How To Repair Soft Plastics Youtube

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Whether you demand to repair a fissure or join pieces of plastic together, welding is the solution. Welding is a relatively uncomplicated task to practise at home since plastic is so soft and pliable. You need an electric welding gun and an appropriate welding rod to consummate the repair. Subsequently y'all clean and identify the plastic, use the heat of the gun to gradually melt and join the plastic together. Finish the weld past smoothing it out to create a fix that is stronger and cheaper than a new piece of plastic.

1. ane

   Gear up a workspace in a ventilated surface area to protect against grit and fumes. Welding creates a few rubber concerns to tackle before you get started. If y'all tin can, work outdoors or under a ventilation system. Open up up nearby doors and windows and apply fans to air out the expanse. Likewise, vesture a dust mask and protective polycarbonate spectacles for extra safety while preparing the plastic.^[1]

   • Proceed other people out of the area until you're finished working.

2. 2

   Put on rut-resistant gloves and long-sleeved clothing for protection. You definitely need a expert pair of work gloves fabricated from a cloth similar leather. Cover up with long-sleeved vesture, pants, and a pair of closed work boots. To protect your face up, try using a clear welding visor.^[two]

   • You don't have to clothing a full welding mask. The torches used in plastic welding don't requite off a harmful light.

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3. 3

   Clean the plastic with soap and warm water to remove debris. Offset by scrubbing off as much droppings as possible with a sponge soaked in warm h2o. If that doesn't piece of work, launder the plastic with mild dish soap or detergent. Eliminate clay, grease, and other droppings the plastic picked upwardly over fourth dimension since it could weaken the weld. And then, dry the plastic off with a make clean, lint-free cloth when you lot're done.^[3]

   • For stubborn stains, try using a liquid solvent called methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), which you tin can go online or at a hardware store. Moisten a make clean rag with the solvent, then scrub the plastic until the stain comes out.
   • Avoid using whatever industrial-force detergents. They oft exit backside a soapy film that affects the weld.

4. 4

   Use the letter of the alphabet identification on the plastic to choose a matching welding rod. Many plastic products often have letter identifiers printed on them. Look for the messages PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Choose a rod that matches the type of plastic you lot plan on welding.^[4]

   • For example, you would need a polyethylene rod to join pieces of polyethylene together. You can oft fix a crack on a unmarried piece by melting plastic around it, but accept a welding rod on hand to cover any gaps.

5. 5

   Utilize a welding rod testing kit if you're not sure what kind of plastic you lot take. A rod testing kit comes with all sorts of dissimilar plastic welding rods. To utilise the test, try to selection a rod that near closely resembles the plastic. Heat the cease of the rod like you normally would in welding to attach it to a clean spot on the plastic. Then, effort pulling the rod off the plastic using a pair of pliers. If it stays fastened, so it is the same cloth as the plastic.^[5]

   • Since you tin only combine the same blazon of plastic, merely a single rod will stay welded to the plastic. Refer to the letter marking or the test kit transmission to make up one's mind what type of plastic that rod is.
   • Testing kits, along with welding rods and other materials, are available online or at many hardware stores.

6. 6

   Remove paint on the plastic with a piece of 80-dust sandpaper. If the surface area yous wish to weld has paint on it, scrub it off with rough sandpaper. Rub the sandpaper dorsum and forth across the surface, pressing downwards with low-cal simply consistent force per unit area. Keep doing this to betrayal the bare plastic underneath the paint.^[six]

   • You could also use an annoying disc or sanding bike that attaches to a drill. Another pick is to scrape away paint with a pigment scraper or another tool. Be careful not to scratch the plastic underneath the paint!

7. 7

   Clamp and tape plastic pieces together to hold the joint in place. Course the joint before turning on your torch. Place the plastic pieces on a bench, pushing them as close together as possible. Then, use C-clamps to pin the pieces to the tabular array. Wrap foil tape effectually the pieces as needed to continue them pressed close together, but avoid roofing the surface area you wish to weld.^[7]

   • Make certain you lot secure the joints tightly and in the exact position you need. That manner, you don't have to worry about adjusting them as you focus on the weld.

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1. 1

   Preheat the welding gun for at least 2 minutes. Every type of plastic melts at a dissimilar temperature, so setting your welding gun up correctly is important. The temperature you demand will be somewhere between 200 and 300 °C (392 and 572 °F). Annihilation across that range either burns the plastic or doesn't melt it enough.^[8]

   • For example, set the welding gun to 300 °C (572 °F) when working on propylene and polyurethane.
   • Adjust the heat setting to about 275 °C (527 °F) to work on PVC.
   • Set the heat to about 265 °C (509 °F) for polyethylene.

