I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Then, if you want to remove the faceplate, you grip from behind and
PULL it out.

It sounds simple, but believe it or not there isn't anything out
there.

The closet thing I've seen with potential are plastic "pine tree"
fasteners.

The aluminum faceplate is also pretty thin -- just 3/16" thick.

Any help? thanks

"mkr5000" wrote in message
...
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Then, if you want to remove the faceplate, you grip from behind and
PULL it out.

It sounds simple, but believe it or not there isn't anything out
there.

The closet thing I've seen with potential are plastic "pine tree"
fasteners.

The aluminum faceplate is also pretty thin -- just 3/16" thick.

Any help? thanks

can you epoxy super magnets to it, then have it stick to something behind
it? choosing different magnets would give a strong/weak bond.

Yeah, I use magnetic strip on something else that's similar and it
works nicely -- I may look at that again with this -- thanks for the
reminder.

Trouble is with this, it could be easily tampered with -- really need
something stronger.

One thing is for sure -- someone needs to do a fastener like this.

I was thinking something that has spring action like this, I--
push in , it grips pull out

(limited by the ascii keyboard)

the arrows would both collapse together.

In article
,
mkr5000 wrote:

Yeah, I use magnetic strip on something else that's similar and it
works nicely -- I may look at that again with this -- thanks for the
reminder.

Trouble is with this, it could be easily tampered with -- really need
something stronger.

Use the right magnets (not rubberized strip junk - rare earth) and
suitable hunks of steel for the them to grab, it will be very strong.
Not hard to get 100 or 200 lbs of force required to pull something off
with modern magnets and good design (flat surfaces that mate well,
enough thickness to provide a good magnetic circuit, no wiggle room to
slide rather than pull.)

If it needs to be "tamper proof" anything that suits your push in, pull
off specification is subject to tampering. Get over the faceless panel
aspect and drop a lock cylinder in it if you want some
tamper-resistance. Or get all cutesy with stepper motors, threaded
studs, and nuts - wind it up or spit it off by remote control. Just hope
the remote control keeps working...

Or use long screws from the opposite side of the wall, with weird
tamper-resistant heads if you want the people who tamper with it to need
to go buy a set of tamper-resistant drivers before they get to tamper
with it.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

mkr5000 wrote:
Yeah, I use magnetic strip on something else that's similar and it
works nicely -- I may look at that again with this -- thanks for the
reminder.

Trouble is with this, it could be easily tampered with -- really need
something stronger.

How about the push latches like you see on cabinets and such? The ones
that you push in and they latch push in again and the item pops up and
can come out.

OR if you want something hidden and tamper proof use a reed switch and a
couple small solenoid latches.

Or even simpler would be a couple of steel rods set in channels and
moved from the outside with a good magnet. Think a small version of a
barrel bolt latch.

--
Steve W.

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:20:18 -0700 (PDT), mkr5000
wrote:

One thing is for sure -- someone needs to do a fastener like this.

I was thinking something that has spring action like this, I--
push in , it grips pull out

(limited by the ascii keyboard)

the arrows would both collapse together.

Put pins on the back of the faceplate - stick through holes with
plastic inserts or put "t-nuts" or "speednuts", whatever you call them
where you are, on the studs to hold in place.

On Oct 23, 10:57*am, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Then, if you want to remove the faceplate, you grip from behind and
PULL it out.

It sounds simple, but believe it or not there isn't anything out
there.

The closet thing I've seen with potential are plastic "pine tree"
fasteners.

The aluminum faceplate is also pretty thin -- just 3/16" thick.

Any help? *thanks

I've seen something like this, they used a knobbed-end pin and a sheet
metal grabber that sat in a hole. The pins were welded to the
removable piece. The sheet metal parts were just inserted in suitable
holes, had spring fingers to keep from being pulled out on the
opposite side. Now where you can get such things these days, I don't
know. Check the industrial electronic supply places, Allied
Electronics used to have a lot of that hardware when I was a kid.

Stan

mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Then, if you want to remove the faceplate, you grip from behind and
PULL it out.

It sounds simple, but believe it or not there isn't anything out
there.

The closet thing I've seen with potential are plastic "pine tree"
fasteners.

The aluminum faceplate is also pretty thin -- just 3/16" thick.

Any help? thanks


Speaker grill fasteners.

--
Steve Walker
(remove wallet to reply)

On Oct 23, 5:57*pm, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Any help? *thanks

3M VHB tape. Something similar is available to secure trim onto
automobiles.
Might be easier to find at you auto supply store. I have used the 3M
tape to hold things for machining.

Dan

Dan

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:08:27 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Oct 23, 5:57Â*pm, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Any help? Â*thanks

3M VHB tape. Something similar is available to secure trim onto
automobiles.
Might be easier to find at you auto supply store. I have used the 3M
tape to hold things for machining.

Dan

Dan
Google "tinnerman" clips. A d98460-051m, for instanc, will take a
..51mm thick "blade" 2X15mm and hold it in a 8.5X15mm square hole

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:08:27 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Oct 23, 5:57Â*pm, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Any help? Â*thanks

3M VHB tape. Something similar is available to secure trim onto
automobiles.
Might be easier to find at you auto supply store. I have used the 3M
tape to hold things for machining.

Dan

Dan
Tinnermans again - Tinnerman speed clips - tubular speedclip

On Oct 23, 12:57*pm, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I'm after a nice clean look.

This chassis will mount in the wall.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Then, if you want to remove the faceplate, you grip from behind and
PULL it out.

It sounds simple, but believe it or not there isn't anything out
there.

The closet thing I've seen with potential are plastic "pine tree"
fasteners.

The aluminum faceplate is also pretty thin -- just 3/16" thick.

Any help? *thanks

More dart-clips here than you can shake a stick at

http://www.efc-panelfasteners.com

http://www.efc-panelfasteners.com/pr...?127,221,01780

http://www.efc-panelfasteners.com/pr...132,223,241070

http://www.efc-panelfasteners.com/pr...?132,472,01768

http://www.efc-panelfasteners.com/pr...ex.asp?132,485

Dave

Awesome --- Steve hit on something -- speaker grill fasteners.

If I can find some thin ones, that may work !

Glad I asked, that one escaped me.

and thanks for that EFC information -- great selection.

they may have it.

On Oct 23, 9:57*am, mkr5000 wrote:
I have an aluminum faceplate that mounts to a chassis and I don't want
any fasteners to appear on the front surface of the faceplate.

I've looked everywhere (you name it fastenal, specialty hardware
places etc), for a type of fastener that I could use that would allow
me to PUSH this faceplate into some chassis holes and have it stay
there with a sturdy grip.

Two possibilities: velcro, and adhesives (I'm thinking of replaceable
foam-tape adhesive, actually). How often does the faceplate have
to come off, anyhow?