3m Panel Bonding Adhesive HELP!

[The Rockwood Colony]

I am raising the roof on my bus as some of you know about 21 inches. I am extending the hat channels by lapping identical hat channels and then I'm using 18g 4x8 galvaneered steel to wrap the entire bus all of the way around all the way up to directly behind the driver seat. We are essentially doing a similar look to the "Transcendence" bus that Wess did. (GREAT DESIGN!)

We arent welding any of the hat channels or panels into place. Instead we are using 3m Panel Bonding Adhesive 08116 with rivets. The only thing we are welding are extensions to the ceiling channels that run linearly to the back of the bus that will extend the supports by the door and we are welding supports for the roofs transition angle which we are using square tubing for.

This is the help I need... HOW MUCH OF THIS ADHESIVE WILL I NEED TO BUY TO COVER ALL OF THIS???? It's kind of a big deal because the cheapest I can find it per tube is $40 so I don't want to get too much.. If you've ever used anything like this before and know how far each tube set goes, please feel free to give me some advice! Thanks so much!!!!!

PS. I had a similar thread up but my computer or my phone wont let me access it for some reason and I'm running out of time and nice weather so I just thought I'd post another. Sorry and thanks again!

 

[tobeamiss]

Just a quick question or two...why aren't you welding them? And why would you go through the trouble and expense otherwise? Is it for esthetics?

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[lucasd-SKO]

I've seen at least one person who did a lovely welded roof raise say, in retrospect, that the next one would just be bolted together, so that's an option, too. Bolting them might avoid welding, if the issue is something to do with the metal type of the struts or something similar. Without knowing why you are trying to avoid welding, it's hard to be too specific with recommendations.

 

[The Rockwood Colony]

Just a quick question or two...why aren't you welding them? And why would you go through the trouble and expense otherwise? Is it for esthetics?

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Hey! Here are a few reasons for not welding the hat channels and sheet metal:

1. I spoke with an auto body and welding teacher of 20 years and he recommended that I didn't weld anything to do with the hat channels or the sheet metal. He recommended that I use a specific adhesive instead because they use that specific adhesive to piece together most of the pieces of vehicles nowadays because they tested it side by side in crash test against welds and the welds broke but the adhesive held. That's where I got on this idea of using adhesive in the first place. I was just taking his word on it. He swore up and down for the specific application he would use these "brilliant" adhesives. Since then I spoke with 3m and they agreed that it would work great for the sheet metal bonding to the hat channel but they recommended this fairly new structural adhesive for lapping the hat channel. (3m 07333). They said it is designed to withstand significant impacts and is much stronger for the structural integrity of a bus. So we would use both adhesives now with this new info (08116 and 07333)

2. Zero welding experience.

3. No welder.

What do you guys think? 3m did say these adhesives would work great on their own but you can also spot weld the applied areas well curing for extra strength. They did say also that using rivets to clamp everything together while the adhesives cure would be very close to just as strong.

If I were to buy a welder for all of the General bus welds needed, what type of welder would you recommend? What size/type wire of a wire welder? Totally clueless on welding but could learn.

Thank you!

 

[tobeamiss]

Thanks for the reply.

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[Rusty-SKO]

They did say also that using rivets to clamp everything together while the adhesives cure would be very close to just as strong.

If I were to buy a welder for all of the General bus welds needed, what type of welder would you recommend? What size/type wire of a wire welder? Totally clueless on welding but could learn.

Thank you!

Interesting research. Those glues really are amazing ; just try to get it off your hands :/ Those tubes are quite pricey, however, and the seams on a bus are many and long.

Hiring a Welder to do your job wouldn't take long if you had everything prepped. Might be cheaper than the tubes of goo.

Angie's list or CL might have someone.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'm no pro, but my little Hobart 140 does a nice job and I'm confident enough to use it.
We used it to do our roof raise. I just fixed my catalytic converter on my van with it, too.

 

[DiddBiddy]

Hey! Here are a few reasons for not welding the hat channels and sheet metal:

1. I spoke with an auto body and welding teacher of 20 years and he recommended that I didn't weld anything to do with the hat channels or the sheet metal. He recommended that I use a specific adhesive instead because they use that specific adhesive to piece together most of the pieces of vehicles nowadays because they tested it side by side in crash test against welds and the welds broke but the adhesive held. That's where I got on this idea of using adhesive in the first place. I was just taking his word on it. He swore up and down for the specific application he would use these "brilliant" adhesives. Since then I spoke with 3m and they agreed that it would work great for the sheet metal bonding to the hat channel but they recommended this fairly new structural adhesive for lapping the hat channel. (3m 07333). They said it is designed to withstand significant impacts and is much stronger for the structural integrity of a bus. So we would use both adhesives now with this new info (08116 and 07333)

Hey there Rockwood... I'm planning on taking the same approach in joining hat channels and am curious how it went?