First time using a plastic welder...

[ctandc72]

Results look great! I tried a plastic welding kit about a decade or more ago and didn't get the results I wanted on sportbike plastics. ABS pipe cement on the other hand worked really well. It's basically ABS and acetone IIRC and fuses with the plastic. If the JD plastic is ABS, you should use that for filler and maybe as a backer for the repairs on any new breaks.

I used to repair a ton of sportbike fairings. The ABS pipe cement doesn't fuse - it literally melts the plastic it's applied to.

FYI if you want a cheap, structurally sound fix on just about any type of plastic, just use an old soldering iron and then get a scrap piece of plastic made of the some type as the piece you are repairing. Use that scrap piece as filler material. I've done this on dashes, door panels, interior panels, motorcycle fairings etc etc. You can literally stitch the cracks / breaks together with the extra filler material. Once it cools down, sand it / prep it / paint it.

The problem with using metal and other inserts for repairing certain types of plastic - especially plastic exposed to UV and lots of movement / stress etc - the repair becomes stronger than the plastic surrounding it. The repair won't 'give' with movement, the plastic surrounding it will.

 

[JMLangford]

Results look great! I tried a plastic welding kit about a decade or more ago and didn't get the results I wanted on sportbike plastics. ABS pipe cement on the other hand worked really well. It's basically ABS and acetone IIRC and fuses with the plastic. If the JD plastic is ABS, you should use that for filler and maybe as a backer for the repairs on any new breaks.

I think those plastic parts are Xenoy, a tough resin from what used to be GE plastics. I think it was a PC blend but not ABS.

The material is Polycarbonate Polyethylene Terephthalate (say that fast 3 times ) You can see the >PC/PET< stamped on the backside....and yes acetone will react/melt it.


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[hefnerconstructionlc]

Wow that was great. You did an excellent job.

 

[kerrynzl]

The material is Polycarbonate Polyethylene Terephthalate (say that fast 3 times ) You can see the >PC/PET< stamped on the backside....and yes acetone will react/melt it.

Plastic Drink Bottles [Coca Cola] are made from PET, so you can get an unlimited supply of filler material
The Polycarbonate part of Polycarbonate Polyethylene Terephthalate is usually a fiber reinforcing

Acetone will dissolve it, but so will Toluene.
You can use Toluene to "etch" the parent material for the filler and the Heat will evaporate it out

PET melts at 260°C and Toluene evaporates at 50°C

 

[GaryM909]

OP, the plastic welding job you did looks great. Last month I welded part of the floor pan on a RZR side x side.
I used a pencil soldering iron and for filler I cut strips about 3/16" wide from plastic mudflaps. The welded part is holding up well.

 

[cgrutt]

Looks great!

 

[Dr Klaun]

Having a JD garden tractor with similar plastics and vintage, I ended up glassing ALL of the hood and side panels as they will eventually all crack. Their plastic definitely has a lifespan with UV exposure and seems to be plated in gold from the dealer. Great job on the repair!

 

[JMLangford]

Having a JD garden tractor with similar plastics and vintage, I ended up glassing ALL of the hood and side panels as they will eventually all crack. Their plastic definitely has a lifespan with UV exposure and seems to be plated in gold from the dealer. Great job on the repair!

Thanks
Yep, John Deere is notorious for their plastics deteriorating from UV exposure.
My 20 yr old mower has lived a sheltered life, first by being stored in my shop, then later on parked under a carport.
What little time it is exposed to UV is about an hour at most to mow our small yard.
As a former parts manager at a JD dealership I can confirm their parts are extremely overpriced!

 

[cadman777]

Man, you're having WAAAAAY too much fun!