# Gluing question.



## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

*Gluing question. (Finished and Updated)*

I completed my project and just got done hanging it on my wall.

Some points. I went with 3/4" cabinet grade plywood with moulding around the outside. The moulding didnt take the stain like the plaque did but I'm okay with that. I think it looks really nice.

Can you guys give me honest opinions on the top? My wife thinks the letters are too small. I think they are perfect but she is set in her opinion.

With above light off



















The cases with the logos in them instead of cards are for future cards



















Heres the edge










Top










With above light on


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

For the gluing, hot glue would work well...maybe too well.


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

H. A. S. said:


> For the gluing, hot glue would work well...maybe too well.


If thats the case, thats perfect. I do not want them to move. Do you have any idea how long it would take for the glue to dry? There are seven rows of 7 cards. The jig I made (for spacing the cards for gluing) is for one row at a time, however, I wouldnt be able to remove the jig until the glue was dried but doesnt hot glue set quickly?

Thank you.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

kufta4 said:


> Hi guys. I'm really a rookie here. I used to absolutely love shop class in high school and was quite good at things. Obviously, I had all the help and instruction I needed but now I would like to start doing things on my own. I bought a house with my wife last year and am slowly building a tool collection. Anyway, below are some questions.
> 
> I am building a plaque. I'm a big Penn State fan and have some football cards I want to put onto a plaque. I would be placing them into a plastic case shown here.
> 
> ...



*WELCOME TO THE FORUM*

For the plaque, because of the size I would recommend using a hardwood plywood (maybe Red Oak). Use either an iron on wood tape or solid wood for the edge.

You could just use a two part epoxy to glue. Or, use GE Silicone II, or a good double sided tape. If you want to remove it easily, you could get some Velcro with the adhesive back.












 









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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> *WELCOME TO THE FORUM*
> 
> For the plaque, because of the size I would recommend using a hardwood plywood (maybe Red Oak). Use either an iron on wood tape or solid wood for the edge.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. Excuse the noobie question but what do you mean by "Use either an iron on wood tape or solid wood for the edge."? I was thinking of routing a simple edge on it like this, or using whatever bits my dad has, since I don't own a router (yet).

As for the gluing. I don't want these to ever come off. There are 2 pieces to the plastic case and they snap together using a small magnet. I would glue the backs of these to the plaque, set the card in the case and snap the top of the case on. If I ever wanted to remove the cards for any reason, it could be easily done. I'm not worried about salvaging the part that is glued on however.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

kufta4 said:


> Thanks for the reply. Excuse the noobie question but what do you mean by "Use either an iron on wood tape or solid wood for the edge."? I was thinking of routing a simple edge on it like this, or using whatever bits my dad has, since I don't own a router (yet).
> 
> As for the gluing. I don't want these to ever come off. There are 2 pieces to the plastic case and they snap together using a small magnet. I would glue the backs of these to the plaque, set the card in the case and snap the top of the case on. If I ever wanted to remove the cards for any reason, it could be easily done. I'm not worried about salvaging the part that is glued on however.



If you want wood, I'm suggesting plywood, for that size it would be more stable than solid wood. The link you provided shows MDF board, which has no woodgrain, and is usually painted as a finish. If you use plywood, the edge doesn't look as finished if profiled as solid wood. So, if you want a nice edge, you could likely pick up a piece of profiled moulding that you could just install to the edge of the plywood.

As for glues, If you have a finish on the plywood, a two part epoxy, or silicone would work. As for hot glue I've had good and bad results, and because of that I wouldn't recommend it.












 









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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

As a custom framer, I would _never_ use hot glue. It may seem well bonded at first but it will become brittle over time. I would go with the epoxy, and if possible, drill a few holes in the wood behind each of the card holders so the glue has places to get a foothold. The epoxy to plastic bond will likely be better than to the wood, so that's where I would go for the extra help.


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## Designing Woman (Nov 9, 2010)

I work at a Home Depot store and have run into the problem of adhering plastic and wood from time to time (for kitchen installation projects of all things). Go to the paint department and look for an epoxy that specifically says it will bind plastic and wood. Another option is to use a construction adhesive. Either way, the plastic and wood will stay together forever.

As a special tip, it may be best to take a wood sample and a plastic case to show the associate for further assistance so you know that you are getting the best products for your project. 

Please let us know how the plaque turns out and post a photo. Best wishes!


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks for the input everyone.

Hot glue is out.

