Easy Plastics Repair

I thought I would share this with MA. Its a trick I was using on my vintage Apache popup camper and it works great on moped plastics. ABS plastic was cheap and used on almost everything while our mopeds were produced. That means you are in luck !!!

All you need is some Methyl Ethyl Keytone (MEK) and some ABS plastic (old comp keyboards) and a small jar.

Smaller pieces will disolve faster so smash up that $3 thrift shop computer keyboard and toss the pieces in the jar.

Pour the MEK on the ABS pieces until they are covered in MEK. This should take 2-24 hrs to disolve depending on the size of the ABS pieces. You can stir it up to speed the process with a screwdriver and peel off the mekgoo after it dries then toss it back in the jar. Seal the jar up tight because MEK evaporates quickly.

I used a little extra MEK, no biggie. If it becomes too thin just leave the lid off the jar for a little while and it will thicken up.

Next you want to take a Dremel tool and make a nice V in the crack on both sides. This gives the mekgoo a place to sit and weld.

remember to drill a hole at the very end of the crack to stop the further spread of the crack.

Ok this is where I got messy. Because I am doing the mekgoo weld on the inside on my sidecovers (and could'nt find a paint brush) I just poured it on there. First take a little pure MEK and brush it on the area to be repaired. It will instantly begin to disolve everything it touches. This helps to let the mekgoo weld together with the plastics to be repaired. Then take your brush and "paint" the mekgoo onto the crack. Painters tape can be used to hold the crack together if needed (it won't sitck to the tape).

^ I told you I got sloppy. No problem, I can sand it smooth if needed.

After your first coat dries, apply a few more coats. Build that shit up a little to give it some strength and let each coat cure for about 15mins before applying another coat.

Done !!! If I wanted to do a complete restore I would have been more careful on the inside. I could sand it smooth on the inside then start over doing the same thing on the outside. Sand it smooth and paint.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

M-Tenn Aaron /

This becomes stronger than it ever was to begin with. You can even "weld" 2 seperate pieces together this way. So if that fairing split or broke, or the awesome cracked fairing that treats has for cheap because of the crack, if the holes for mounting are huge and pretty much gone, just slap some blue tape on one side, pour it on, let it dry, and drill your new mounting hole.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

bravo!

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AWESOME. I love sidecovers. Thanks for the writeup, I'm going to use it.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

YES!

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Jason Collier /

i was just about to send you this link seth! and this is pretty rad/useful.

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It works even better if you blow bubbles in the bottom of the jar with a straw. just keep blowing hard and in a few minutes you will know what I'm talking about!

HOPE THIS HELPS

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

M-Tenn Aaron /

^ Haha. The straw would melt and the fumes would knock you out.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

very nice write up should go in wiki

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M-Tenn Aaron /

I don't know how to wiki it.

Also Do this OUTSIDE !!! The fumes are supposedly bad for you. The MEKgoo will stay in a jar for about 5 months and if it dries out just add more MEK and Wala another batch ready to apply.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Added this to my important bookmarks folder !!!

Thanks for the tip that is super cool.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Very good! I will use this to fix my fudged up front bumper!

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Josh Koelker Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Very good! I will use this to fix my fudged up

> front bumper!

your moped has bumpers?

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

yeah this is solvent welding- just like for pvc pipe or arcrylic/plexiglass, it basically melts the plastic back together. You could do it with a soldering iron and some scrap plastic, but this way is better.

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If you upload the photos, I'll turn it into a wiki article. (It's just like attaching files to an e-mail. If you get any warnings, just ignore them.) Making the article is easy when it's already written out like this -- I just don't like having to download then re-upload all of the photos.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

M-Tenn Aaron /

Thanks Linda. I did this from my phone so I will try to make a wiki on it soon.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Yeti the Figg /

Very cool. I will definitely try this on some scrap pieces soon.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Chance Lampeau Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Josh Koelker Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Very good! I will use this to fix my fudged up

> > front bumper!

>

>

> your moped has bumpers?

No but my Ford Focass does.

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

M-Tenn Aaron /

Can someone upload this to the wiki ? I have no idea how and I don't want to destroy the wiki by somehow deleting MA. LOL.

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dude... nice work. It's always so nice when something really useful pops up on the gen forum.

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...and potentially life threatening ;) JK

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Re: Easy Plastics Repair

M-Tenn Aaron /

Thanks WillD. See you at RIP this year.

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i categorized your awesome new article so that others can find it later :)

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Thanks man. I love stuff like this. Useful, dangerous and creative all in one.

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thx aaronFowler,

I'd put "Plastic repair" in the repairs category with a redirect to the new "Solvent welding" article because i'd hoped it'd be more obvious to people looking

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M-Tenn Aaron /

Thanks Aaron Fowler. Maybe one day I will learn how to wiki stuff.

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it really isnt hard. you cant actually delete anything... tis the nature of Wikis

i didnt even notice the redirect :)

Re: Easy Plastics Repair

Excellent!

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