What is the proper manner of attaching the christmas tree type fastners to wooden door panels? The fastners have a 1" flat head.I thought this method of attaching the door panels would look better than just screwing them on. What i did (which is probably wrong )was to drill a hole thru the wood panel into the door and pushed the fastner in. The problem was when i glued 1/4" landau foam to the panel, the heads of the fastners raised the foam and show circles about the size of a quarter.

I've been wondering about this, too ... and you just confirmed my suspicions about the heads.

KristKustoms will chime in soon, I'm sure, and straighten us out ... I guess we need to recess those heads, but THAT'S likely to show through too!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

If you have just foam covering the head, it will always end up showing through, whether its recessed or not. I double panel my panels. One layer to hold the fasteners and another layer to sandwich the fasteners in. You also end up with a very rigid panel this way.

Yes, it does take double the panel board, but they end up perfect without even a trace of the head showing through. You can notch the drilled holes so you can slide the fasteners in and out, and easily replace the christmas trees if they happen to break, which they often do.

Thanks for the replies. Kristcustoms, do you glue the two boards together with the same glue you use to attach the foam? I am using DAP Weldwood HHR Contact Cement (spray grade) for attaching the landau foam.

Yes. General top and trim adhesive. We personally use 3M, Weldwood is just as good. If you try and pull them apart, you will end up splitting the panels before the glue gives.

This is all very helpful. Can someone describe these notched holes for the clips in a little more detail?

I may be wrong here but isn't the "christmas tree" type of clip a screw in type? You have an oval slot in the panel and the clip has a Vee notch in it to where you insert one side and screw it in clockwise until the reat of the head is on the opposite side of the panel. I would think that this is thin enough that the head would not show even with the minimum amount of foam over it. I may be thinking of a different type of clip though. I am thinking of the type that is on the door panels of my Chebbie. This is the type of clip I am thinking about:

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Kevin, the type of christmas tree fastners I am using is 1" long and has a 1" head. You don't screw them in, you just push in . The problem is that even though the head is flat, it is raised up abount the thickness of a dime. You wouldn't think that this would should through the foam but it does. I took Kristcustom's advice and cutout another panel and glued it on top of the one I had inserted the fastners. I also took his advice and notched the holes to the perimeter of the panel to allow the fastners to slide in/out in case I need to replace one.

2 layers of board is the best way to go especially if you are doing alot of detail work on the panel and sandwiching them in.

But i also recommend going to a auto body place and seeing what they have. We have a place here called Finishmasters. They sell all kinds of different christmas tree pins.

ITW makes hundreds of different kinds of clips. I have boxes I pick up at the SAE show in detroit every year. There is a kind that spin into a slotted hole. I get them from them directly,There head is very thin. The back side has a soft cone that prevent buzzing of the board. you have to put a few more in because the head is so thin but it prevents you from needing double board because there are times that the body gap just wont allow for it.

I have a question. What type of board is best to use? I used Masonite in the past, but I just read about a person using sheets of mahogany (very thin maybe 1/8 or 1/4). Is there a stiffer board than Masonite to use yet still flexible?

The type of board depends on what kind of detail you want to put on it and the shape of the door. I have seen all kinds of stuff used.

The kind of board most doors came out of the factory was a material we interior guys call "oil board" It is very dense and was a "waxy" looking coating on it. The coating prevents water from absorbing into the face and making the board warp. It will bow in long curves nicely and by adding alittle scuffing to the face side holds materials/glue really well

If you are doing a complex shape, look at Kustoms web site, and alot of detail (shapes either needing to be riveted or screwed from the back side. 1/8 masonite is a good bet, easy to get, as long as the door is flat to the 4 the edges. I like to use when I want to go into a door for arm room, make an outer ring and build in recesses with fiberglass.

Thanks, my doors are pretty flat so I will just add my touch with the fiberglass.

Plastic panels are very popular now. Do a search on this website for plastic panel board, there have been a ton of threads about it. Also search PVC plastic and ABS plastic.

Thanks for mentioning that oil board ... I didn't know what it was before your post above ... but I'm getting 4 or 5 4-foot X 8-foot sheets of oil board from a friend and I'm excited because this stuff looks like it's really easy to work with ... and because I'm finally starting to think about getting to the interior on my truck after a year and a half of taking care of everything else I wanted to do (mechanical and electrical).

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

I get all my 4x8 sheets of pvc from a friend that has a sign shop. He buys enough that the price is not that bad. Easy to mold corners ect. with a heat gun. I wouldn't take for it.