TECH TIPS
ADHESIVE MOUNTS
Camper trailers cop their fair share of self-
adhesive items over the years; among them,
are mounting pads for cable ties and similar.
These are handy where we want to run or
mount wires or cables but don’t want to or
can’t drill a hole or use an edge clip. The
substrates to which they will attach can
include glass, metals (including painted,
varnished or powder-coated surfaces) and
plastics like polypropylene and polyethylene.
These attach using pressure sensitive
adhesives (PSAs), of which there are two
basic types: acrylic-based and synthetic
rubber. Synthetic rubber (or butyl) has
excellent initial tack, allowing almost
immediate use. Acrylate generally has less
initial tack, but generates a higher permanent
pull-off force after they have completely
bonded – usually after a number of hours,
maybe even up to a day.
For best strength the surface must be dry,free from dust, oil and other impurities. The
surface to be glued should be cleaned using
a clean cloth with isopropanol and water
(50/50). After cleaning allow the surface to
air-dry. Peel off the protective backing and
ensure the adhesive area is not touched.
Press down firmly on the base of the pad or
hook with a thumb and finger(s) for up to a
minute to ensure the best bond.
If your bundled cables/wires are heavy you
can aid the adhesive pad by adding a screw
or bolt through the centre before attachingthe cable tie and wires.
If you are still concerned about the weight
on an adhesive support you may be able to
solve it with push mount cable ties. These
have a barbed boss under the head of the tie
which can push through a hole and anchor
the tie to a surface via the barbed extension.
These aren’t really suitable to any area
exposed to dust or water but can be great for
wiring on internal surfaces.Make sure to hold adhesive mounts
tight for at least a minuteAllow bonds to set for a fair
while before loading the itemLike lollies for the handyman. Cookie’s
stash after a trip to the sweets shop