Plastic welding.

[Polarbear]

Plastic welding isn't something I've done often and when I have it's not been a great success. Probably cause I've used a soldering iron and no filler material.

Is there a kit of any sort that someone would recommend that would do car/bike plastics. Oldest daughter ripped the front bumper off her car by hitting a bollard (somehow). If I can plastic weld it its repairable (while probably looking a bit shit) or it's at least £150 for a second hand one on the bay and she can't afford that.

I've found ones that just look like fancy soldering irons but I saw a bloke using one on the Repair Shop that fed a filler in a nozzle a bit like a hot glue gun. I can't seem to find that type.

Any ideas?
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[virus]

for anything needing real strength then you need the heated wire type that leaves behind the S shaped staples. the other type is like a hand held 3d printer pen, these are better for filling small cracks, sanding back before paint etc.

Otherwise just use a nackered soldering iron and feed some cableties into it like a redneck tig welder. Wear a mask tho the fumes are rancid.
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[WD Forte]

I fix quite a few scooty plastics nowadays and have the 'wavy staple' type kit, plus various irons and the staples work reallly damn well and they're cheap to buy too.
It's been a tool well worth buying for all sorts of plastic repairs.
my lad fixed his egg cooker tray with one for instance and I fixed a battery door on a Fuji camera using this method and can recommend them.

One thing to note
The staples are mostly stainless and the kit came with a feckin useless pair of cutters which even if they do manage to cut
still leave nasty, sharp, sticky uppy bits to cut yourself on
I'm not ruining the good snips I use for electronics on SS staples so
A Dremel with a cut off disc trims them down flush quickly and neatly

I use the staples for mechanical support/strength and irons for
crack/gap filling and cosmetic effects as it never welds as strong
as the original material in my experience
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[A100man]

[A100man]

https://cdn.aws.toolstation.com/images/141020-UK/800/31685.jpg
____________________
Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[stinkwheel]

Don't forget your "stop holes". Drill a hole at the point of the crack to prevent it propogating further.

I use G-flex thickened epoxy for most of my plastic repairs. Degrease thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol and briefly run a blue flame over the area to be bonded before applying the epoxy. If you have the option, put a piece of bias weave fibreglass cloth across the inside of the damaged area and wet it out. It wont snap there again.

They did an advert a few years ago where they cut an ABS plastic canoe in half with a chainsaw then glued it back together with G-flex and took it out paddling (among other things). They did actually do this.

https://youtu.be/2a5RlcP-4JE?si=tPf3tj1aFDPGF-qP
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[A100man]

[WD Forte]

The plastic welding iron kit I bought had some metal mesh in the kit
the idea is to use the broad arrow tip to melt it into the back for some added reinforcing or bridging holes and gaps, but I've only used the staple kit so far.
The 'welding rods' they supply in the iron kit are a bit shit as I think they're PP/PE cos they're bendy like cable ties and don't play well with the stiffer ABS panels, just make a feckin gooey mess.

I did do fix a Dyson V7 hand held vacuum yesterday for a mate who had stepped on it.
The body was split and broken and the staples made for a pretty strong repair and saved him the £80 for new part from Dyson.
I made no attempt to hide the repair cos cba and went all crude but effective on it.
____________________
bikers smell of wee