Best Plastic Welder?
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Looking into getting a plastic welder and need some input before I make the purchase. Whats the difference between the airless welders and the hot air ones? I currently fix bumpers by adhesive bonding but I think plastic welding would be a better overall repair. Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks
i got a usc one an like it alot its like a soldering iron on steroids works great
The airless is the way to go (like Bondo’s).
I personally prefer bonding repairs, but welding has its place. :cheers
I’ll have to check that one out Bondo. Thanks
I want to try that fancy pants stapler thing that was posted here a couple months back. hot wire embedded in the bumper to hold it straight, and a little plastic filler to smooth it out. I’ve seen lots of bonded plastic come apart later because it wasn’t properly reinforced, and it takes a while to do it right. the staple stuff looks fast.
Ben, why don’t you like the air powered plastic welders? I think having a plastic wire-feed welder is pretty wicked!
[quote=”bobwires” post=16727]I want to try that fancy pants stapler thing that was posted here a couple months back. hot wire embedded in the bumper to hold it straight, and a little plastic filler to smooth it out. I’ve seen lots of bonded plastic come apart later because it wasn’t properly reinforced, and it takes a while to do it right. the staple stuff looks fast.
Ben, why don’t you like the air powered plastic welders? I think having a plastic wire-feed welder is pretty wicked![/quote]
I find the airless quick and easy to use, but I still prefer the bonded method.
I have had a lot of 3M training (especially for plastic repair). I love their system. The thing I like with bonding is that you fill it at the same time that you bond it. The products 3M has set in 50 seconds, 3 minutes and 15 minutes. The 15 minute product sands and fills extremely well. Technically, polyester fillers should never be applied over flexible plastic, and it seems that most people who plastic weld resort to this.
Oh, and in regards to plastic bonding coming apart, it is basically entirely due to user error. Reinforcement tape is required, as is adhesion promoter (which has to be used properly). Another issues is using the correct product (flexible for flexible plastics and rigid for rigid plastics). The system is easy to use, but there are several crucial steps, if just 1 is not followed properly than the entire repair is compromised. I have actually seen most plastic failures due to incorrect plastic welding and/or use of polyester products.
of all the plastic bonding products Ive used I have consistently ran into the same problem. pinholes, and they don’t sand worth a crap. in my mind repairing bumpers is a losing battle, but when they are really reinforced the repair should last fine. most of my work is interior parts, and whenever possible I stick to ABS plastic, CA glue, and poly fillers.
[quote=”bobwires” post=16745]of all the plastic bonding products Ive used I have consistently ran into the same problem. pinholes, and they don’t sand worth a crap. in my mind repairing bumpers is a losing battle, but when they are really reinforced the repair should last fine. most of my work is interior parts, and whenever possible I stick to ABS plastic, CA glue, and poly fillers.[/quote]
Of all the products I have used, the 3M is by far the easiest to sand (very nice). And has minimal amounts of pinholes. The Dominion Sure Seal products are ok (for economy brand stuff). Theirs are mediocre to sand. The neat thing with theirs is that they come in different rigidities. The more rigid ones would be better for interior parts.
I’ve got the 4240, which is great as a bonder but leaves lots of pinholes, and I still have some 5885 left – which is crap. I hate that stuff. gums up paper worse than anything I’ve used – supposed to dry in minutes, but it has to be FULLY cured before you dare sand it without risking chunks of it falling off.
I was going to say 3m is the worst for sanding :rofl
maxim is good stuff, and comes right out of a standard tube in a caulking gun
im a big fan of the lord fusor adhesives. the repair adhesive 142 can be used with any type of plastic as long as you spray the surface modifier and then they have the 114 which is a plastic finishing adhesive which spreads and sands like a coat of body filler. 3m is good too
[quote=”bobwires” post=16755]I’ve got the 4240, which is great as a bonder but leaves lots of pinholes, and I still have some 5885 left – which is crap. I hate that stuff. gums up paper worse than anything I’ve used – supposed to dry in minutes, but it has to be FULLY cured before you dare sand it without risking chunks of it falling off.
I was going to say 3m is the worst for sanding :rofl
maxim is good stuff, and comes right out of a standard tube in a caulking gun[/quote]
only 1 of the 3M products sands well. They actually changed it about 2 or 3 years ago and it is much better than the old formula. I can get the P/N if you are at all interested.
i would be interested i can usally get em close enuff with my welder an the fiber flex rod but would like ta try somthing different than the sem i was using as long as it dont sand like a rubber boot:lol1 :lol1
yeah what is the part number?
rubber boot is exactly what it’s like sanding the epoxy-based crap.
Plastic weld to get them close with airless welder then i also like the lord fusor products that mo mentioned . half ways nice to sand
[url=http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?66666UuZjcFSLXTtNxf6OxM2EVuQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666–]This is the one I like[/url]
3M EZ Sand Flexible Parts Repair, 05887
Follow the directions. My only advice, do a quick initial sand with 80 on a DA, then block with 80 then 120 up to 320. It is not bad with pinholes, but you likely will get a few. Re0skim with it if necessary then let the primer take care of the rest.
I find sanding it is fairly easy (compared to other plastic repair products I have used). Adhesion is great, so it feathers out really nice.
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