Plastic Welding
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 547
From: bristol, connecticut
Re: Plastic Welding
you could fiberglass the back of it or get some epoxy with fiberglass strands in it and that works good. They have it at auto stores. They sell plastic welder kits. Do a google search...
I Chose to No Longer Post
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 90
From: St. Joseph, MO. USA
Re: Plastic Welding
There are a couple of ways to do it, depending on where the cracks are. First thing to do is scuff the parts with 320 grit automotive sandpaper that will have plastic weld applied.
Since it's not in two pieces, take some duct tape to the outside of the crack and cover it really well. Then flip the fairing over and apply the plastic weld. Since it's the backside, be real liberal with the stuff, you're not going to see it. Just make sure that you really get the stuff all over the parts and into any groves or holes.
After it dries, remove the tape and apply it to the outside. You'll need to be a little more conservative with it but at the same time you want it to completely fill any holes or cracks. Mash that stuff down in there with the included applicator.
After you let that dry, sand it down with 320 to make it flush with the plastic. Then blow out the dust with compressed air and check for any air pockets there might be. If there are some, fill them with some more plastic weld and keep doing this until it is 100% smooth. From that point you can paint it or do whatever you want with it.
P.S. You'll want to get the plastic weld that comes from an automotive store (even Walmart carries it). It's a two-part mixture just like an epoxy, but the stuff sets in 5 minutes, cures in 1 hour and has a strength of 3500psi. It's super strong and if you apply it right, I highly doubt the plastic will ever break where you applied it. It's like $5 for a tube of the stuff. Looks just like an epoxy mixture. Also, unless you're missing a huge chunk of plastic, I wouldn't use fiberglass. The stuff is too much of a pain for the average garage-shop-home-mechanic to really work with. The plastic weld is more than ideal for filling holes, deep rash and cracks (even large cracks).
Since it's not in two pieces, take some duct tape to the outside of the crack and cover it really well. Then flip the fairing over and apply the plastic weld. Since it's the backside, be real liberal with the stuff, you're not going to see it. Just make sure that you really get the stuff all over the parts and into any groves or holes.
After it dries, remove the tape and apply it to the outside. You'll need to be a little more conservative with it but at the same time you want it to completely fill any holes or cracks. Mash that stuff down in there with the included applicator.
After you let that dry, sand it down with 320 to make it flush with the plastic. Then blow out the dust with compressed air and check for any air pockets there might be. If there are some, fill them with some more plastic weld and keep doing this until it is 100% smooth. From that point you can paint it or do whatever you want with it.
P.S. You'll want to get the plastic weld that comes from an automotive store (even Walmart carries it). It's a two-part mixture just like an epoxy, but the stuff sets in 5 minutes, cures in 1 hour and has a strength of 3500psi. It's super strong and if you apply it right, I highly doubt the plastic will ever break where you applied it. It's like $5 for a tube of the stuff. Looks just like an epoxy mixture. Also, unless you're missing a huge chunk of plastic, I wouldn't use fiberglass. The stuff is too much of a pain for the average garage-shop-home-mechanic to really work with. The plastic weld is more than ideal for filling holes, deep rash and cracks (even large cracks).
Last edited by KidCr3nshaw; Dec 30, 2006 at 03:09 PM.
also known as OMR
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 79,288
From: OMR INDUSTRIES in west palm beach florida
Re: Plastic Welding
There are a couple of ways to do it, depending on where the cracks are. First thing to do is scuff the parts with 320 grit automotive sandpaper that will have plastic weld applied.
Since it's not in two pieces, take some duct tape to the outside of the crack and cover it really well. Then flip the fairing over and apply the plastic weld. Since it's the backside, be real liberal with the stuff, you're not going to see it. Just make sure that you really get the stuff all over the parts and into any groves or holes.
After it dries, remove the tape and apply it to the outside. You'll need to be a little more conservative with it but at the same time you want it to completely fill any holes or cracks. Mash that stuff down in there with the included applicator.
After you let that dry, sand it down with 320 to make it flush with the plastic. Then blow out the dust with compressed air and check for any air pockets there might be. If there are some, fill them with some more plastic weld and keep doing this until it is 100% smooth. From that point you can paint it or do whatever you want with it.
Since it's not in two pieces, take some duct tape to the outside of the crack and cover it really well. Then flip the fairing over and apply the plastic weld. Since it's the backside, be real liberal with the stuff, you're not going to see it. Just make sure that you really get the stuff all over the parts and into any groves or holes.
After it dries, remove the tape and apply it to the outside. You'll need to be a little more conservative with it but at the same time you want it to completely fill any holes or cracks. Mash that stuff down in there with the included applicator.
After you let that dry, sand it down with 320 to make it flush with the plastic. Then blow out the dust with compressed air and check for any air pockets there might be. If there are some, fill them with some more plastic weld and keep doing this until it is 100% smooth. From that point you can paint it or do whatever you want with it.
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