Plastics welding equipement

[nbpt100]

I am considering getting a plastics welder for home projects.

HF has two inexpensive units....A hot air style (run from your compressed air) and a soldering iron style.

It seems from what I have been reading they both have their own benefits.

I have also seen more expensive ones sold by body shop supply companies and industrial supply houses. Were are talking several hundreds of dollars more for a better quality unit.

For the occasional home use I assume the HF will be good enough?

I am open to experiences and ideas people want to share on this topic.

Thanks!

 

[Shawn S]

For occasional home use I bought a flat tip for my soldering iron and I use that. I use zip ties for filler rod.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I have the HF air welder. There is a learning curve, but it works well enough. I bought it to weld the latch mechanism back onto the Dingo's hood.

 

[nbpt100]

For occasional home use I bought a flat tip for my soldering iron and I use that. I use zip ties for filler rod.

OK, but the filler material has to be the same plastic you are welding. So you have been lucky so far.

I am leaning towards the HF air machine and buying their welding rod kit.

 

[mbatarga]

FYI, there are a few youtube videos on using blue tarp material as filler for plastic part welding/repair. I don't think every job takes special tools and filler.

 

[kbs2244]

I have been watching the technology evolve.
And it seems matching the fill to the parent is key.

The best way to do it seems to be to use pieces of similar parts as filler.

 

[rlitman]

OK, but the filler material has to be the same plastic you are welding. So you have been lucky so far...

This is not true. Thermoplastics are often blended.

If it is anything like welding metal (and it is), using a filler that differs from the substrate is not only the norm, but can really help things.

 

[Bobhdus]

I have a Seelye hot air welder. I bought it on eBay and it was supposedly brand new but didn’t work and I secretly thought it was the fuse but it turned out the heating coil had been dropped and needed replaced. But still, with $150 total investment it was a steal. It had the built in air compressor and all fit in its own toolbox. I’ve welded schedule 80 PVC pipe, plastic car bumpers. Lexan Machine Guards, Nordson Powder Coat system walls etc. made my money back and then some. Just gotta know if the plastic is thermoset or thermobond and there are burn charts to help ID plastics. As said before, some plastics might be able to be mixed if you can get the melting points close at the same time to bond. Be safe!


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[Bryanthegreat]

I use a plastic welder that melts staples into the plastic and then a flat tip to melt the plastic and cover the staple. The repairs turn out as good or better than the original. I have used the iron type before and it didn’t seem to work that well. I have one like this at work and it has paid for itself.
http://www.bodymanautomotive.com/in...-hybrid-hot-staple-plastic-repair-system.html

 

[Hammer1963]

I use a plastic welder that melts staples into the plastic and then a flat tip to melt the plastic and cover the staple. The repairs turn out as good or better than the original. I have used the iron type before and it didn’t seem to work that well. I have one like this at work and it has paid for itself.
http://www.bodymanautomotive.com/in...-hybrid-hot-staple-plastic-repair-system.html

I have a unit very similar to this and I agree that it works very well. It had made me a fair amount of $$$$$$$

 

[nbpt100]

This is not true. Thermoplastics are often blended.

If it is anything like welding metal (and it is), using a filler that differs from the substrate is not only the norm, but can really help things.

I am talking about the welding rod.
I am far from an expert but I have done a bit of welding and never have I been able to get anytihng to work by using a rod different from the substrate.

When you injection mold thermoplastics it is a different process and fillers are used. You can even use regrind.

 

[Bobhdus]

I’ve seen people use “Rubbermaid” or generic containers or lids just so they can use snips or pieces of the plastic for welding. It’s usually polypropylene, ABS or something common like that. If it’s changing color or turning brown your getting it too hot.


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[kerrynzl]

I have a Seelye hot air welder. I bought it on eBay and it was supposedly brand new but didn’t work and I secretly thought it was the fuse but it turned out the heating coil had been dropped and needed replaced.

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That is NOT caused by being dropped.
The element [heating coil] will burn out if you switch it off suddenly, unplugging it, or a power cut

You need to keep air flowing past the element with the heat switched off so you can hold your hand in the air flow and it becomes cool.

You must cool it before you switch it off.
My hot air welder is 16 years old and still trouble free.[I've seen brand new welders burn out the element on the first session with amateurs]

I've been hot air [and high frequency] welding PVC since 1983

 

[RNN14Wolfe]

I have the HF air welder. There is a learning curve, but it works well enough. I bought it to weld the latch mechanism back onto the Dingo's hood.

The problem I have with that one is it's more of a plastic brazing, than welding.

 

[Bobhdus]

That is NOT caused by being dropped.

The element [heating coil] will burn out if you switch it off suddenly, unplugging it, or a power cut



You need to keep air flowing past the element with the heat switched off so you can hold your hand in the air flow and it becomes cool.



You must cool it before you switch it off.

