Screws into ABS plastic, Nutserts? Fuse/relay panel racecar

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Please dont tell me to buy a ready built panel.  I have these parts, they are paid for.  


For my 1948 Simca drag car project

ABS plastic is about 1/8 inch thick.  Nutsert type fasteners work on this?  Or use regular screws.

trying to avoid nuts on the back side of this panel.  If I need to swap a relay out, I want to thread screw out, place new relay in, screw it down.  Keep it simple I hope.

Or:  perhaps use a chunk of aluminum instead of plastic?  I'd have to pruchase the aluminum

[416Ford]

1/8" in plastic seam thin but I work with steel...
1/8" Alum you could tap it and if you strip it out you can go up one size.

I would recommend the rubber set nuts. (That is what I am calling them today).

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Tony, I use a ton of steel nut-serts in all sorts of materials: steel, aluminum, fiberglass and composite materials (ABS among them) On occasion one will go adrift but generally speaking they are excellent for low stress applications.

They work best in steel and aluminum but in fiberglass and other such materials I will often use a dab of the appropriate bonding agent as insurance. On a high vibration deal in steel I might spot weld the washer face of the inserts in a couple spots to the parent material and grind the weld down.

I would use 10-32 inserts and s/s machine screws in your application. I use a lot of allen button and flat heads and some phillips heads. I usually buy in 100 bag lots from Fastenal. I like to * little dab of anti-sieze on the threads.

Charlie

[Bruce Dorsi]

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trying to avoid nuts on the back side of this panel.  If I need to swap a relay out, I want to thread screw out, place new relay in, screw it down.  Keep it simple I hope.

Here's the way I did things on some electric panels where components have to be changed frequently, and easily.

(1) Drill & tap threads in the plastic for #6, #8, or #10 threads as needed.

(2) Insert screws of adequate length from the back of the panel.  ....A drop of loctite or superglue, or a dab of silicone, will keep the screw from unthreading.

(3) Components are slipped over the protruding studs and secured with a nut.  ....Lockwashers or double nuts are used if lots of vibration is present.

I like to use s/s nuts on brass screws, or brass nuts on s/s screws.  ....No corrosion, and I've never had a problem with dissimilar metals.

R&R'ing nuts is easier than trying to re-thread a small screw into a hole, and there is no chance of stripping out the hole.

Having the screw longer than the minimum needed, makes the nuts easier to start, with less chance of dropping them.

If the components do not need to be in contact with the panel board, I've used nuts under the components, as well as on top.

[crdnblu]

On a test piece of your plastic material, I would suggest trying Nutserts backed by appropriately sized thin backing washers.  This will allow you to check to see if you have a repeatable secure fastened connection, or if the Nutsert will spin.
I've had good success with both Nutserts, & rivets, using this technique.

[BFS57]

Hello;
I have made bunches of these kinds of things! I use the plastic! I just drill and tap the hole for either 6/32 or 4/40 threads and then mount what ever needs to be mounted. Have not had one fail yet! I even use this to mount toggle switches behind the panel
I also used this for installing the stainless trim on my 57 where I was shy of proper clips. Especially the ends of the doors  Worked great!
Forgot to mention that Gorilla Super Glue works wonders too!
Bruce

[enjenjo]

You can get nutzerts with external ribs that work very well in plastic. I get them from Mcmaster Carr.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

good suggestions.

I looked, I have some 10-32 screws and nuts with captured star washers on them.  Whyy I have them is a mystery , but I got them.  Will mess with panel tomorrow.  See what happens.

I could double nut the screws for the relays.  Screw should stay put.

I may never have to change a relay or other parts.  I figure to try and build the panel for ease of use if something goes bad

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Here are the type of nutserts I use

http://avkfasteners.com/products.AK.php

They make a prototype kit and for years I bought the inserts where my wife worked. I now buy them from JayCee sales on Amazon.

[wayne petty]

there are also flanged TEE NUTS that can be pressed in from the back side.. even set in a shallow counter bore.. or.. installed with a big tight fitting flat washer and pressed into the abs sheet on the back side ..or the plastic sheet flipped face down on the hydraulic press and them pushed in slightly to make them smooth..  i am not talking the spiked versions for plywood.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hillman-Group-10-32-tpi-x-9-32-in-x-3-4-in-Stainless-Steel-Round-Base-Brad-Hole-Tee-Nut-12-Pack-4142/204785964?N=5yc1vZc2a4

you can also but its more.. use a second layer of ABS to keep the tee nuts retained and make the assembly stiffer

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Finished the panel.. 10-32 screws thru the plastic.

Now to mount on the Simca

6 fused circuits.  4 with relays