I'm wondering what the opinions are on something like this. Double sided adhesive tape/dots/sheets whatever. What I am adhering is not heavy at all. If I didn't have to I would rather not have to use a type of glue or epoxy. I have 7 rows and the jig I made only does one row at a time. Depending on how long the stuff takes to dry I could be doing that all day. I'm wondering if there is any double sided adhesive tape/dots/sheets that are really sticky (and I've seen some that say they can be used on wood) and that are thin. I don't want the card cases sticking a half inch off the plaque. I'm in NJ and my car is snowed in and my wife had to work and took the other vehicle so I can't take a ride to Michaels/Home Depot/Target to check out what I am talking about here.

Thanks again for the input.

Cabinet man - I would really prefer an edge like the one I showed you as opposed to putting something on the edge. I'd also like to stain the wood a little on the darker side but you said a routered edge on plywood wouldn't look that great right?


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

I can confidantly answer your tape question. You should use ATG tape made by 3M. It is typically used by custom picture framers and fits in a handy gun to apply quickly. However, using the roll without the gun is totally do-able, just slower. It is archival and available in regular strength and heavy duty, which is just thicker, I think. The beauty of this tape is that it won't dry out and slip on you over time. In fact, it will get slightly stickier and keep a very good bond. It comes with a release paper, so you tear off what you need, press it firmly on one surface (I'd say the back of the card case), peel off the release paper, and then position it on the other surface and press down well all over. An easy way is to start with an edge of the tape, still on the roll, lay it out to where you want to stop, and tear it off against the edge of a razor blade. I would apply it all around the edges of the back of the case (coming in from the edges slightly), and maybe even a dash in the middle. Once the release paper is torn off, you will want to lay down the card holder slowly and carefully so you don't have to reposition it. It will stick well once it gets hold of the other surface. There's no scooting it once it's stuck. It will come up with some sort of solvent or adhesive release solution, but that could be difficult. Your jig will insure good positioning. The ATG tape is extremely thin since it has no carrier paper in the middle of it. It's basically just the sticky part of tape without the reinforcement of paper, other than the release part you peel off. It should stick very well to both plastic and wood.

That is within my area of expertise, but I'll chime in on the wood dilemma too. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to get a decent routered edge like in your picture with plywood. You didn't seem to like the look of a laminate strip applied to the sides, so maybe you're hoping for something rounded like the example you gave? Could you glue and/or tack on a quarter round molding and fill in the crack with putty? You should be able to find one as thick as your plywood, because you would want the top to be flush with the top of the plywood with none of the plies/layers showing.

You know we want to see pictures of this when it's done!


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Great info, thanks a lot. That I think would make it a lot easier for me.

Do you guys really think a nice small piece of molding would look nice? I'm trying to picture it in my head and I think it would actually look pretty good. How easy would it be to fasten it to the edge of the wood as opposed to routering a piece?

I will definitely get pictures up once I am finished. And I appreciate all the help.


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Renate said:


> I can confidantly answer your tape question. You should use ATG tape made by 3M. It is typically used by custom picture framers and fits in a handy gun to apply quickly. However, using the roll without the gun is totally do-able, just slower. It is archival and available in regular strength and heavy duty, which is just thicker, I think. The beauty of this tape is that it won't dry out and slip on you over time. In fact, it will get slightly stickier and keep a very good bond. It comes with a release paper, so you tear off what you need, press it firmly on one surface (I'd say the back of the card case), peel off the release paper, and then position it on the other surface and press down well all over. An easy way is to start with an edge of the tape, still on the roll, lay it out to where you want to stop, and tear it off against the edge of a razor blade. I would apply it all around the edges of the back of the case (coming in from the edges slightly), and maybe even a dash in the middle. Once the release paper is torn off, you will want to lay down the card holder slowly and carefully so you don't have to reposition it. It will stick well once it gets hold of the other surface. There's no scooting it once it's stuck. It will come up with some sort of solvent or adhesive release solution, but that could be difficult. Your jig will insure good positioning. The ATG tape is extremely thin since it has no carrier paper in the middle of it. It's basically just the sticky part of tape without the reinforcement of paper, other than the release part you peel off. It should stick very well to both plastic and wood.
> 
> That is within my area of expertise, but I'll chime in on the wood dilemma too. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to get a decent routered edge like in your picture with plywood. You didn't seem to like the look of a laminate strip applied to the sides, so maybe you're hoping for something rounded like the example you gave? Could you glue and/or tack on a quarter round molding and fill in the crack with putty? You should be able to find one as thick as your plywood, because you would want the top to be flush with the top of the plywood with none of the plies/layers showing.
> 
> You know we want to see pictures of this when it's done!


Is this what I am looking for?

http://www.framingsupplies.com/3M/3MATGTape.htm

I assume that the different items are just different sizes but they are all the same tape.


