Soldering Plastic

[ruffdog]

The area I repaired in the fuel tank on the splitter is stronger than the surrounding plastic. All you do is just keep adding more until it is as thick as you want.

 

[dickfoster]

One caveat: mixing different types of plastic filler into the joint will probably fail unless their composition is in the same family. For pipe we used to cut narrow rings off same type pipe and use that for filler rod.

Ron

I agree. Like spin welding that uses friction to melt the plastic parts or ultrasonic welding plastic parts together, again using friction to generate the heat, the plastic is the same compound in both cases.
One more thing, welding soldering or whatever you want to call it, the process only works for thermoplastics, plastics that can be melted with heat, not thermoset plastics which are essentially two part epoxy like plastics. For those you have to glue and/or use mechanical fasteners to reattach as they will just burn when you attempt to add heat after they have already set.
Some plastics, like acrylics, are also easy to bond using solvents like acetone. Just put the parts together then flow the solvent into the junction and allow it to setup while the solvent evaporates.

 

[mkr7734]

I agree. Like spin welding that uses friction to melt the plastic parts or ultrasonic welding plastic parts together, again using friction to generate the heat, the plastic is the same compound in both cases.
One more thing, welding soldering or whatever you want to call it, the process only works for thermoplastics, plastics that can be melted with heat, not thermoset plastics which are essentially two part epoxy like plastics. For those you have to glue and/or use mechanical fasteners to reattach as they will just burn when you attempt to add heat after they have already set.
Some plastics, like acrylics, are also easy to bond using solvents like acetone. Just put the parts together then flow the solvent into the junction and allow it to setup while the solvent evaporates.

We did that at Caterpillar,,,,,, spin welding. But we called it Inertia welding. Cool stuff. We used it on axles, and cylinder rods. The bead when they were done was always perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aEuAK8bsQg

 

[PhysAssist]

Harbor Freight has 2 plastic welding gun kits, one using compressed air and the other with a built in blower motor. They also have a selection of different types of filler rod available.

Plastic Welding Kit

Plastic Welder & Welding Kit

50 Piece Plastic Welding Rods


David

Except that they have 3 kits for sale, plus rods.