2. ii

   Secure the plastic together by tack welding the ends. Before you lot beginning the actual weld, pivot loose pieces of plastic together by melting the ends of the joint. Fit a tack welding nozzle on your welding gun, and so apply a little bit of rut. Wait for the plastic to brainstorm melting, joining the pieces of plastic together. This volition keep the plastic from moving as you complete the weld.^[9]

   • A tack welding nozzle looks like a tube with a fin on the cease. Printing the fin against the plastic to heat it and melt it together.
   • All you need to do is melt the plastic a little to ensure it tin can't come up apart. If you demand to, tack weld spots every 1 ft (0.thirty m) along the joint for boosted security.

3. 3

   Trim the terminate of a welding rod with angle cutting pliers. Trimming a rod is very unproblematic. Concur the pliers diagonally toward the end of the rod. Then, snip it to strop the rod to a betoken. If you don't have pliers, use a trimming knife to scrape the rod to a indicate.^[x]

   • By giving the rod a pointed end, you increase the chances of getting a shine, steady weld without a big bubble of plastic where you beginning.
   • You can let the welding gun cool off before irresolute nozzles and inserting the welding rod. Still, remember to let the gun estrus up again before starting the weld.

4. iv

   Insert a welding rod into a speed nozzle on a welding gun. A speed nozzle has an opening to concord the welding rod as yous melt information technology onto the joint. If 1 didn't come with your heat gun, y'all can purchase one separately. After plumbing fixtures the nozzle on your plastic welding heat gun, feed the rod into the second opening on height. Put the clipped end in first so you lot can use it when starting the weld.^[11]

   • Make sure you don't touch the tack nozzle if it is even so hot. Either await for the nozzle to cool or swap the nozzles carefully with a pair of pliers.
   • With a speed nozzle, you will need to feed the rod into the opening while you weld. You could also concur the rod horizontally over the joint and melt it with a technique called pendulum welding, where you lot sweep the gun or torch back and forth. It takes a picayune longer just is great for tight spots.

5. 5

   Move the tip of the welding gun slowly over the plastic for a speed weld. Get-go at the peak of the crack or area yous wish to join. Hold the gun downward at about a 45-caste angle, touching the edge of the nozzle to the plastic. Then, rut the plastic until you see it commencement to melt. Every bit yous push the welding torch along the articulation, feed the welding rod into it with your free paw.^[12]

   • The key to success with welding is consistency. If you movement as a deliberate pace, yous can melt the plastic and welding rod just enough to demark them without burning them.
   • If you observe the plastic burning or changing colors, move the torch at a faster footstep. Don't let it linger on the plastic or else you will terminate up applying also much heat.

6. half dozen

   Swing the welding gun dorsum and forth if yous're doing a pendulum weld. Concur the nozzle virtually 2.54 cm (1.00 in) above the crack, tilting the gun at a 45-degree angle. Then, position the welding rod at a 45-degree angle from the contrary side. As you agree the rod in place, sweep the nozzle back and forth 3 or iv times to melt information technology. Keep doing this as you move downwards the plastic to complete the weld.^[13]

   • Pendulum welding is useful if y'all don't have a plastic heating gun with a speed nozzle. You can exercise it with a bones propane torch. This is also an constructive way to fill a tight joint you tin can't easily reach with a speed nozzle.
   • This part is a little trickier than with speed welds since yous have to control both the torch and the welding rod at the aforementioned time.
   • Motion the torch constantly to preclude the plastic from burning. Swing information technology dorsum and forth beyond the joint at a consistent footstep to lightly estrus and cook the plastic.

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1. 1

   Wait at least v minutes for the plastic to absurd. Permit the plastic come up dorsum to room temperature earlier you go on working on it. Welded plastic doesn't take long to cool downwards, but y'all tin expect as long equally you please. Look for the welded plastic to turn solid. If you don't feel any rut coming off of information technology, you are ready to piece of work on information technology.^[xiv]

   • The best time to prepare a weld is before it cools. A expert weld looks relatively smooth and consistent. Add together more of the welding rod or smooth out the melted plastic with your gun every bit needed.
   • Fix your welding gun aside when you're washed. Remember to put it in a safe spot, such as in a heat-resistant holster, until it cools.

2. 2

   Sand the welded joint down with 120-grit sandpaper. Smooth out the rough ridges on the weld to get in expect consistent with the rest of the plastic. Apply light pressure to the weld, rubbing the sandpaper back and along beyond it. Try to go the weld to look level with the area around it, only be careful to avoid scratching the plastic around it.^[15]

   • If you're looking for a speedier fashion to do this, use a sanding wheel on a rotary tool. Be conscientious, though, since plastic is relatively soft and piece of cake to scratch.

