Harbor freight Plastic welder - anyone with experience?

[JimBob]

I used a pencil tip type soldering iron and black zip ties as a filler. I used the iron to follow along the crack melting it together, I then cut some copper wire into about 1" peace, bent it into a U shape laying across the crack, use the iron to heat the copper wire and melt it in to the plastic. Do this the whole way down the crack, then take black zip ties and melt them over the copper and crack and into the peace your fixing, it reinforces and fixes the crack. I did this on the inside of the peace. Repaired my front fender and it's still holding strong, I also fixed my trunk and fairing like this.

[lsutley]

I am currently repairing some of the cracks and missing tabs on my 86. I am using an old Unger soldering iron and black zip ties. I was able to reconstruct missing pieces using an imbedded bare #14 solid copper wire as a frame and support. On breaks that were likely to reoccur, I put in the same # 14 wire bent to conform to the shape of the contour of the area to be welded. The wire is laid in place and then heated until it melts down into the base material about half its thickness. The area is then built up using the zip ties as the filler.

 

The zip tie material seems to melt at the nearly the same temperature as the ABS and blends without any problems. Once the wire is imbedded and covered with filler the "weld" can be reheated as required to smooth or contour the surface. If overheated the opposite "good" side can be distorted. Use a series of small tacks in the crack to hold things in place before attempting to imbed the wire.

 

I am going to reconstructed an entire missing speed nut tab today. If this can be completed successfully, it is likely that anything can be restored with enough time and patience.

 

Wish me luck??

[rickardracing]

Many, many years ago we got a Spin Welder (toy) kit for one of our sons. Battery powered, looked kinda like a hand drill. Little plastic inserts that loaded into the "gun" then spun while being held against two pieces of plastic. The heat from the friction would melt the plastic and when it cooled the two pieces were solidly joined. I haven't seen anything like it for years, but I've had times that I wished I had one to try to fix some broken plastic parts. Might be a market for 'em for the 1st Genners.

 

I had on of those!! Those were awesome. Ah memories.

[lsutley]

Here are some shots of the repairs that are being made to the left upper fairing and cover.

 

The tab under the mirror was nearly completely broken away, fixed as shown:

 

[ATTACH]69715[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]69716[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]69717[/ATTACH]

 

The embedded wire across the break sure did stiffen the tab.

 

The left cover was broken in one corner and missing a chunk around the outer hole, under the mirror mount. Repaired as shown:

 

[ATTACH]69714[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]69718[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]69719[/ATTACH]

 

I had a heck of a time keeping the fairing in a position that gave good access. Jury rigged (nothing fancy but worked) as shown:

 

[ATTACH]69720[/ATTACH]

 

Once the wires are inserted (at least half way into the plastic) and built up with your zip tie "rod" it can look pretty scruffy. Let it cool and go back over the mound with the iron to make it as smooth as you wish. If the zip tie is melted well into the ABS, I do not believe that it is any less strong than the parent material.

 

An old Unger soldering iron and some black zip ties, not bad and cheap!

[van avery]

I have used Rapid Fix on the repairs to my 87 faring and a saddle bag lid for my 83 Goldwing. Stuff works great. Bonds the materials together and then add the filler materials from the second bottle and its stronger than the bas material. It can be sanded smooth and then painted. The bonding when the filler is added in almost instant. I have also used it to add a new post out of wood to the side faring cover. I have picked it up a my local auto parts house.

http://www.rapid-fix.com/HOME.html

[JohnT]

I just used a 2 part epoxy type repair medium called G Flex. I bought mine through NRS (Northwest River Supply). Now I used it on one of my whitewater kayaks, not my saddle bags. Yet. But I am going to. It will bond ABS and as the name implies it is flexible.

 

My Junkson Super Fun developed a 12 inch crack just under the cock pit rim. I call the Jackson boat a Junkson now due to the fact the molding SUCKED. A white water boat takes no abuse or even much flex in that area. Unless you are being pounded by water under a ledge or water fall. The crack had 2 radiating cracks off the main crack.

