Pimp my utility cart?

[Danglerb]

I bought the "nice" Harbor Freight polypropylene two tier utility cart, and it seems pretty good, but ....

Stiffening up the top tray couldn't hurt.

I'd like to put a frame below the top tray that I can slide a Home Depot concrete mixing tray into, like a GIANT drawer.

**********************
The bottom of the tray has a criss cross "web" about 1.5" deep, and I am not real sure how to best attach to it. Its pretty strong, 200 or so lb short block resulted in a slight bowing in of the top of the long sides of the upper tray.

One or both of the long sides of the upper tray will get a magnetic tool holder strip, which may make it stronger, or just tear loose at the attaching points.

Does Gorilla glue stick to polypropylene? I'm thinking metal glued and screwed with lots of flat contact in the webbing will be the strongest.

Tray shown below is a standard 15x20 inch restaurant bus tray, which I am giving some thought to using. The concrete mixing trays from Home Depot are 20x28 with just over an inch of lip.

 

[jay50]

Paint it Pink and get yourselve some pink handled SO screwdrivers...LOL

 

[Danglerb]

I did think about a cooler and umbrella, maybe do that for a detail cart.

 

[nsteinhard]

Danglerb,

Your posting happened to catch my eye. I actually am from The Gorilla Glue Company located in Cincinnati, OH.

Polypropylene is a challenge for most adhesives. Although to increase your chance of success make sure you are gluing at room temperature. It might also help to roughen the surface before gluing and clamping.

Let me know how your project goes!

ns

 

[Danglerb]

Found some info on gluing polypropylene, many suggestions of using a propane torch to prep the surface followed by small amounts of super glue. Here is a longer bit from 3m.

Some info about gluing from 3M:

ADHESIVE SOLUTIONS FOR HARD-TO-BOND PLASTICS
Bonding low surface energy (LSE) plastics such as polypropylene or other thermoplastic olefins with conventional tapes and adhesives typically requires the surfaces to be primed, flame treated or corona treated. These processes convert the low surface energy of these materials to a higher surface energy better suited for most bonding.

As design engineers and production engineers increasingly shift to LSE plastics, they need better and more efficient ways of attaching LSE plastics to themselves, to metals or to other materials. New adhesives and tapes can bond low surface energy plastics without pretreatment, ultimately reducing costs and improving manufacturing efficiencies.

According to Barry Kostyk, Ph.D., 3M Bonding Systems Division key account manager, the most recent advance in adhesive technology allows structural bonding (in excess of 1000 psi in overlap shear) of LSE plastics without priming or other pretreatment step. 3MT Scotch-WeldT Structural Plastic Adhesive DP-8005 uses a unique two-part solvent-free acrylic adhesive technology that does not require pretreating. "The structural bond that results is often greater than the strength of the substrates joined," Kostyk said. And because Scotch-Weld Adhesive DP-8005 cures at room temperature, it saves cost, time, oven-curing space, UV lamps and heaters. It also resists many chemicals, water, humidity and corrosion.

Why are low surface energy plastics difficult to bond? Surface energy defines the ability of adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesive tapes to "wet out" plastic surfaces and allow adhesion. Kostyk explained that surface wet out refers to how well a liquid or viscoelastic solid flows and intimately covers a surface. "Maximum adhesion develops when the adhesive or viscoelastic pressure sensitive adhesive tape thoroughly wets out the surface to be bonded," Kostyk said. "The greater the wet out, the better the surface contact and the greater the attractive force between the adhesive and the plastic surface." Surfaces with low surface energy are more difficult to bond because conventional adhesives and tapes cannot wet them out resulting in minimal contact with the plastic surface and unsatisfactory bonds. Plastics with high surface energy like ABS and polycarbonate are easier to bond because they are easier to wet with conventional adhesives and tapes than are low surface energy plastics.

