If you’re building/wiring an instrument panel, especially one with modern EFIS screens and avionics, you no doubt have dealt with the problem of how to secure wire bundles. After all, even service loops need support at some point—you don’t need large shanks of wire flopping around behind the panel!
Sometimes it’s easy—you can attach an Adel clamp to an existing screw or run a new screw through an unused hole in an avionics tray. But what to do when you need to support an Adel and there isn’t any place to anchor it? Well, you can build a little clip and adhere it to the side of a radio tray! This little gem is made from .040” aluminum, and fits right to the side of a Garmin Comm radio tray. The “L”-shaped portion adheres to the top and side of the tray, and the “shelf” is riveted on with flush 3/32” “oops” rivets.
It is glued on to the tray with Click-Bond adhesive because I have a supply of that amazing stuff, but you can probably substitute any structural epoxy that you have around. The trick, as with using any adhesive, is to thoroughly roughen – and then clean – the bonding surfaces. I actually ran the little clip through my bead-blaster to give it a nice fresh “satin” surface, and it looks like it will be on forever. Apply adhesive to the mating surfaces only and wipe up any excess for a neat appearance before it cures.
Pro Tip: Drill the hole for the Adel clamp before bonding it in place – it’s a lot easier to do in a vice than in a confined space!
