it.? A nice stainless disc with a table number engraved,..

I was under the impression the tables had 4 legs. With only a single column in the center, I don't think an adhesive or tape will be strong enough. The adhesive or tape will be subject to peel more than if 4 legs were used. I would suggest self drilling screws or even welding, if the top is steel.

It's not too clear whether these tops have been manufactured yet or not. If they have all been made then you're stuck with finding an adhesive. I would encourage you to increase the number of screws. If this is still the design phase then consider casting in a rag cage (or some other captive fixings) into the table's bottom surface. Back to using glues now, and whether continuous or discontinuous beading is best. I figure discontinuous beading would limit failure to one bead at a time. A progressive failure. The discontinuous beading would arrest any adhesive tearing at the point where the glued joint stops. A bit like rivets V welding. This could save a beer. If you have the option then build the leg connection solution into the top.