Welding plastic

[pmsmechanic]

I have a 200w amazon kit Amazon.com
Repaired a large in ground valve box that had been split and discarded when run over by a truck. Worked good. Looks like getting nice finished results might take some serious practice, sanding, painting, etc.
I used paperclips for stitches. Simply push them into the material across the break with the hot iron then weld over them.
My plan is to repair a leak in a 4k gallon water tank.

I've used paper clips as well. The ones with scored edges work better than the totally smooth type. I tried welding a water tank. It worked but then went and cracked in a different spot with the next load of water. I'm thinking the sun degraded the plastic.

 

[ArlyA]

I'd guess products made to be used outdoor like a water tank would be UV stabilized. Black polyethylene that's not UV stabilized is still pretty long lasting that's why I use it.

 

[scootr]

I've used paper clips as well. The ones with scored edges work better than the totally smooth type. I tried welding a water tank. It worked but then went and cracked in a different spot with the next load of water. I'm thinking the sun degraded the plastic.

This green poly tank is about 20 yrs old and the crack appeared in the lower section... I plan on giving it a go. Figured I have little to loose at this point. I already replaced it so the second tank would just be a holding tank with fire crew access if needed.

 

[blacktruck]

A lot of "plastic" fenders on tractors have a fiberglass or some other fiber component to them. Very rarely are they a plastic that could be welded back together. I was working for New holland when they introduced Plastic fuel tanks on their Genesis tractors and some of them were getting holes in the tops from something rubbing or puncturing them (can't remember what exactly) but they gave us welding instructions which satisfactorily repaired the tanks and stored the structure. I'd suggest an epoxy or fiberglass repair first, or contact the company to find out what type of plastic it is and if it is indeed repairable. I'd bypass the local dealer if they start with a sales pitch on a new fender.

I know the technology has changed a lot over the past few years on composite materials. This tractor is a 2009 model so it is a few years behind where we are today. I did a close look at a piece that was severed from the fender, I didn't see any fibrous materials. It looks, feels and acts like a type of plastic. I'll find an inconspicuous area to try. I do want to attempt a glue and filler solution first and see if it will bond with the "plastic". If that doesn't work, I am all for welding or melting in a piece. My ultimate plan would be to paint it so finding a filler and subsequently a paint to stick is important.

 

[scootr]

I know the technology has changed a lot over the past few years on composite materials. This tractor is a 2009 model so it is a few years behind where we are today. I did a close look at a piece that was severed from the fender, I didn't see any fibrous materials. It looks, feels and acts like a type of plastic. I'll find an inconspicuous area to try. I do want to attempt a glue and filler solution first and see if it will bond with the "plastic". If that doesn't work, I am all for welding or melting in a piece. My ultimate plan would be to paint it so finding a filler and subsequently a paint to stick is important.

Do your plastic welding on the underside. Most plastic welding kits include fine screen material for structural repairs like this. Then do your cosmetic repairs on the top side. My experience is buy the highest wattage welder you can afford for the best results. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U1IO5DY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[AnotherBueller]

I've done a lot of repairs on ATV plastic. Most of it is High density poly ethylene. HDPE. LDPE rods work fine on them as well. My tractor fender acts like ABS when I try to melt the grille cracks. I haven't figured it out. Fiber glass mat and resin didn't hold, several plastic rods didn't stick but I was able to do a nice repair with the staples. One other thing on the staples. You can buy them and just use a lineman pliers and hold the staple over a candle to heat it up. You really don't need the electric gun. You can even make your own staples out of thin stainless wire for custom repairs.

Your fender might be a polycarbonate

 

[Willman]

I have repaired multiple cracks in my tractor plastic fenders with JB weld for plastics and still holding up after a couple years

 

[ArlyA]

Should show something molded into plastic ID, like these

 

[scootr]

After a few projects I determined it's easy enough to weld plastic. Making it look good is the hard part

 

[blacktruck]

Yep agreed. I could just scab in a piece of metal to hold the light but the OCD in me would not allow that. I was hoping my SIL captured the broken pieces but it appears he has not. I will need a correct type of filler material to cover the missing pieces. Fiberglass was so much easier to work with.

 

[AnotherBueller]

Recently I have developed a need to weld a broken fender on my tractor. I did a search and ran across some old threads on this. I'll make a guess and think that most likely the technology to even do that has changed a bit since those were posted. Does anyone on here have any experience with a commercially available kit? My SIL collected most of the pieces after backing the tractor into the wall while cleaning out the shed but judging by the pieces in hand, I am thinking he didn't get them all. Any recommendations for filler material to use?

What tractor? You show 3. I think 'yomax4' is most likely correct that the fender is made of HDPE. A good reference to id what kind of plastic for me is Identify Plastics.
Another video from them about fiing Ag plastics is John Deere Hood Repair - 5213 Agricultural Repair Kit

 

[blacktruck]

What tractor? You show 3. I think 'yomax4' is most likely correct that the fender is made of HDPE. A good reference to id what kind of plastic for me is Identify Plastics.
Another video from them about fiing Ag plastics is John Deere Hood Repair - 5213 Agricultural Repair Kit

This is on a Cub Cadet/Yanmar from 2010 I think. I will look at the links you sent there. I appreciate the help. The few bodyshops I contacted didn't really want anything to do with it. I used to do bodywork on aircraft so I am looking for a solution that I can do.

 

[AnotherBueller]

This is on a Cub Cadet/Yanmar from 2010 I think. I will look at the links you sent there. I appreciate the help. The few bodyshops I contacted didn't really want anything to do with it. I used to do bodywork on aircraft so I am looking for a solution that I can do.

Like Scooter said the welding isn't hard, making it LOOK good that's what is hard.
For howto see the their utube videos.
I don’t have the kit with hot air, so I use the tip that feeds the rod through the tip melting it and feeding it into the groove you make in the part. A problem is preheating the part until it’s just about ready to melt and then feed the rod into the groove and then melting the two together so they’re one, smoothing with the tip. Do NOT set the heat too high so you can get done faster. That way leads to bubbles in the repair, making it much weaker.
Then I come back with the round tip and holding it just barely above the weld to heat the join until it flows out. Much easier said than done. Practice, practice, practice. Like anything else the more you do the better looking the results.

 

[FeedingFreedom]

I bought a hot stapler kit for around $20 and have used it to fix bumper covers, fenders, wheelbarrows, and an ice fishing sled. None of the repairs has failed. A few friends that have body shops now use them to repair headlight housings, was actually recommended to me by one of them. Car bumpers used to be ABS, now most are ASA.

 

[TractorTYMe]

This is me fixking my cracked cab over winter after it cracked in -40F. Using plastic welding staples.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I do a similar repair using paper clips. I cut and bend them into the shape I want and then push them into the plastic with a soldering iron. The paper clips with score marks on them work better.

 

[blacktruck]

Update, I did manage to finds some 1' X 1' sheets of yellow plastic patch material. I am still away but hope to give it a go when I get home. The color is close and the thickness is the same. It'll either be "welded" in or I'll find some good adhesive that will etch into the plastic.