Member Contributer karhawk Posted March 17, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 17, 2012 I do some plumbing and was wondering if ABS cement for joining pipes together will work in conjunction with fiberglass or metal lace backing will work to join some cracks on my busted up fairing? I would clean with MEK or similar. Thanks Chris Oakland, Ca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Yes it can work. ABS plastic is ABS plastic. I've not tried the mesh backing method myself, but the glue definetly will chemically bond with the plastic, same as plumbing pipe. I can't vouch for the effectiveness of the completed repair though. Note that paint will inhibit the action of the glue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworth Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I so some plumbing and was wondering if ABS cement for joining pipes together will work in conjunction with fiberglass or metal lace backing will work to join some cracks on my busted up fairing? I would clean with MEK or similar. Thanks Chris Oakland, Ca. ABS glue will not work in conjunction with fiberglass or any type of metal. It will only work with ABS plastic. It does not act as a glue so much as it melts the ABS plastic together. VFR fairing is ABS plastic. Cracks and splits will need an abs backing, all paint must be removed from the glued area and clamping pressure must be applied to the backing piece to force the melted plastic together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer karhawk Posted March 18, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 18, 2012 I so some plumbing and was wondering if ABS cement for joining pipes together will work in conjunction with fiberglass or metal lace backing will work to join some cracks on my busted up fairing? I would clean with MEK or similar. Thanks Chris Oakland, Ca. ABS glue will not work in conjunction with fiberglass or any type of metal. It will only work with ABS plastic. It does not act as a glue so much as it melts the ABS plastic together. VFR fairing is ABS plastic. Cracks and splits will need an abs backing, all paint must be removed from the glued area and clamping pressure must be applied to the backing piece to force the melted plastic together Good to know, I will clean the surfaces on the inside so no paint is present, all patches will be on the inside and I will bondo as necessary when I repaint. Will the plexiglass store have ABS sheets? Or will pieces of car bumper cleaned up work? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer karhawk Posted March 19, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 19, 2012 Here is a follow up, the ABS glue works well, as long as the surface to be bonded is cleaned of all paints etc. I used strips of broken ABS and bonded under pressure, then followed up with Propoxy20 which is a two part epoxy putty about the consistency of play doh in areas that need further strengthening. I managed to save the R middle faring so the only pieces I need are R upper faring and windshield. Chris Oakland, Ca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigeW Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Fibreglass matting and the correct resin is the best stuff for the job at the end of the day. I'm sure your method works, but there's a right way to do everything which usually turns out to be easier.. I'm a plumber too and I keep my plumbing gear and my proper tools in different tool-boxes. No offence... just trying to make life easier for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JETS Posted March 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 20, 2012 Karhawk, Plastic repair epoxy putty is in stores, even Home Despot. Regular epoxy and polyester resins will not stick to ABS. ABS glue is low strength compared to the stock molded body part. Fix the backside first. The putty will adhere to ABS, and if stainless steel mesh (Urethane Supply Co.)is embedded, is very strong. Surface flaws then need filling with the same. Just Dremel a vee-groove along the crack to a 45 degree open channel and fill with the putty. Sand and smooth with thin coats of Evercoat Polyflex, a flexible body filler that will adhere to plastic (Bondo won't). You will have to re-paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeffyjeff Posted March 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 20, 2012 Chris, I have used ABS successfully to make repairs to the plastic on my VFR and my Pacific Coast. I use emery cloth to sand the paint down to the black plastic, then use the cloth as a backer to strenghten the repair. I have fabricated tabs to broken fairing pieces by sandwiching layers of emery cloth and abs cement in a vise, then cutting out the tab and cementing onto the fairing. One time, I fabricated a new tab onto a broken headlight that I bought from the salvage yard. My PC has a number of ABS repairs to cracks and broken tabs caused by age and vibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Burns Posted March 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 20, 2012 Chris, try plastifix ... the ABS glue is ok, but tends to be a little porious... just doesn't seem to hold up over the long haul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer karhawk Posted March 21, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 21, 2012 Karhawk, Plastic repair epoxy putty is in stores, even Home Despot. Regular epoxy and polyester resins will not stick to ABS. ABS glue is low strength compared to the stock molded body part. Fix the backside first. The putty will adhere to ABS, and if stainless steel mesh (Urethane Supply Co.)is embedded, is very strong. Surface flaws then need filling with the same. Just Dremel a vee-groove along the crack to a 45 degree open channel and fill with the putty. Sand and smooth with thin coats of Evercoat Polyflex, a flexible body filler that will adhere to plastic (Bondo won't). You will have to re-paint. I will defiantly have to repaint, I'm making a functioning mid R faring out of junk. I will get some plastic epoxy with steel mesh in the bad areas, thanks for the tip on Everflex! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer karhawk Posted March 21, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 21, 2012 Chris, try plastifix ... the ABS glue is ok, but tends to be a little porious... just doesn't seem to hold up over the long haul. They sure don't give the stuff away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Burns Posted March 21, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted March 21, 2012 Chris, try plastifix ... the ABS glue is ok, but tends to be a little porious... just doesn't seem to hold up over the long haul. They sure don't give the stuff away! true, but having been down both roads, it's worth it.. unless you actually LIKE fixing plastic all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 true, but having been down both roads, it's worth it.. unless you actually LIKE fixing plastic all the time. Sounds fun, I should try that some time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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