Do it yourself plastic repairs.

[aczlan]

Hot air plastic welder is on my list for when I am feeling flush or have a project that my current setup (old Weller "pistol" type soldering gun with a custom tip) cant handle.

Aaron Z

 

[IslandTractor]

Hot air plastic welder is on my list for when I am feeling flush or have a project that my current setup (old Weller "pistol" type soldering gun with a custom tip) cant handle.

Aaron Z

Cheap versions are not so expensive and you just need a small compressor to help run them. Compared to the soldering iron type plastic welder they are more like using oxyfuel to weld rather than stick or mig. You get to watch and control how the plastic heats up and can heat up a wider area at one time. I use the soldering iron type too but that is almost always a messy proposition. The hot air type is much more controllable.

 

[aczlan]

Cheap versions are not so expensive and you just need a small compressor to help run them. Compared to the soldering iron type plastic welder they are more like using oxyfuel to weld rather than stick or mig. You get to watch and control how the plastic heats up and can heat up a wider area at one time. I use the soldering iron type too but that is almost always a messy proposition. The hot air type is much more controllable.

I have done soldering (both on wires and pipes), brazing (with MAPP and Oxy/Acetylene) and MIG welding so the technique doesn't worry me, I just don't have enough plastic welding projects that I can justify dropping $60+ on a plastic welder.

Aaron Z

 

[IslandTractor]

I have done soldering (both on wires and pipes), brazing (with MAPP and Oxy/Acetylene) and MIG welding so the technique doesn't worry me, I just don't have enough plastic welding projects that I can justify dropping $60+ on a plastic welder.

Aaron Z

Understood. I got one when I had a plastic part that was going to cost >$50 to replace and I figured I could invest that in a tool instead. Little projects keep popping up that make me glad I have it.

 

[Stick895]

For ABS plastic, like , say, fairings on a Goldwing, I used an ABS "sludge" made from ABS bits dissolved in acetone to fill holes, cracks or glue in bigger ABS pieces.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

The hard plastic part of my dash on my 92 Chevrolet is cracking bad, do you guys think the plastic welding kit from Harbor Freight would work on that?

 

[IslandTractor]

The hard plastic part of my dash on my 92 Chevrolet is cracking bad, do you guys think the plastic welding kit from Harbor Freight would work on that?

I would check out a car enthusiast site where body shop guys hang out and ask them. You need to know what type of plastic and if you can get same plastic filler rods in a similar color. I would think that the indirect hot air type of plastic welder would be best but I've never tried doing it on interior auto plastic. There is some company in ?AZ or ?NM that sells plastic welding supplies. Sorry, i cannot recall the name.