Best way to attach a Name Plate to my trailer?

[catinmoon]

HI,
I'm trusting that the photo of my teardrop will come up along with my message, so you can see what it looks like. It is made of aluminum (not by me) and I want to have a name plate made so I can name the trailer after my dear departed dog "Izzie". It will either say "Izzie" or "The Izzie".

What is the best way to get something to permanently attach? Rivets? I don't think any glue will stand up to the brutal sun in So Cal. Also, since I did not make the trailer, if we used rivets from the outside, would they pop through on the inside? Of course there are many variables, but I guess the question is how much space is between the outside and inside, on average? The inside is made of some wood paneling.

The maker has had some health issues so I don't want to bother him unnecessarily, thinking maybe you folks have some ideas

thanks
Stephanie

PS can someone point me to the instructions for posting photos? I know I did it some time ago, but don't remember how.

[halfdome, Danny]

You could have http://www.rallyeproductions.com/Dashplaques.html make you a dash plaque with your photo and use 3M VHB tape to attach it to the exterior of the teardrop.
Would more than likely be about $20 with shipping for the custom plaque.
Nice people to deal with.
Danny

[Shadow Catcher]

+2 on VHB tape

[catinmoon]

Never heard of the VHB tape -- sounds like folks think it would stand up to the weather and sun.

Stephanie

[TimC]

Hi Stephanie... some things to check to figure out the thickness of your walls/roof. Depending on where the sign is to be mounted you can look at any window frame or roof vent in that area to estimate wall thickness. If you are mounting on the rear and there is a hatch that is skinned inside as well as out do you have a trailer light that you can disassemble partly to determine thickness? Or, can you remove a hatch lift handle and estimate from bolt lengths? If the hatch is not skinned inside it should be simple to determine.

Photos... this is how I do it, probably not the best, just a way to add photos. First I reduce the size, you may or may not have to do this. Mine end up about 600x800 pixels I think.
- Highlight the photo in Windows Explorer and RIGHT click then select EDIT (opens the photo in PAINT)
-Select RESIZE and make the photo 20 Horizontal and 20 Vertical (%)
-SAVE AS same file name but with "small" added to file name.

Then I add the photo to my gallery;
-Open T&TTT, sign in and go to GALLERY (right side of screen next to FAQ, MEMBERS and LOGOUT
-Scroll down the page and look for your USER PERSONAL ALBUMS, click on it
-Select NEW IMAGE
-Upload the file from your folder (using the small version)

Then to add to a post I open two T&TTT windows to make moving back and forth easier;
-To add to a post open a second window of T&TTT, go to your album, select the file and then scroll down to the file path name (IMAGE-URL as T&TTT calls it). Click on the Image-URL which highlights it and COPY that (right click, COPY)

Now, back to the other T&TTT window to add to a post;
-Go back to your post on the other T&TTT window and put your cursor (one click) where you want the photo in the post. Click on "Img" just above your text box in the post (between [*] and URL). That puts a marker in your post where the photo is to be placed.
-Place your cursor right in the middle of the two "Img" markers in your post and PASTE your copied photo there. A URL of your photo should be right between the two Img markers. The photo will show after you submit and view the post.

Hope that helps. There's probably better ways, that's just how I do it.

Tim

[catinmoon]

Thanks, Tim C! I will follow up and now have an idea about where to look. for some reason in my mind I was thinking about a metal plate with a name, but it could be another material. I like the old logo metal plates you see on some of the canned ham trailers. Maybe I can post a photo of the one down the street from me.

Stephanie

[DrewsBrews]

3M VHB type double sided tape is used to hold emblems on cars and even some body parts such as fender flares. I used it as the sole attachment of the wing/wind deflector on my car instead of drilling holes for the bolts. There are many different versions from 3M with different specs to adhere to different materials. It is a tough foam that will stretch and bend without giving up it's hold. Some of the UHB stuff (Ultra High Bond) is used to hold windows on skyscrapers. Though the stuff you find at the hardware store or autoparts store will work fine. The tape itself is usually gray but the peel off adhesive protector strip is often bright red. Application requires a clean, warm surface and pressure once applied. If you do that the only way to get it back off is to "cut" it with fishing line in a sawing motion down the back of the part and doing the laborious task of removing what is left of the tape.

[TimC]

Stephanie, the tape methods sound like a very viable solution, but, if you should decide to bolt or rivet on the sign drill very carefully so as not to stab any wiring hidden in your walls. Hollow wall anchors might be another option you can get at the hardware store. Rivets are the easiest of the mechanical methods in my experience. YOu just need to match the wall skin thickness with the proper rivet length. You can remove almost anything riveted by drilling out the center of the rivets with a small drill bit to release them from the mushroomed inside of the rivet.

[S. Heisley]

Please remember that whenever you drill or rivet, you may open your trailer to moisture intrusion...not a good thing.
3M's VHB tape works extremely well. I used it to attach some hinges to metal weather strips and these have been going strong for years now.
I first tried it on a spare hinge and some scrap metal and then tried to pull the pieces apart. That actually bent the metal and tore the hinge.
(I was glad they were scrap and not the real thing!) So, be very careful when putting the tape in place. I didn't know about the fish line trick for removal. That's good to know!

[halfdome, Danny]

The stainless steel fender molding to the rear of the doors in my signature photos are held on with VHB tape.
The outside leg of the aluminum "T" molding, on the doors, is also held onto the face of the aluminum skin with VHB tape.
Great stuff.
I'm finding more things to use it on.
Danny

[catinmoon]

What's the saying -- if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. My boyfriend has a rivet tool so now everything looks like it needs to be riveted. The teardrop is very tight so probably not a good idea to introduce any holes in the side. Now that I know about the tape, my boyfriend will probably want to use that on everything! Next step is to get the name plate made. Thanks for the tips.

Stephanie

[Phooey]

I am not really big on attaching things to the outside of our trailer with screws or rivets. The tape thing sounds pretty good or you could try designing and having a decal made for you trailer. I have done a couple. They last extremely well and you can really honor Izzie in a personal way.

http://www.decaljunky.com/

[catinmoon]

phooey, does the decal seem to last? how does it attach to the trailer? My boyfriend has a magnetic one for his businesss but has to replace it every 2 years or so. the ones on the website you provided look very thin, maybe that keeps them more well attached?

thanks for the idea.
Stephanie

[Jack Olsen]

A decal will last a long time, absent anything abrading against it.

But if you want to adhere a plate with the name on it, just stop in your local Autozone and get a roll of 3M Molding Tape. It's designed for exactly this kind of application.

[Phooey]

Catinmoon, The first one that I put on our trailer was just after we got it in 2005 and looks pretty much the same now as then. The larger one that I had made from a 1960's poster that is on the very front to the trailer I did about two years after we got the trailer and that one is a little sunburned from the positioning on the front curve but it still has lasted pretty well. They are applied pretty much like any decal where you position it where you want it to go and remove a protective side and apply it to the surface being careful to go slowly to avoid air bubbles. I use a credit card and go very slowly. If I do get an air bubble that refuses to smooth out I use a very fine sewing needle to puncture it and then seal it down.