Plastic welding

[scootr]

Did my first plastic welding repair today. Sorry no pics. Being my first time I didn't think it would be picture worthy... but I'm pleased with the results.
I watch some videos and purchased a higher end iron from Amazon > Amazon.com
I saw a video showing a guy melting paperclip into the plastic across the crack - I did that. Followed instruction to V the crack, then melted the clips in, and then fill and smooth.
The subject was a large irrigation box my friend gave me ( retail $97 ) But it was cracked from the bottom up but no yet in half. I now have confidence I can fix the 4k gallon poly tank I bought this thing for.
We have so much plastic in our daily lives. Good to know it can be repaired.

 

[ArlyA]

What kind of plastic?

 

[bmaverick]

Did my first plastic welding repair today. Sorry no pics. Being my first time I didn't think it would be picture worthy... but I'm pleased with the results.
I watch some videos and purchased a higher end iron from Amazon > Amazon.com
I saw a video showing a guy melting paperclip into the plastic across the crack - I did that. Followed instruction to V the crack, then melted the clips in, and then fill and smooth.
The subject was a large irrigation box my friend gave me ( retail $97 ) But it was cracked from the bottom up but no yet in half. I now have confidence I can fix the 4k gallon poly tank I bought this thing for.
We have so much plastic in our daily lives. Good to know it can be repaired.

Since it's a plastic tank, plastic weld is the first layer. Next use Marine grade fiberglass gel coat over it. This way it will not separate when the tank is filled and becomes weight loaded on the tank walls.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=fiberglass+gel+coat

 

[bmaverick]

What kind of plastic?

Tanks are typically HDPE/LDPE or polypropylene.

 

[eKretz]

Those melt-in repairs work awesome. I've been using one for a few years now. A guy I know threw out a DeWalt ¼" hex drive impact because he dropped it from a high ladder onto concrete and the base where the battery slides in cracked almost completely off. I saw it in the trash and stuck a battery on it and it still worked fine otherwise. Brought it home and ground out around the crack, melted in stainless steel window screen and filled with plastic. My son is still using it as his first impact 2 years later.