Adhesive for terminal board?

[bummler]

Hi AK! I’ve been lurking for a while, getting a lot of helpful information as I’m starting to get into higher quality (I hope) audio gear. So first off, thanks to all of you who share your knowledge here!

My first project is getting a pair of EPI 105s running again. As part of that, I removed the terminal plate (not sure if that’s the proper name) to rebuild the crossover with a new cap, larger gauge wires, and 5-way binding posts instead of spring clips.

Now I’m wondering how to glue to terminal board back into the cabinet. I tried Gotilla glue, but after letting it cure I used a flashlight to check for possible air leaks, and a lot of light was coming through. Does anybody have a suggestion for what to use?

One difficulty I can’t really put weights on the board because the crossover parts take up a lot of space, so I’d need something that sets up relatively quickly, even if the cure time is longer.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[drabina]

Is there a way to replace the board with proper plastic speaker binding posts and plate? That's what I did to my 100s. All I had to do was to drill four pilot holes for the screws and seal the plate with a rubber gasket (which is usually included with the plates).

Look here: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/epi-100-mods.212978/#post-2525389

 

[bummler]

Thanks for that suggestion, drabina. I wish I had seen that thread earlier! I've already soldered my wires and glued my capacitor to the existing terminal board, so I'd prefer not to undo all of that at this point. In the future, though, I'm going to keep the product you used in mind.

 

[redk9258]

How about a hot glue gun?

 

[bummler]

redk9258, I thought about that, as it looked like maybe that’s what was originally used. But I was worried about it holding up over time. I used hot glue on the crossover, but do you think it would retain an airtight seal over time for the terminal board? I just don’t have much experience with hot glue beyond my wife’s crafting!

 

[drabina]

A permanent solution that will hold would be a liquid nails. You can always pull the woofer and seal the inside around the terminals with a silicone to be air tight.

 

[redk9258]

redk9258, I thought about that, as it looked like maybe that’s what was originally used. But I was worried about it holding up over time. I used hot glue on the crossover, but do you think it would retain an airtight seal over time for the terminal board? I just don’t have much experience with hot glue beyond my wife’s crafting!

It's hard to give a guarantee, but I would try it. You said yourself the factory used it. If it doesn't work, it is usually pretty easy to remove.

 

[BinaryMike]

I've used 3M/Scotch brand 414DC-SF "extremely strong" double-sided mounting tape from Home Depot for jobs like this. The adhesive is very aggressive and the tape is spongy enough to make a good seal even when the bonding surfaces aren't perfectly parallel.

 

[ghazzer]

That tape is good stuff! Hard to get it all off, so be picky about where you use it.

 

[Scott75s1974]

Clear silicone caulk would work it both seals and provides adhesion.

 

[bummler]

Thanks, everybody, for all of the great suggestions! I decided to try the clear silicone caulk, since I was worried about my ability to line up the tape in a way that would make it airtight.

The caulk went on fine. We’ll see how the hold is once it cures. I’m excited to hear how these 105s sound!