John S's Journal

Started last night but got frustrated with the DAP Wellwood contact cement. The brush applicator kept falling apart and I wasn’t thrilled with the bond either. Started along the top around the stud locations and learned a thing or two. Definitely need to work in small sections both for ease of shaping the vinyl over the edge and also a paper punch is a good thing to use around the stud areas. I couldn’t find ours initially but it was much better when my wife came home and found it in her sewing kit and not in the desk where it used to reside. Helps to punch a hole in the area on the back where the stud locations are and then cut the slit from there that allows you to wrap the tag ends around behind the studs.

Decided to go in search of some 3M adhesive and found some black Super Weather Strip and Gasket adhesive in a tube. Bought some small acid brushes to spread the cement. Game changer. Dries quickly and bonds great. Working around the bottom edge in the center to start. Again, in small sections and then using the washers and new 1/8” short aluminum rivets to hold down the vinyl tabs. Ends are a little tricky but manageable. Saving the steering column area for last. Also, the fascia glue up with the plywood jig worked well as far as aligning the pad but the Gorilla Glue wasn’t as strong as I was hoping. Directions said spray one surface for workability or both surfaces for a quicker bond. I just sprayed the metal fascia thinking the jig glue up would secure it until dry and that it would be messy spraying the back of the pad and then lining up the bolts. Next time I’d spray both surfaces with emphasis around the gauge holes. I’ll need to use some of the 3M adhesive to bond around the edges but that should be ok. I’ll do that last and then clamp it to the jig again overnight.