Ipassgas
Well-known member
I have an "antique" car, with the associated 20 year old plastic. Some important switches are set into the console, just in front of the shifter.
Over time, the nests for these switches were no longer able to tolerate the force transmitted by pressing and holding the button down. I went to order a new console piece and got the dreaded NLA (No Longer Available), leaving me with getting a junkyard piece (with the same 20 year old plastic), or fixing it.
My first few attempts involved gluing, then plastic welding the tiny, thin plastic pieces back where they originally went. Every effort failed quickly, and spectacularly.
Then I heard about polymorph plastic, and thought that it might solve my problem. Cool stuff, but I thought I'd go with a belt and suspenders. I thought that after I fixed the thing with new plastic, I'd epoxy an aluminum plate to the console and cut a hole to allow the switch tabs in.
Then, as I was screwing with it, I broke the tab that held the spring that held the thing to the car. Arrggh.
I tried to get the plastic to conform to the part, but realized the original plastic was just too thin.
Well, I'll just use suspenders. I cut a coke can apart and shaped the pieces to fit inside and outside the switch well. I also made one for the retainer. I glued them into place, and have had successfully used the switches without them breaking out. Hooray!
This isn't nearly as cool a fab as most of you guys do, but I'm pretty excited I fixed a significant problem with a coke can, some gumption and patience.
I can't get the pictures off my phone right now - technical problems. I'll add them when I can access them.
Over time, the nests for these switches were no longer able to tolerate the force transmitted by pressing and holding the button down. I went to order a new console piece and got the dreaded NLA (No Longer Available), leaving me with getting a junkyard piece (with the same 20 year old plastic), or fixing it.
My first few attempts involved gluing, then plastic welding the tiny, thin plastic pieces back where they originally went. Every effort failed quickly, and spectacularly.
Then I heard about polymorph plastic, and thought that it might solve my problem. Cool stuff, but I thought I'd go with a belt and suspenders. I thought that after I fixed the thing with new plastic, I'd epoxy an aluminum plate to the console and cut a hole to allow the switch tabs in.
Then, as I was screwing with it, I broke the tab that held the spring that held the thing to the car. Arrggh.
I tried to get the plastic to conform to the part, but realized the original plastic was just too thin.
Well, I'll just use suspenders. I cut a coke can apart and shaped the pieces to fit inside and outside the switch well. I also made one for the retainer. I glued them into place, and have had successfully used the switches without them breaking out. Hooray!
This isn't nearly as cool a fab as most of you guys do, but I'm pretty excited I fixed a significant problem with a coke can, some gumption and patience.
I can't get the pictures off my phone right now - technical problems. I'll add them when I can access them.