My hot air welder is 16 years old and still trouble free.[I've seen brand new welders burn out the element on the first session with amateurs]



I've been hot air [and high frequency] welding PVC since 1983

That’s probably what happened but it was like that when I got it. It looked like it had never been used. It was from an acquisition company selling a bunch of things on eBay. But your absolutely right! Always let them cool down before turning off.


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[Kithegearhead]

Hey

For durability and longevity of the repair it is best to match the filler to the substrate. There is a massive variety of plastics with various degrees of elasticity and ductile strength. Most of the harder plastics are fiberglass reinforced which makes them stronger at wide range of temperatures, using PVC(3), HDPE(2) or low grade zip ties (7) will create an area that might be not as strong at the lower temperatures.
There is a likely chance that body filler will provide additional strength but I am willing to bet it is no way as close across the temperature ranges as the substrate material.

https://preciousplastic.com/en/videos/collect.html here is a bit of info on identification of variety of plastics.

But I digress, I use a regular soldering iron with variable temperature and wide tip. If the repair is very big using paper clips to create stitches to reinforce the seam. It is also worth mentioning that cleaning with denatured alcohol also prevents creation of contaminants.

I do plastic repairs once in a blue moon therefore didn't see the need to purchase an additional expensive apparatus. It would just take very valuable space in my garage.

 

[dogdog]

everyone needs an ultrasonic plastic welder at home.... dam I saw one on ebay used once, and still beating my *** for not bidding higher for it.

something larger than these things.
https://www.ultrasonicsdirect.com/h...MI3__11d-r2wIVgx5pCh3ZuQ5REAQYAiABEgJQmvD_BwE

 

[trackwelder]

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/mini-weld-model-7-plastic-welder-p-13721.aspx

This is what I use. It has fixed a ton of stuff

 

[TimeWarpF100]

I am considering getting a plastics welder for home projects.

HF has two inexpensive units....A hot air style (run from your compressed air) and a soldering iron style.

It seems from what I have been reading they both have their own benefits.

I have also seen more expensive ones sold by body shop supply companies and industrial supply houses. Were are talking several hundreds of dollars more for a better quality unit.

For the occasional home use I assume the HF will be good enough?

I am open to experiences and ideas people want to share on this topic.

Thanks!

I bought a plastic welder to repair a very expensive Rear Spoiler on my 1969 Mercury Eliminator. Used it maybe once since then. I would consider selling it if you are interested. I paid just over 900.00 for it but would give a great deal. I also bought a bunch of different plastic welding rod to go with it. Have no clue what I paid for that. I will look to get exact model etc.

Edit add:
Its a Seelye brand with a built in compressor. Best I can tell they now start price around 1000.00 & up. I would be willing to let go for a bunch less. Have not used it in quite some time so had to "find" it. It "saved" the big $$ spoiler that had a long crack in it. Typical they warp this one was perfect straight just crack at seam. Worked fantastic. Everything I do is metal now so have not needed it.

 

[Strouty]

At least it is on sale.

everyone needs an ultrasonic plastic welder at home.... dam I saw one on ebay used once, and still beating my *** for not bidding higher for it.

something larger than these things.
https://www.ultrasonicsdirect.com/h...MI3__11d-r2wIVgx5pCh3ZuQ5REAQYAiABEgJQmvD_BwE

 

[6PTsocket]

Having done a bit of plastic welding with a Polyvance soldering iron style plastic welder I can tell you if you are not using the same plasic for filler it will just ball up in a lump and not fuse. There is no universal welding rod but there is a product called fiberflex that works more like hot glue and bonds to the surfaces of most plastics. It can be made stronger by embedding stainless steel mesh in the molten fiberflex. Repeat, it is not true welding because it does not fuse the broken plastic underneath. It is pretty strong but under enough stress I have had the fiberflex and stainless mesh pop off. There are quite a few plastics out there and it can be a challenge, sometimes, figuring out which one you are repairing. Some are marked for recycle purposes so that helps. I did not see that video and can only guess he is using the tarp like hot melt glue. Some plastics are pretty nasty when they get hot or burn. Only thermo plastics can be welded. Those are the ones that melt when heated. They can also be solvent welded with solvents that desolve the plastic at the break and harden when the solvent evaporates.Thermosetting plastics are a one shot. They burn when reheated and cannot be welded. That leaves some type adhesive or cement as the only option.

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[rlitman]

...if you are not using the same plasic for filler it will just ball up in a lump and not fuse...

I mostly see this "cold weld" phenomenon happen when the base material temperature is too low. However, it can also happen if the filler is completely incompatible with the base material (either chemically, or thermally). But you can mix and match a surprising array of thermoplastics, so filler often does not need to be a perfect match.

...I did not see that video and can only guess he is using the tarp like hot melt glue...

Yeah, it's just polyethylene. I see people doing the same with milk jugs and 5 gallon buckets.