Repair and paint plastics...

[MonkOFox]

I was trying to find a way to repair my cracks on my plastics, but all i can find that sounds good is a plastic welder.. but do they work good?

I know what kind of paint to use, but need to seal up those cracks.

Thanks,

Justin

[Brad200X]

Read on here somwheres that they work good (plastic welders). I think you need to use automotive paint mixed with an additive to make it flexible. If you just paint it with any old rattlecan it'll crack and chip, but you probably already knew that. Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in for you.

[NewfieBish]

plastic welders are the bomb!! they used one on the plastics of my bike, then they sanded the welds down with good sandpaper, and you would never even say it was broke unless you looked at the bottom of the fenders haha

[zoomerman]

i sew my fenders with fishing line then pur a clear plastic adhesive coacting on the underside

[Blown 331]

Personally I would never paint plastic, I have never seen it work- even with correct flexible paint. It will look worse than before you painted it in just a few years.

[SYKO]

when using a plastic welder try to use the same type of plastic as the part your welding... like if your repairing a honda fender, then use a another old honda fender of the same color to cut the plastic weld strips with

now paint...

flex additive.... is made to help aid in the paint flex while a plastic part is being installed

like a new car bumper,

after wards it really has no effect

now if you do want to paint plastic there are a few types of special high grade paints avail

but all will still fail if you ram into some trees or go flipping end over end

plastic must be preped basically the same way you would any car part for paint

then a adheision promotor must be sprayed prior to using paint.. base coat clear coat is naturaly more flexable then single stage

[MonkOFox]

If i were to ram into a tree or flip my 3 wheeler, the plastic would crack/break ne ways right? Also, I dont plane to drive my 3 wheeler into a tree, or purposely flip it. If i were to do so, that would be by accident and not avoidable.

so ill still paint em :).

Justin Fox

[Blown 331]

If i were to ram into a tree or flip my 3 wheeler, the plastic would crack/break ne ways right? Also, I dont plane to drive my 3 wheeler into a tree, or purposely flip it. If i were to do so, that would be by accident and not avoidable.

so ill still paint em :).

Justin Fox

True but I'm talking about scratches from tree branches etc and it just wont stick anyway.

[honda_atc200es]

my friend decided to take my plastics and fuse the cracks by just heating it up and using solder, is this going to fail miserably i havent seen it yet...

[SYKO]

like melting the two sides of the plastic together? Ive done this is the past with mixed results, takes some practice and a decent propane torch.

[honda_atc200es]

yeahh, he said it doesnt need zipties anymore, so i imagine its better than nothing, i still plan on using the custom brace i fabbed up (took a peice of steel, bent it to conform to plastic, drilled through plastic, bolted metal to plastic, bolted other side to front plastic mount and tada, no more sag) then im just gunna sand it down good and krylon it, when it cracks and fades, ill just sand it down again and paint it over

[carscomefirst]

Dupont makes a line of product just for plastics. Prep cleaners, Adhesion promoters, and Vinyl paint. Works great, but like any paint will scratch off if abused. My parents painted some plastic patio chairs with it and it lasted years. Still good when they bought thier wrought iron set.
It is very Pricey.

[honda_atc200es]

hmm, ill have to look into that, im not too worried about this being a show peice, im just sick and tired of the hidious orange plastics i have right now

p.s. carscomefirst, would you happen to have a link? i cant seem to find the exact product and price, thanks

[fabiodriven]

I've personally never seen painted plastic come out good, except one of my spare Tecate tanks- I bought a parts bike and it had the painted tank on it. Although the paint isn't a great color, I can't beleive how well it's stuck on there. I've never seen anything like it.

[carscomefirst]

hmm, ill have to look into that, im not too worried about this being a show peice, im just sick and tired of the hidious orange plastics i have right now

p.s. carscomefirst, would you happen to have a link? i cant seem to find the exact product and price, thanks

http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/common/pdfs/b/product/dr/ChromaSystem/K-10643_2310S.pdf
http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/common/pdfs/b/product/dr/ChromaSystem/H-19352_2320S.pdf
These are tech sheets

As far as the paint(vinyl dye) check with a local dupont jobber. It is part of the Croma Systems. Can be mixed in High, med, and low gloss in any color.(if your jobber knows what they are doing)
Hope this helps.

[TriMotoMan]

haha drill holes and zip tie your fenders back together, for paint i use kryon fusion plastic spray paint works goood but rubs off after while

[300rman]

read my how-to guide for painting plastics.

if you want the awesome smoothness, the primer steps are necessary. if you just want color, scuff em and paint em, but sand scratches and gouges will still be visible.

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=81976&highlight=plastic

[honda_atc200es]

haha drill holes and zip tie your fenders back together, for paint i use kryon fusion plastic spray paint works goood but rubs off after while

ive been there =], but my friend insisted on 'fusing them' so i let him have his fun, im considering krylon, but now my friends want to work our car club logo in it and make it all fancy, so im probably gunna follow the advice thread above

[300rman]

also, drilling a small hole in front of the crack will prevent it from getting bigger.