Welding Plastic

rwm

rwm

Robert
H-M Lifetime Diamond Member
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Mar 25, 2013
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This was my first time:

Jackson Antix with a big ol' hole/crack in the stern
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I used a big soldering iron and a shaving from another part of the boat. I embedded some SS wool in there for good measure. Came out pretty good I think:
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Could also try using the "bent wire" inserts they also use for bumper repairs.. Failing that, make your own..

Either way, nice fix to a common problem with plastics as they age/become brittle.
 
One thing that really works well in thermoplastics for reinforcement is to imbed some stainless steel wire mesh into the repaired area. A soldering iron with a flat tip (i.e., Polyvance 'Bigfoot') will heat the mesh and sink it into the plastic.

No, aluminum mesh won't work worth a darn.
 
I didn't have any SS mesh handy. I did put some SS wool in there. Might give it some tensile strength. The main issue here is abrasion by rocks. I just need this to last through November!
Rocks, lots of rocks...
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