Something Sticky But Removable...?

[Ray Von]

We've probably all fallen foul of the demon, double sided foam backed tape.  It all seems like a good idea at the time, but woe betide those who think that what they did can ever be undone....

 

So, is there any alternative out there?  Specifically I'm looking to fix a (rather weighty) Fleischman controller/transformer to a metal angle bracket on my layout control panel - without drilling into the controller base.

 

I thought about using those things people use for hanging pictures without nails, but I've no firsthand experience of them...

[ITG]

I’ve used those picture hanging things, branded Command. But only for pictures, mirrors etc, some quite heavy. The claimed weight  bearing capacity is promoted as being quite high, but I’ve never hit close to the ceiling. Try Googling Command ahdhesive strips to view the differing sizes , for example...

Large Picture Hanging Strips hold up to 7.2kg in weight

 

But they attached surfaces need to be flat and smooth for best results. Is the controller base such, or it recessed with a frame etc?

[Ray Von]

5 minutes ago, ITG said:

I’ve used those picture hanging things, branded Command. But only for pictures, mirrors etc, some quite heavy. The claimed weight  bearing capacity is promoted as being quite high, but I’ve never hit close to the ceiling. Try Googling Command ahdhesive strips to view the differing sizes , for example...

Large Picture Hanging Strips hold up to 7.2kg in weight

 

But they attached surfaces need to be flat and smooth for best results. Is the controller base such, or it recessed with a frame etc?

The controller base is fairly irregular:

 

 

German design and attention to detail, all the tec specs are moulded in.

[ITG]

The Command strips I’ve used are a set length, with a tag used to remove if required. I suspect you would severely diminish their effectiveness if cut in size, which may be necessary to match the flat areas on the base, avoiding the recessed lettered areas. It also looks like there are rectangular ‘feet’, which again could be a problem. 
What are the two holes top right? Couldn’t you use those? Or would that make it wrong way up?

[Ray Von]

 

They are for fixing the controller to a flat surface - my counter is too narrow hence the need to fix it to a bracket.

[smokebox]

Make a shallow box just big enough for the controller to drop into and then fix the box down.

[Ray Von]

8 minutes ago, smokebox said:

Make a shallow box just big enough for the controller to drop into and then fix the box down.

This did occur to me, I thought about a small placemat, chopping board or rectangular coaster(!) Needless to say I had trouble sourcing them in white... 

Edited March 1, 2021 by Ray Von

[cypherman]

Hi all,

Clear bathroom silicone sealant works very well. And peels off fairly easily when you want to move stuff.

Edited March 1, 2021 by cypherman

[Ray Von]

10 minutes ago, cypherman said:

Hi all,

Clear bathroom silicone sealant works very well. And peels off fairly easily when you want to move stuff.

I like it, thank you!  I see they sell it in a well known land where things are a pound....

[Sir TophamHatt]

command strips are quite good.

They're essentially velcro with a sticky back, but strong plastic velcro, none of that fluffy stuff you get on clothes.

 

You could use it but I'd double up.  Attach them to the base but instead of sticking it to the desk (or wherever), attach them to another set of the strips.  Then attach THOSE ones to the desk as that will give you a little height so only the command strips are touching the desk.

 

You could also try some sort of rubber mat.  While this won't be attached, it may provide enough friction so it won't wobble around.

 

Failing those, some sort of box, or rather bracket to keep it in place.

[teaky]

I have a roll of Velcro tape that I have used to attach various items over the years, some of them reasonably weighty.  You just cut as much as you need each time so you could cover the back of the transformer completely.  Toolstation have a good selection of lengths and widths in white and black.

 

Whatever you use, if you are also able to take some of the weight away it can't do any harm.  For example, a bolt or screw on which the transformer rests.

[Ray Von]

2 hours ago, teaky said:

I have a roll of Velcro tape that I have used to attach various items over the years, some of them reasonably weighty.  You just cut as much as you need each time so you could cover the back of the transformer completely.  Toolstation have a good selection of lengths and widths in white and black.

 

Whatever you use, if you are also able to take some of the weight away it can't do any harm.  For example, a bolt or screw on which the transformer rests.

Cheers, I like the idea - my concerns are that in the future removing the sticky element of the tape might pose a problem.  Also, putting a bolt or bolts into the base of the controller would be a perfect solution - but I'd worry about doing some internal damage, drilling "blind" into it...? 