For more information, contact, 3M, 800-362-3550 ext. 5160,
Web: http://www.3m.com/bonding.

Here is a pict, about $20 for 35ml and not for consumer use. That means I must have it.

 

[Gummi Bear]

We used the Rubbermaid equivalent to those when I was in the field to move material around hospitals and such. (I'm an electrician)

I had a small vice that clamped to the handle, a magnet strip like you show for small tools, hooks on the far end to hang my 6' ladder from (and still be able to roll it through a doorway), I drilled a hole in the two legs, and could stick a piece of 1/2" conduit in there to hold 3 rolls of #12 wire, and a coffeecup holder.

4-11/16" boxes worked as great parts organizers, and on mine, 4 across would fit perfectly.

I bolted, clamped, or screwed everything to my cart; never tried any glues, so I've no suggestions there.

 

[mastiff]

what about DP-420? we use that a work and it bonds like crazy

 

[e-tek]

I hooked lights up to mine too. Nice to have extra light when you pull it up to your job!

 

[Danglerb]

Cart got piled with stuff, so the shelf project got shelved for a bit. I still want to do it, but have to work my way down first.

 

[Merkava_4]

When I saw the image of the restaurant bus tray in the opening post, I somehow got a vision in my mind of a cart with channels for the bus trays to slide into. Then I had to go on a Google search to find the cart in my memory:

http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/product_info.php?products_id=702033

 

[wrenchr]

Found some info on gluing polypropylene, many suggestions of using a propane torch to prep the surface followed by small amounts of super glue. Here is a longer bit from 3m.

Some info about gluing from 3M:

ADHESIVE SOLUTIONS FOR HARD-TO-BOND PLASTICS
Bonding low surface energy (LSE) plastics such as polypropylene or other thermoplastic olefins with conventional tapes and adhesives typically requires the surfaces to be primed, flame treated or corona treated. These processes convert the low surface energy of these materials to a higher surface energy better suited for most bonding.

As design engineers and production engineers increasingly shift to LSE plastics, they need better and more efficient ways of attaching LSE plastics to themselves, to metals or to other materials. New adhesives and tapes can bond low surface energy plastics without pretreatment, ultimately reducing costs and improving manufacturing efficiencies.

According to Barry Kostyk, Ph.D., 3M Bonding Systems Division key account manager, the most recent advance in adhesive technology allows structural bonding (in excess of 1000 psi in overlap shear) of LSE plastics without priming or other pretreatment step. 3MT Scotch-WeldT Structural Plastic Adhesive DP-8005 uses a unique two-part solvent-free acrylic adhesive technology that does not require pretreating. "The structural bond that results is often greater than the strength of the substrates joined," Kostyk said. And because Scotch-Weld Adhesive DP-8005 cures at room temperature, it saves cost, time, oven-curing space, UV lamps and heaters. It also resists many chemicals, water, humidity and corrosion.

Why are low surface energy plastics difficult to bond? Surface energy defines the ability of adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesive tapes to "wet out" plastic surfaces and allow adhesion. Kostyk explained that surface wet out refers to how well a liquid or viscoelastic solid flows and intimately covers a surface. "Maximum adhesion develops when the adhesive or viscoelastic pressure sensitive adhesive tape thoroughly wets out the surface to be bonded," Kostyk said. "The greater the wet out, the better the surface contact and the greater the attractive force between the adhesive and the plastic surface." Surfaces with low surface energy are more difficult to bond because conventional adhesives and tapes cannot wet them out resulting in minimal contact with the plastic surface and unsatisfactory bonds. Plastics with high surface energy like ABS and polycarbonate are easier to bond because they are easier to wet with conventional adhesives and tapes than are low surface energy plastics.

For more information, contact, 3M, 800-362-3550 ext. 5160,
Web: http://www.3m.com/bonding.

Here is a pict, about $20 for 35ml and not for consumer use. That means I must have it.

Corona treated??? How about Coors light treated?