WEll going to be joining some of you all and adding an amp rack to my X_Star to the passenger compartment wall. Couldn't find anything about a glue/adhesive to use to attach the MDF/wood to the fiberglass. Any ideas would help. thinking Gorilla Glue or Liquid Nails.

Liquid nails.

Use velcro, Nautique seems to think its the best.

Actually 5200 would be your best bet.

did you say Velcro? You velcro your amp to the wall and it stays put?

I was kidding about using it for amps, CC uses velcro to attach their dash pieces.

What's this 5200 stuff?

xstarrider, <BR>I just sent you a lengthy email. Hope it helps. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by mofreestyle on January 11, 2008)

5200 is a 3M polyurethane. Using any polyurethane is a good choice. Some have gap filling capabilities that help on fiberglass. <BR>It's a permanent attachment.

Mark got it, Appreciate the info a ton. Sent you one back. <BR> <BR> <BR>Thanks for the info so far guys

duramix 4147---it will hold a bulls ass to a brick wall

lmao... that is funny !!!<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>

If you want a structural adhesive you want something like plexus ma310.

"G" uses the Heavy Duty Liquid Nails, so that is what I have used the last 2 times. Has worked great, is easily found at any hardware store, and cheap.

As a contractor I use PL Polyurethane adhesive on all my jobs. Liquid Nails has changed in the last few years and I had problems with trim, and sub floor coming undone. There is no comparison PL is 1000 times better than Liquid Nails. Most contractors I know and have talked to use and swear by PL. Trust me contractors hate callbacks so we look for the best performing products we can find. Can be found at almost all building supply, home center or lumber yard comes in a yellow and black tube.

I used fiberglass resin and brushed it over fiberglass cloth that overlayed my rack. It dries quickly, is easy to apply and is permanent. Only down side is its messy and the fumes make it tough in enclosed areas. Got it at Home Depot for around $10

I would say that the most secure way is to use the stated duramix 4147 but it is not cheap. Plan on spending aprox. $30 a tube, $40-80 for a good dispenser gun, and a 12 pack of mixing tips for $10-15. <BR> <BR>As a shop, we do not want the call with a screaming customer saying their amp rack fell off so I use the Duramix products. For those who don't want to invest in the expensive dispenser gun and tips you might want to try one of the other suggestions on this thread. It you have multiple heavy amps and experience the board falling try the 4147. <BR> <BR>If you are in the Sacramento area give me a call, maybe I can rent out the gun for a few bucks to use for the weekend.

Lets say you wanted to bond a stainless steel bracket to gelcoat, what would be the strongest adhesive?

Dpending on what your glueing There is a few diffrent glue's. <BR> <BR>For smaller stuff "Bondo Glass" works great. Its cheep and can be bought anywhere. Its a 2-part glue that sets up in a few min's. I have found it works great if your glueing a section thats pretty flat and the peice that you glueing also sits flat. <BR> <BR>Heavy construction Liqued nails works good. Its cheep and can be bought anywhere (home depot). Downside is in the winter time it takes a long time to dry. Amp racks need to be supported and should hold no weight for at least 48 hrs. A tip. if you have a small heating blanket you can tape it to the outside of the hull where you are glueing to help dry the glue. Liqued Nais works great if you ever need to remove it. Yes there is a thousand glues out there they all work real good. I hate trying to take down or relocate a amp board that has be put up with some super hard crazy glue it makes a 10 min job turn into a all day dirty dusty messy job. If I was a shop and needed somthing quick and fast and super strong I would go with somthing like what Ben's talking about. <BR>Kelly: what ever glue you try drill a few hole's in the bracket and let the glue squeeze into the holes as you press it into the surface. The smooth surface of the steel makes it hard for the glue to stick. This advice is true for any smooth surface your sticking to make sure the rack or the board your sticking to the hull is real rough the glue has a much easy'r time holding a rough surface

This may be a really stupid question, but when you are gluing the amp rack to the inside of the hull with whatever glue you use, do you remove the carpet from the area on the hull the the rack will be glued to? I am in the process of building racks and relocating my amps. It makes sense too, but if Duramix will hold a bulls ass to a brick wall, surely it will bond to carpet, eh?

Randy: There are no stupid questions. Only stupid people and you sound like one.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0> J/K <BR> <BR>Yes you must remove the carpet. Think about it. Yes the glue will stick to the carpet no problem. The 3m spray glue that hold the carpet to the hull would be the only glue holding on the amp rack and that would last about 15min's out on the lake. But Hey at least you asked! so you did the right thing. <BR> <BR>I had a friend that was a dumb as a box of rock's and he glued his amp boards directley to the carpet. He did it and then asked me if it was the correct way to do it.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>

Thanks G. I knew the answer, but had to ask to look stupid. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0>

Randy :LOL <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0> If you actually glued your amp board's to the carpet and thought it would work I would say "YES" you are one dumb Mother F'r but you had the sence to ask because your inner voice knew it might not be ok so I would say your a pretty bright guy. <BR> <BR>It was no wonder everything else in my buddy's life was a shambles. One look at the install on his boat and you knew this guy wasnt dealing with a full deck <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0> <BR>The other day im waiting at a traffic light and I look over at this guys P.O.S car. The doors open and I can see he installed a 6X9 speaker right in the center of his door. real close to the Arm rest. I then could see he had a needle nose vice grips on the window winder. I thought to my self humm thats funny. The I realized he had to have the vice grip's on the window winder because after he installed the 6X9 in the place where he did and put the door pannel back on he then realized the stock window winder hit the 6X9 and he couldnt <BR>roll up his window. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0> What a Aumb Ass!!!!! LOL <BR>I guess it was no wonder why he lived in a beat down house with a f'up car. "A SERIES OF BAD DECISIONS" gets you where you are. Pretty funny good luck with you install ask question lots of good advice here. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by grant_west on January 17, 2008)