3. 3

   Finish the plastic with 180 and 320-grit sandpaper. Switch to finer grits of sandpaper to neaten out the weld. Higher-dust sandpaper is finer and less annoying, but it tin withal scratch the plastic if you're not conscientious. Rub the weld down like you lot did with the 120-grit sandpaper until information technology looks consistent and feels smoothen to the touch.

   • Always outset with the lower-grit sandpaper. It is coarser, so it wears away more of the plastic. Relieve the higher-dust sandpaper for finishing.

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Add New Question

• Question

  What types of plastic can be welded?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated information technology for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

• Question

  Tin you employ a soldering iron to weld plastic?

  

  This answer was written by 1 of our trained squad of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

  Yes, you lot can! Make sure the plastic is completely clean first, and sand down any jagged edges. Warm upwardly the iron for a few minutes and run information technology forth the seam where you desire the ii pieces of plastic to run across until they are soft and pliable, then accommodate them so they fit just correct. If you want, you can also add some thin strips along the seam and melt them into identify to make the weld stronger. Use smooth strokes with the soldering iron to completely weld the pieces together.

• Question

  What is the strongest gum for plastic?

  

  This reply was written past one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

• Question

  What is plastic welding?

  

  Plastic welding is the process of creating a molecular bond between two compatible thermoplastics (polymer cloth that becomes pliable with heat, and with sufficient temperature, liquid). When cooled, they render to a solid form.

• Question

  What is the economic importance of plastic welding?

  

  It gives you the ability to prepare items instead of replacing them. Information technology's generally much less expensive to repair a broken office than to buy a new one.

• Question

  Where can I learn welding quickly?

  

  A trade/vocation school. Many dissimilar skills and certificates can be added to your resume, depending on exactly what y'all weld for what company. Generally speaking, it takes 8 years of full-time work (minimum) to get a principal in most trades, including welding.

• Question

  How do I weld a plastic bath with a 10 cm hole?

  

  The best solution for this is to use cobweb glass for the underside and fine fiber glass for the inside, and once the resin and fiber glass has set, sand the whole matter downwardly from the inside until a smooth terminate is achieved. You lot may want/demand to recolor the inside of the bath with special bath paint.

• Question

  How strong is the plastic weld when welding plastic?

  

  Brett Gilbert

  Top Answerer

  Practiced welds are very strong, fifty-fifty stronger than the base cloth. It depends on using the correct filler material and getting a make clean, consistent weld. If everything goes right, the plastic can terminal a long fourth dimension.

• Question

  Can a plastic window be welded or a piece be welded into it?

  

  Brett Gilbert

  Superlative Answerer

  Yous could weld the plastic together. For instance, weld pieces at the corners to form a frame. Then, install the window on the wall equally y'all ordinarily would.

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Video

• If you take a basic hot air gun, consider getting a touchless infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of the weld every bit you lot work.

• If y'all're repairing a small-scale crack, you may not demand a welding rod. Y'all could drag a soldering iron along the crack to melt the plastic effectually it, filling information technology to create a simple merely effective weld.

• Once you're familiar with different plastics, you may be able to identify them through a flame exam. Take a minor piece of the unknown plastic, burn it, and use what happens to identify it.

• If you don't have a welding gun with adaptable oestrus settings, you can plug in a regular gun and try to utilize information technology before it reaches full heat. Getting a consistent weld is much more difficult this way, but information technology is possible.

Cheers for submitting a tip for review!

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• Hot welding guns are dangerous, so handle them with circumspection! Cover upwards to prevent burns and store the welder in a oestrus-resistant holster to limit fire hazards.

• Working on the plastic often creates harmful plastic dust or fumes. Always vesture protective gear, including gloves and long-sleeved clothing, when grinding or heating the plastic.

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Things Yous'll Need

• Propane welding torch or soldering iron
• Welding rod
• 80-dust sandpaper
• 180-grit sandpaper
• 320-grit sandpaper
• Rotary tool or bit
• Foil record
• Make clean, dry cloth
• Water
• Mild dish soap
• Clear welding visor
• Oestrus-resistant gloves
• Water-based solvent

About This Article

Article Summary X

To weld plastic, clean the surface with soap and h2o, sand it with 80-dust sandpaper, and clench the plastic pieces together on your workbench. In one case your welding gun is preheated, insert a welding rod into the speed nozzle and hold the gun downward at a 45-degree angle. So, motility the tip of the welding gun slowly over the area you wish to weld until you see the plastic beginning to melt. Exist sure to feed the welding rod into the nozzle with your free hand as you move along the joint. Additionally, work at a deliberate and consistent pace to bind the plastic pieces together without burning them. For tips on sanding the welded articulation to complete your project, read on!

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