[teaky]

3 hours ago, Ray Von said:

Cheers, I like the idea - my concerns are that in the future removing the sticky element of the tape might pose a problem.  Also, putting a bolt or bolts into the base of the controller would be a perfect solution - but I'd worry about doing some internal damage, drilling "blind" into it...? 

I have not had any trouble removing the tape from a uPVC doorframe.  It is certainly easier than the residue left by padded tape.  I peeled it off by hand then used some Astonish to clean up.  I have also used it to secure a table top to some drawer units.  When dismantling I used a chisel to gently remove the tape before cleaning up any adhesive residue with methylated spirit.

 

I was suggesting the bolts go on the outside and not attached to the transformer.  Purely to take some of the weight, leaving the Velcro (or other method) to prevent movement.  This assumes the transformer is mounted vertically.  If it is horizontal (i.e. on its back) then only the Velcro would be required.  You could always see how you go with just Velcro first.

 

Another idea might be a couple of cable ties.  Less tidy but effective.

[teaky]

An alternative to bolts would be an angle bracket(s).  This would take the weight with ease.  Velcro on the front and bottom faces of the bracket plus the back and base of the transformer would prevent movement.

 

If the bracket was slightly smaller than the transformer it would be an almost invisible support.  (A floating transformer? )

[Ray Von]

54 minutes ago, teaky said:

An alternative to bolts would be an angle bracket(s).  This would take the weight with ease.  Velcro on the front and bottom faces of the bracket plus the back and base of the transformer would prevent movement.

 

If the bracket was slightly smaller than the transformer it would be an almost invisible support.  (A floating transformer? )

Here's a rough sketch of the component parts:

 

 

I will have to "encourage" some L Brackets to the required angle, they will be the second surface in the equation, attached somehow to the underside of the controller, if done correctly they could give a floating effect...!

[teaky]

Ah, now I have a much better idea of what you are up to.  Some Velcro tape on the front bracket faces should do the trick.

 

How long are the brackets?  The more of the transformer back plate the brackets come into contact with, the stronger the fixing will be.

[Ray Von]

11 minutes ago, teaky said:

Ah, now I have a much better idea of what you are up to.  Some Velcro tape on the front bracket faces should do the trick.

 

How long are the brackets?  The more of the transformer back plate the brackets come into contact with, the stronger the fixing will be.

Thanks.  They are 65mm, that's about the limit of the available front section on the layout.  They haven't arrived yet, I'm guessing that the width is around 20mm - so that's quite a bit of surface area, I'm just hopeful I can bend them to a shallower angle successfully...

[Ray Von]

On 02/03/2021 at 20:38, Sir TophamHatt said:

command strips are quite good.

They're essentially velcro with a sticky back, but strong plastic velcro, none of that fluffy stuff you get on clothes.

 

You could use it but I'd double up.  Attach them to the base but instead of sticking it to the desk (or wherever), attach them to another set of the strips.  Then attach THOSE ones to the desk as that will give you a little height so only the command strips are touching the desk.

 

You could also try some sort of rubber mat.  While this won't be attached, it may provide enough friction so it won't wobble around.

 

Failing those, some sort of box, or rather bracket to keep it in place.

*Update: fitted the (alternative) brackets today, they are modified from an "over-the-door-hanger" kit.  I used Command brand picture hanging strips as recommended.

[boxbrownie]

You’ve done it now, but when I was working we always used to use 50mm black Velcro tape to hold all sorts of electrical test instrument on instrument panels/internal trim panels etc, it used to stand up to some pretty serious/vigorous movement and stand being torn apart and reattached without issue.

 

But looking at your final solution it’s doing the same job and you really didn’t need to buy a 25 meter roll just for four inches of “stick” 

[Ray Von]

9 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

You’ve done it now, but when I was working we always used to use 50mm black Velcro tape to hold all sorts of electrical test instrument on instrument panels/internal trim panels etc, it used to stand up to some pretty serious/vigorous movement and stand being torn apart and reattached without issue.

 

But looking at your final solution it’s doing the same job and you really didn’t need to buy a 25 meter roll just for four inches of “stick” 

Thanks.  The selling point of the Command strips is their ease of removal, so if they don't hold up, I can always explore other options.  (If they do come unstuck, I'm reasonably certain that it'll be around about 03:30am...)