what's the best seamless way to join seed trays?

[pandatrooper]

I've read up on the various ways to join the seed trays back to back. Mine have the lip on the outer tray and no lip on the inner one.

I had considered:

- zip ties

- magnets

- velcro

- hinges

- glue

- tape

- plastic extensions glued to the inside of one, then riveted to the other

etc.

But I want to see if I could join them and still have them be able to separate, and have no visible / obvious bolts etc on the outside. I'd prefer mechanical support to close them, rather than just velcro or magnets. I hate having stuff fall off during troops!

How are people getting the trays joined to look seamless, with nothing visible holding them together but still being sturdy? I know I can glue the trays together permanently, but I wouldn't mind being able to separate them in the future (drilling out rivets for a 1 time change isn't a big deal).

Any ideas?

[Gordonator]

Yes I was thinking the same thing too. I wanted it seamless but able to be separated when I want to do some upgrade/mods.

In the end I couldn't think of anything good so settled for nuts and bolts.

[DirtyBoy]

what about chicago screws?

[Dewback Jockey]

I used zip ties- it also gave it a hinge type movement - I also wanted to have access to the inerds if needed..

[pandatrooper]

This was the best I could think of. Seamless on the outer tray, and just a couple bolts behind the lip of the inner tray.

Plastic tabs could be glued to the inside of the outer tray, that extend just past the lip of the inner tray. and then holes would be drilled on the inner, with bolts to secure it. repeated on both sides.

This way, all you would see would be a couple of phillips bolt heads.

[FIVE]

It just depends on how often you think you're going to change things or need to get into them.

I used E-6000 and glued mine together. Then, on the bottom tray, I cut a "door" into the back where my black tape is. It closes shut and, if I needed to, I could cover the seam with black tape.

Then with things like my radio that I might one day want to remove, I glued the screws into the back coming out the front. So I can put a nut on the top of them and tighten it without the screws rotating on the back side.

[kenthork]

for my first i used the near same thing like your idea Terry.

but i changed plastic against aluminium.

I think now that it was a mistake because it weighs more thus.

there is many solutions, and these with plastic is good for a good support.

but E6000 and rivets are looking good.

my first pack in work in progress last year.

[Daetrin]

Instead of screws, you can use maybe dzus fasteners as they'll be faster to access?

[pandatrooper]

Interesting idea Paul!

Good feedback so far, thanks for the ideas! Hmmm... I'm considering going with my tabs / bolts idea, or just gluing them permanently closed. I'm going to arrange my parts, and see what will work best.

I'm trying to make it as light as I can too, just for comfort. So I'll be using more rivets as opposed to nuts and bolts.