 

I did drill 1/8 inch holes at the end of all cracks to stop further stress cracking. Then I sanded the area about 3/4 inch either side of the crack. In as much as my boats take the usual rock pounding and I don't need a leaking crack when stuck in a "hole" I did reinforce the repair with fiberglass cloth. This step is optional. Some plastics respond well to a heat treating of the repair area. You use a propane torch, running the blue tip of the flame along the sides of the repair area. The speed / timing of the torch movement is 1 foot per second.

Once the repair area is sanded and prepped simply mix the resin and hardener 50 / 50 and apply. It has a 70 minute working time limit at 70 F. It hardens in 6 hours and is fully cured in 24.

 

I have stress tested the rerpaired baot twice and am happy to report that G Flex is amazing. I have no hesitation using it on my ABS bags. It is listed as one of the many many materials the stuff will repair.

 

It ain't cheap to buy. The small kit I bought was $30. However, I only sued about 15% of it at most. I did get the thicker of the types available. The thinner version might be nice if you really need it to flow.

Oh yeah, it's sand able and paint able. The directions are clear and simple.

 

The lawyer part. Objects may be closer than they appear, results may or may not be typical, your mileage may vary. Not to be taken internally.

I;m not sure how soon I will be getting to my bags. The riding weather is nice right now. But once I do, I will post up the results.

[jimmyenglish]

Very interesting topic! I have tried what seems like every single epoxy there is and eventually the plastic breaks again. I've read about the plastic welder before. How is the longevity of the repair?

 

Personally, I've had great success with fiberglass. As long as the paint is removed and the surface is roughed up I've not had any of it come undone. I've even remade most of the tabs, screwholes etc that all eventually seem to crarck. Of course, it's disasterously messy but a very resilient repair.

[cabreco]

Very interesting topic! I have tried what seems like every single epoxy there is and eventually the plastic breaks again. I've read about the plastic welder before. How is the longevity of the repair?

 

QUOTE]

 

6 months & still holding without any problems.

[Trader]

I tried using a regular soldering gun and different types of zip ties to "weld' with.

 

The stuff melted...but seemed to go crispy...which was easy to crumble away.

 

So you would think it was too hot...but I could barely get them to melt!

[cabreco]

I tried using a regular soldering gun and different types of zip ties to "weld' with.

 

The stuff melted...but seemed to go crispy...which was easy to crumble away.

 

So you would think it was too hot...but I could barely get them to melt!

 

Trader, most zip ties are vinyl. When you plastic weld, you have to use like plastic so in the case of our fairings... ABS. If you were to use the soldering gun, I would recommend using the ABS welding rods (white) that HF (or anyone) sells.

[jasonm.]

Gorilla Glue. Hard to belive there is not an adhisive type glue that works well on ABS.

The BEST and only glue(s) I use on ABS are Devcon Plastic Welder(true Value) and Permatex Plastic welder( Advance Auto).This is packaged stuff looks like a standand epoxy dual tube BUT is not. Both of these actually make NEW plactic and hold with self generating heat and a super glue formula. I have things that have been repaired for 20 years on my bike and no cracking or ungluing. Some are under major stress...no cracks. You can reinforce your repairs with metal or just use more of this "welder" compound. FYI- stuff stinks to high hell and sets up very fast. Works best at temps over 65F.

Edited July 29, 2012 by jasonm.

[Brown Angel]

I just pick up a plastic welder from HF. does anyone have experience with this welder? I have some hairline cracks on my boxes and a couple small cracks on my fairing that i want to try to repair before i have my bike painted. Here is the welder i picked up.

http://www.harborfreight.com/plastic-welding-kit-with-air-motor-and-temperature-adjustment-96712.html

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7GRNvPSf7k&feature=g-like]Delboy's Garage, Plastic Welding panel lug repair.- YouTube[/ame]

 

this the method that I have used and works very good.

 

Angel:080402gudl_prv:

[jasonm.]

The melting is a good start. But my way is faster and stronger. As the guy says. Melting plastic actually makes it brittle. Thus the "stitching" he does. I would have used Devcon on the inside area that he did on the second part of the video. Which would not be seen. Devcon is fast stuff...Once you use Devcon...you will ask yourself, "wish someone told me about this sooner"...Bet you he has never tried Devcon.