Plastic Welding

Fawteen

Well-known Member
Location
Downeast Maine
Anybody do it?

What do you recommend for equipment?

I see cheapo glorified soldering irons for <$100 to hot air systems over $500.

I'd be interested if I could get into decent equipment that produces reliable results for say $200 or $250.

Crap ton of broken ATV plastic around here...
 
I've got one from Chicago Electric. It uses air. The temp is adjustable. The big thing is the need for a regulator. I use my paint sprayer regulator and dial it down to 4-5 psi. The only thing it needs and doesn't have is a trigger to shut off the air. It blows all the time that it's hooked up to the hose.
I bought it to weld a poly sprayer tank. I don't claim to be an expert with it by any stretch of the imagination,but I welded up that 200 gallon tank and it's been holding for several years now. I've used it for several other things too and found that I've never needed the rod that came with it. I think there was rod for three different kinds of plastic,but I just get a swirl pool going like brazing,then use a screwdriver to kind of mold the plastic back together.
 
Thanks. That's the second recommendation for that unit I've seen.

Probably a good idea if for no other reason than to see how useful it is without investing a wad of money.
 

I use to cut up a 5 gal bucket and pop rivet a patch underneath the cracks worked for me. I had a 85 Honda Foreman all the fenders were patched that way I even went as far as to cut strips from a 5 gal bucket to make fender flairs to keep it from throwing mud/water on me while I rode it.
 
I do it and it works alright to piece the plastic back together but you can't do it and call the job done. After you get it welded back together I sand the surface of the plastic to roughen it up and then put a patch over it with epoxy for plastic and put fiberglass cloth in it. Once that is done it will hold.

I think I've tried every different rod but doesn't seem to bond to anything I'm trying to weld. The plastic in plastic paint cans seem to work the best. I bought a HF soldering iron and it came with the plastic welding tip. The iron eventually burned up but the tip fits the Weller soldering rod I bought to replace it.
 
Fawteen, I have repaired several 3-wheeler fenders with a larger style soldering iron that I picked up at an auction years ago, kind of like the radiator repair places used to use. First thing I do is cut some metal window screen about 2-3 inches wide and as long as the break/crack. On the back or under side of the fender, use the soldering iron to melt the plastic through the screen material. Not only does this strengthen the area next to the crack, but still leaves it flexible. Then on the top side, I can usually fill in/smooth the crack by just running the soldering iron over it. I do not like the looks of "stitching" with zip ties, as this doesn't fix the break and the fender can still flop around. I have found that with glues and epoxies, they don't give and crack again shortly after the repair is done. I also do not like the look of the plate and pop rivet method. Hope this helps.

Mike
 
Good idea on the window screen. I'll do that when I repair the fender.

It's REALLY tore up, so the "plate and pop rivet" method was used on both ends, I'll do the screen method in the middle.
 
I have one. Works great after a little practice. Sort of like brazing. Having a trigger for the air is a bad idea though. Constant air is the only thing preventing the heating element from melting.
Seelye1005Welder.jpg
 
I've done a lot of pvc welding and some of the heat guns don't work bad, the one poster hit it on the head the material is critical .
 
(quoted from post at 12:52:49 11/26/17) Anybody do it?

What do you recommend for equipment?

I see cheapo glorified soldering irons for &lt;$100 to hot air systems over $500.

I'd be interested if I could get into decent equipment that produces reliable results for say $200 or $250.

Crap ton of broken ATV plastic around here...

The plastic maybe too thin to do work with this system, however, it is very strong. Google hot stapler. They are shaped "paperclips with a brakable neck that attaches to the gun. The "paper clip stitch is heated, pressed into the plastic, release the gun and snap of the metal "neck".
 
depends how professional you want it to look. I use a electric soldering iron and a heat gun. I take shrink rap ,put it in a cordless drill and spin a rod out of it. Use the shrink wrap rod as my welding stick. heat the area with heat gun and use the solder iron to melt the plastic and shrink wrap rod all together. using wire mesh as a stiffener under is a good idea. I have fixed 2 fuel tanks on tractors with this method and they are still holding. Approximately 4 inch cuts on the tanks.
 

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