Adhesive tape

[David Morton]

I've just discovered a double sided adhesive tape made by 3M called VHB.
I wish I had known about when I was putting together my GTD. It is just the dogs B----cks
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...Bonding-Tapes/
Dave M

[SpyderMike]

I use it on a couple of our products. VHB = Very High Bond as I am told by the rep. He says they use it to bond aircraft skins in some applications. Good enough for me...

Mike

[Lynn]

There appears to be 4 kinds of VHB tape and a primer; here is a link to the Technical Data Page. It contains downloadable pdf files for the various types and the primer. Sounds like once it's stuck, it stays stuck and on lots of different materials.

[Pete.]

I guess I am old fashioned, but I like the security of rivets, nuts and bolts.
Although I have not tried VHB, I have had other so called "permanent" bond tapes fail over time.

[David Morton]

Pete,
I resemble your remark until VHB came along. Apparently it's been used to hold up motorway signs for a few years now. The rep told me the secret is first using IPA (Isopropyl Alchohol [diluted 50/50]) to clean the surfaces, second to look at the data tables with reference to ambient temperatures and third, look at the times for it to 'cure'.
He also said it's not really a tape but just pure adhesive in a tape form.
I tried two small pieces as a trial last night - plastic to aluminium - one in a lower temp (about +8c) in the garage and the second warmed up indoors (about +20c)and cured them both for approx. 10 hours under compression. This morning the first I could prise apart - with difficulty. The second - not a hope in hell. It's forever joined. Subsequent heating (solar etc) may /should make it stronger but next I'm going to freeze it to -25c to see what happens and if it can be seperated.
It's remarkably clever stuff.