Abstract: A tool for use in affixing an optical component, such as glass, to a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a silicone gel mixture of dimethyl siloxane and a vinyl terminated dimethyl polymer includes, in one embodiment, a unitary metallic platen that is shaped to define a central window. A narrow shelf is defined around the outer periphery of the central window, the shelf serving to support the optical component during the application of the silicone gel thereon. A upwardly extending partition is formed onto the top surface of the platen around the shelf, the partition serving, among other things, to retain the optical component fixed in place on the platen during the assembly process. A plurality of identical, spaced apart, upwardly extending standoffs are formed onto the free end of the partition and are designed to support the LCD a fixed distance away from the optical component.