Tonester
#justsayin'
Hi Guys, I finally got around to changing the ‘ROADSTER’ badge on my oil tank. I was lucky enough to get one that reads ‘140 CUBIC INCHES’ from Mittzy. Truth be told, I’ve been avoiding it for a while now as I’ve been a bit nervous about stuffing it up while trying to put it on. The backing adhesive is so strong, if I put it on crooked or too far to the left or the right I’d have next to no chance of getting if off without damaging it or compromise the backing adhesive (usually things like this are one hit wonders, if it all goes south, the second time you try and stick it down it’s never as strong). So what to do…?
I remembered when I was an apprentice (about 100 years ago) one of the jobs I had to do was to change the sanding discs on the massive industrial double disc sander (36” in diameter). I put the new sanding discs on with contact cement. Anyone who has ever used this stuff knows that there are no second chances… Anyway, after stuffing it up for the second time (and getting a bollocking from my apprentice master), I cleaned all the glue off with paint thinner (don’t ask… just an awful job). I reapplied the contact glue and was about to have yet another go at this nightmare of a chore (third time lucky) when one of the tradesmen took a long drag on his cigarette then spoke through a cloud of blue smoke - I’ll never forget his words of guidance and support.... “It’s *%$^ing painful watching you try to change that disc. Watch and learn…” He put two lengths of dowel between the disc and the new sanding disc. When he was happy with the position, he gently pushed the new sanding disc onto the disc, slid the dowels out and then pressed the rest of the new sanding disc on. DONE. I said “Why couldn’t somebody have shown me that to start with?” He says ‘Shut up and make the tea!” (That last bit has been considerably cleaned up).
So here’s the same principle in action but on a much, much smaller scale:
As you can see, I used cocktail sticks to position the new badge. When I was happy with the alignment I just removed the cocktail sticks one by one… it worked out perfectly, I then made MYSELF a cup of tea!
I remembered when I was an apprentice (about 100 years ago) one of the jobs I had to do was to change the sanding discs on the massive industrial double disc sander (36” in diameter). I put the new sanding discs on with contact cement. Anyone who has ever used this stuff knows that there are no second chances… Anyway, after stuffing it up for the second time (and getting a bollocking from my apprentice master), I cleaned all the glue off with paint thinner (don’t ask… just an awful job). I reapplied the contact glue and was about to have yet another go at this nightmare of a chore (third time lucky) when one of the tradesmen took a long drag on his cigarette then spoke through a cloud of blue smoke - I’ll never forget his words of guidance and support.... “It’s *%$^ing painful watching you try to change that disc. Watch and learn…” He put two lengths of dowel between the disc and the new sanding disc. When he was happy with the position, he gently pushed the new sanding disc onto the disc, slid the dowels out and then pressed the rest of the new sanding disc on. DONE. I said “Why couldn’t somebody have shown me that to start with?” He says ‘Shut up and make the tea!” (That last bit has been considerably cleaned up).
So here’s the same principle in action but on a much, much smaller scale:
As you can see, I used cocktail sticks to position the new badge. When I was happy with the alignment I just removed the cocktail sticks one by one… it worked out perfectly, I then made MYSELF a cup of tea!
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plus your idea of installing the thingymajig was to smart for a Fifer are you sure you are from Ballingry?
I thought that the insert was made of thick flexible plastic like the badges on later model cars etc.... I know now... that it's a very -VERY- thin aluminium pressing 
