backing plate for artwork.

[jackleg007]

i would like to fasten a backing plate to the back of some of my cutout artwork.i did use silicone for one piece,and it seems to be holding,im just not sure if it will stay secured,or if it will fail over time.i glued a piece of primed metal over a piece of copperized metal,and it looks great,as long as it holds.

just wondering what other people are doing in this situation.what types of glue or fasteners ,and what procedures as well.welding is not an option,due to the fact that it would screw up the copper on the backplate as well as the paint on the artwork.threading and bolting would also be problematic due to the thickness of the material.maybe welded studs on the back of the artwork before it was painted,and holes in the backplate.this is also a bit of a problem,because the studs would have to be very small and short,due to the thin nature of the material.thanks to all for any input you may have:)

[GoingCustom]

For when welding is an option (before paint preferably). Drill holes for the bolts, weld the end of the bolt from the front side/grind it smooth. Cut the head of the bolt off so it goes through the back piece, use a couple regular nuts for spacing and then thread on a lock nut. to secure in place.

[jackleg007]

thanks for the reply.i never thought about welding on the front side,will have to give it a try.although for fine delicate work, that still might not work.have you ever tried gluing ,or have you seen anyone glue 2 plates together,and do you know of any good adhesives for metal?

[GoingCustom]

thanks for the reply.i never thought about welding on the front side,will have to give it a try.although for fine delicate work, that still might not work.have you ever tried gluing ,or have you seen anyone glue 2 plates together,and do you know of any good adhesives for metal?

I have tried two part epoxies to glue the bolts to the metal to speed up the process, but even after 48 hours of drying I was able to break the bolts off by hand. That was after hitting the steel and bolts with 40 grit to get a rough surface for the glue. I ended up spending more time having to get the glue off and welding everything.

[Gamelord]

You could try some JB weld or Marine Tex. If it is a very heavy piece of steel, hanging on a wall - I would be leery of anything that wasn't permanently welded or bolted.

[elvenhome21]

this just popped into my head as an idea. No idea if it would work or not. But what about lead soldering the bolt or piece of flat stock bent into a spacer piece.

[Larry83301]

thanks for the reply.i never thought about welding on the front side,will have to give it a try.although for fine delicate work, that still might not work.have you ever tried gluing ,or have you seen anyone glue 2 plates together,and do you know of any good adhesives for metal?

Having worked in aerospace many years, I can tell you that there are many glues that would hold anything together. Try some of the things on this site -- http://www.loctiteproducts.com/product_advisor/ Here's one product that mite fill your needs --- Loctite? Epoxy Weld? Bonding Compound Bonding and rebuilding of metal surfaces. Can be filed, drilled, taped and machined. ---

Larry

[jackleg007]

thanks for the info.i will have to look into more of my options,and do a bit of experimenting

[abmetal]

When I make layered signs, I use double sided 3M automotive tape. It works great. I've never had a problem yet. You'd be surprised what it'll hold.

Allen

[jim8014]

Look at this for metal adhesive. I have never used this particular product, but have used others and System 3 does amazing things. They are about 5 miles from our shop.
http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/Sil ... ld-c18.htm