Warning: That 'quick' panel bond job on a 2018 F-150 bed side almost cost me a client

Last Tuesday, I was rushing to finish a bed side replacement for a regular customer. I mixed a batch of panel adhesive, but I didn't let the truck sit in the shop to warm up first. It was about 45 degrees in the bay. I clamped it up and left it overnight. Next morning, the bond line was still soft and gummy, like it never fully cured. I had to cut it all apart, clean the mess, and start over, which added a full day to the job. Has anyone else had a major cure time issue with cold temps, and what's your rule of thumb now?

3 comments

3 Comments

jenniferwells3mo ago

My shop in Michigan has a hard 60-degree rule for panel bond. Anything colder and we just wait, because a redo costs more than the delay. Learned that the expensive way too.

paulh673mo ago

That "expensive way" line hits home. A buddy rushed a job in his cold garage last winter and the bond failed overnight. He spent more on materials and labor fixing it than he would have lost just waiting a day.

smith.blair1mo ago

Hang on, are we sure this is really that critical? I mean, I've glued stuff in cold weather and it held fine, but maybe I just got lucky. @jenniferwells 's shop rule seems a little extreme to me. Like, if the bond fails overnight, isn't that more of a prep issue or a bad batch of glue? Seems like one bad story gets blown up into a rule that costs you money.