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

Yes, K4, that's the exact tape you want. It's so handy to have the gun, but you don't really need it if you wouldn't be using this tape much more. They list a couple different lengths of roll, and also different widths. I wouldn't mess with the 1/4 inch. Half inch was always my choice, and it fit in my gun best. If you want to get more archival, get the 'Gold' one, but since you are sticking the tape to the case and not the cards themselves, the regular tape is fine. (No, I would never advise you to stick anything directly to the cards!) I wouldn't get the repositionable version. Your jig will help you get it right the first time. I don't see the heavy duty stuff here, but just apply a second layer on top of the first, after you peel off the release paper. With the gun, you just pull the trigger and roll it along while the release paper winds around another spool inside. But it's perfectly acceptable to do this by hand. 

One final question: are there any ridges or raised parts on the backs of the card cases? This tape is so thin, and you want to be attaching two flat smooth areas together, for the most part.


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Renate said:


> Yes, K4, that's the exact tape you want. It's so handy to have the gun, but you don't really need it if you wouldn't be using this tape much more. They list a couple different lengths of roll, and also different widths. I wouldn't mess with the 1/4 inch. Half inch was always my choice, and it fit in my gun best. If you want to get more archival, get the 'Gold' one, but since you are sticking the tape to the case and not the cards themselves, the regular tape is fine. (No, I would never advise you to stick anything directly to the cards!) I wouldn't get the repositionable version. Your jig will help you get it right the first time. I don't see the heavy duty stuff here, but just apply a second layer on top of the first, after you peel off the release paper. With the gun, you just pull the trigger and roll it along while the release paper winds around another spool inside. But it's perfectly acceptable to do this by hand.
> 
> One final question: are there any ridges or raised parts on the backs of the card cases? This tape is so thin, and you want to be attaching two flat smooth areas together, for the most part.


No, the back is completely flat. Thanks for the awesome info.


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

My pleasure! I look forward to seeing the results. Good luck with your choice on an edging.


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Renate said:


> My pleasure! I look forward to seeing the results. Good luck with your choice on an edging.


I hate to be a pain like this but I just dont want to use the wrong stuff and be left with a mess.

Is this the same stuff? If so, I'll just go ahead and get this. 2 strips (maybe 3) I think would work well for the back of the card case.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...011127&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3352wt_932


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

kufta4 said:


> I hate to be a pain like this but I just dont want to use the wrong stuff and be left with a mess.
> 
> Is this the same stuff? If so, I'll just go ahead and get this. 2 strips (maybe 3) I think would work well for the back of the card case.
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...011127&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3352wt_932


Yep, that's the stuff. 

When you're working with this tape, if a 'tail' of the adhesive sticks out where you don't want it to show, don't start rubbing on it like you would if you were removing rubber cement. It sticks down and can get gummy. I mean, rubbing would work, but you could get a discolored patch, especially if you were sticking something to a paper or matboard surface. If it's just loosely laying on a critical area, take tweezers and lift as much of it as you can. But for what you are doing, this shouldn't happen, so it should be a breeze!


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks for the help. I'll grab a roll of this right now.


As for the moulding around the plaque, does anyone have a pic or something just to give me an idea of what something like would look like. I'm not looking for anything intricate, I just dont want a straight, rough cut, edge around the plaque.


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

kufta4 said:


> Thanks for the help. I'll grab a roll of this right now.
> 
> 
> As for the moulding around the plaque, does anyone have a pic or something just to give me an idea of what something like would look like. I'm not looking for anything intricate, I just dont want a straight, rough cut, edge around the plaque.


Maybe something here will inspire you:
http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?...ll/popular-ways-to-finish-plywood-edges/01-08


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Project has been updated in the original post.


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## Renate (Jan 27, 2011)

Wow, the overall project is impressive! I don't think the words are too small. I would be more concerned with the quality of joins you got on your corners. Is it possible to make a better miter, or add some matching putty to fill the gaps? Otherwise, great job!


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## kufta4 (Jan 20, 2011)

Renate said:


> Wow, the overall project is impressive! I don't think the words are too small. I would be more concerned with the quality of joins you got on your corners. Is it possible to make a better miter, or add some matching putty to fill the gaps? Otherwise, great job!


Actually, they aren't as bad as the pics. There is no gap on the top right corner but in one of the pics, it looks that way. Might be a shadow. There is one corner that is short. I think it had to do with both the moulding and board itself was warped. However, that is the one I fixed and I don't think that can be seen in the pic. In the closeup of the corner, that corner doesnt have a gap either. I believe the bottom left corner is the one I needed to fix but Im a bit annoyed that the other corners look that way in the pics. In that same pic, it also looks like there is a gap between the board and the moulding. That moulding is raised up ever so slightly and the shadow makes it look that way.

Anyyyway, thank you for the compliment. I love the way it turned out. I'll try and take another pic in the daylight. I think the shadows are messing with me.


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