Author Topic: Attach a piezo to a metal plate?  (Read 4920 times)

Offline Dobly

Attach a piezo to a metal plate?
« on: October 29, 2017, 05:41:18 AM »
In the past I have attached the piezo to metal plates with thin double sided tape.

This worked well but it always bugged me that there was a layer of tape between the piezo and the metal.

Today I tried hot glue.

In the past I have always had problems even using hot glue. Was always like it would cool down too much before I got to push on the bit to be glued.

So today I cut of a small peice the hot glue, set it on the metal and applied a hair drier to it to melt it to liquid. The plate got so hot I could not touch it, the glue melted to liquid, but when I applied the piezo, it cooled do such that pushing down on the pizeo, i broke it.



So I tried again. My last piezo. I broke that one too. Ideally I wanted the piezo to push the glue out on all sides. But once again the glue cooled too quickly and was a solid lump in the middle of the piezo. Press down on it broke it.

Can anyone offer some advice on this? Maybe glue under the piezo is the wrong approach. Perhaps I should just put the piezo on the metal and put glue all around it to hold it down. Sound like a plan? Or is there a better way to attach them?


Offline Mr.J.

Re: Attach a piezo to a metal plate?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2017, 11:25:07 AM »
Is this too simple of an idea?

Cover it with really strong duct tape? Being careful when applying so the piezo is always tight against the metal. There's some really stupid strong duct tape out there that I know will not let you down if done with the results you are looking for.

Re: Attach a piezo to a metal plate?
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2017, 06:56:01 PM »
Dude, I've been making my own set and I used goEdrum piezos. I don't know how the hell you broke yours lol but don't cheap out on them. I dropped, bounced, knicked and did about anything on accident to the piezos from them and they STILL worked fine.

Go to the hardware store and get loctite or equivalent clear epoxy. I got the 15min stuff I think but mix a small amount and apply it to the back of the piezo. Stick it where you want it and put masking tape (or whatever) over it to secure it until it dries. I even glued my chokeswitch the same way. It will be there forever, gurantee you and there's not any problem I notice (so far) about having the piezo right against the metal disc. I did put some thin sticky rubber stuff between two bell piezos and don't think I needed to.

If you wanted to you could probably just get tape like Mr J is saying. It will work. Before I knew better I glued some on with superglue that failed and I used some other stuff for automotive weatherstripping that came off also.

I if had a pic I'd show you. I used what would be the equivalent of that flex-seal tape (or thick rubber tape I think gorilla glue makes some). I stuck it over the epoxy'd-on piezos just in case. It works. Trust me I beat the piss out of drums and I wired two piezos in series for my kick drum that have not come off yet. One did because I didn't mix the epoxy well enough but even with some tape over it you ca't even kick them off LOL.

Try it and see. If it don't work let me know maybe there's something wrong like adhesion to the surface of the actual metal disc.

Offline korakios

Re: Attach a piezo to a metal plate?
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2017, 02:50:05 PM »
double sided tape doesn't absorb vibrations, at least couldn't measure any difference.
If you are worried that in time the piezo will detach you can use super glue . Fast and easy ;)
Tip :
Always super glue the cables on the piezo . Most cases in diy ,the cables detach and it's hard to solder them back to the piezo .

Offline Mr.J.

Re: Attach a piezo to a metal plate?
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2017, 06:29:06 PM »
Hey

I have been working on turning my Zildjiam low volume cymbals into E-cymbals and I have been using double sided adhesive foam. Works too well really as I have been looking for the sweet spot to put thd piezo and break them trying to remove the piezo. Dollar store item.

I've been giving the cymbals a great workout so much so that the wires break away but the piezo ain't going no where.

Follow up post to come once done.