Temporarily gluing aluminium

[dmb06851]

Not having found house numbers in the style and size I want, I am going to make one myself.

I need to cut two of the same digits from 3 to 4mm aluminium sheet and it seems logical to clamp two small sheets together with a printed digit stuck on one of them, cutting out both at the same time.

Clamps, however, would inevitably get in the way so I wonder what adhesive I can use which will withstand the cutting and filling yet will allow easy separation of the two finished pieces?

Finished digit size is 3 and a half by 2 and a half inches.

[Stuart Noble]

If they're going to have screw holes, do those first and use them to fix to something or another?

[Adrian]

How about hot-melt cement ? Use heat (gently if it's ali) to separate the two pieces of material afterwards.

Alternatively - if you're going to add screwholes for final fixing of the numbers - drill the holes first and bolt the two sheets together before cutting...

HTH Adrian

[dmb06851]

I want to mount them on a plain background, preferably glued again so their finish is unsullied.

[dmb06851]

Ok Adrian, thank you. That's something I've not crossed swords with yet. Any particular product in mind?

[Dave]

Heavy duty double sided tape is what I would use. The type that is used for carpets might be up to the job.

Dave

[Adrian]

Not sure about product names - the stuff is often available at 'poundshops' and the like - needs a little 'applicator' which heats up the glue until it's fluid.

there's a load of them on eBay

guess you could always just buy some refill glue and cut small circles of it (it comes like a crayon) - then sandwich it between the two sheets and use someting like a domestic oven to 'cook' them together. Start at a low temperature & work your way up - don't melt the ali.

Once you've done the cutting out then you'll know the temperature it melted at before - and you can now take it back up to the same temperature & separate the two pieces...

...sounds simple but I'm sure there's a snag there somewhere !

Adrian

[Cicero]

============================== Fold a piece of aluminium sheet so that you have a double thickness and then flatten using pressure rather than hammering. The fold will keep perfect register whilst you cut the profiles.

Cic.

[dmb06851]

Thanks to you all for the suggestions.

I have enough information to go ahead now.

[Scabbydug]

I work in an Ironmongers, we often get people in asking for numbers/letters in non standard sizes. I usually tell them to make their own but generally most people are so inept they havn't a clue what to do.

[Ian Stirling]

hot-melt glue. Take a hot-air gun, and the glue-stick. heat the stick/plate and rub the stick over the surface, then place the other one on top, and squeeze together using some toilet paper or something.

It can be perfectly cleaned up by heating again, and using turps substitute wetted paper towels.

[The Medway Handyman]

Double sided carpet tape?

[The Medway Handyman]

What a great piece of lateral thinking. Wish I'd thought of it.

[Chris Hodges]

A lot of suggestions for hot-melt glue, but many glues will go on in a thinner layer and fall to bits under heat (e.g. a heat gun) at least allowing you to lever the parts apart. Getting the hot glue off may be difficult. IIRC superglue will fail under heat, but needs good ventilation when you turn the heat gun on it.

[dennis]

Double sided tape? Or doublesided tape-paper-doublesided tape if its the stuff I got from Aldi as you can't pull 3mm aluminium apart without it bending.