19 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHFixing a broken plastic tab?
Leading reported evidence
Repair stuff like there
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I've repaired stuff like there before by drilling both the pieces along the long axis and epoxying it together with steel rods in place.
Leading evidence: 'Repair stuff like there' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'kind of adhesive i had used' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean break' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
All three (plain glue, microspheres or flox) are commonly used on composite aircraft.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I've used Plastex on a number of repairs on my car (e.g.
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Discussions that suspect a cause
1
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Suggestion
If you want to use epoxy to fix a break or join parts...but want it have better gap filling properties and be tougher (less likely to crack, more like a piece of fiberglass and less like simple glue), then add flox - which is chopped up fiberglass.
Repair cracks, gaps, stripped threads, and broken tabs
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion · Original poster
They claim to have a system that will repair just about any type of plastic, needing any type of repair: cracks, gaps, stripped threads, and broken tabs.
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Suggestion
If you want to use epoxy to fix a break or join parts...but want it have better gap filling properties and be tougher (less likely to crack, more like a piece of fiberglass and less like simple glue), then add flox - which is chopped up fiberglass.
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Suggestion
I have heard decent things about plastex, Personally I am a fan of the 2 part epoxy, Up here in Cmax stores (Napa body shop supplies) there is a two part plastic and urethane adhesive that I have used many times on plastic, ABS, and Fiberglass exterior body panels that has been like magic, would highly recommend that from personal experience.
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Suggestion
Another trick is to clamp the pieces together & drill thin hole(s) perpendicular through the fracture, then glue everything together using metal dowel(s) made from trim nails or the like.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
19 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
Years ago I fixed a similar fracture on a door handle part with some industrial strength epoxy from work that came in a twin-tube syringe pack, the resin and hardner is pressed out together through a spiraled mixing tube so it's precisely metered for exact amount and all mixed by the time it comes out the end of the spiraled tip, the adhesive did the trick for me right up to the time I traded the car in a couple of years later, I was actually quite shocked.
I was pulling off the inside door handle cover to remove the door panel, and I didn't pull it straight off and broke two of the plastic tabs at the top. One latches onto the door panel and is probably too small to repair, but the larger one has some potential for fixing (I think). New cover replacement is $588 (Pelican)!
I'm not going to try to use cyanoacrylate or epoxy glues because of past experience with this kind of break. So I did some searching and found plastex.net. They claim to have a system that will repair just about any type of plastic, needing any type of repair: cracks, gaps, stripped threads, and broken tabs.
I'm going to give it a try, unless someone has tried it before and it didn't work, or has a better method.
Ideas, opinions?
Tom
I have heard decent things about plastex, Personally I am a fan of the 2 part epoxy, Up here in Cmax stores (Napa body shop supplies) there is a two part plastic and urethane adhesive that I have used many times on plastic, ABS, and Fiberglass exterior body panels that has been like magic, would highly recommend that from personal experience.
Super glue first off if the break is a clean break then follow up with apoxy resin. If that doesnt work then one of the breakers yards may have the part you are trying to repair.
Another trick is to clamp the pieces together & drill thin hole(s) perpendicular through the fracture, then glue everything together using metal dowel(s) made from trim nails or the like. GL
I got this stuff:
http://www.rapid-fix.com/HOME.html
And have fixed an amazing # of broken plastic parts. I highly recommend it, even though it's like $30.
My wife smashed the front of her car, all of the mounting tabs for the fog light broke off. I was able to piece it back together and was really impressed by the strength.
I thought of using a metal pin, but even the larger part has a small cross section that would make it very difficult to drill through. I'd have to use PCB (printed circuit board) drill bits!
I googled flox and came up empty. Is there another spelling?
Rapidfix looks very much like Plastex.
I'll take a look at E6000 & JB Weld.
I'll post a thread on the results of whatever method I try.
Thanks for all the ideas!
I wonder how well those rear view mirror adhesive will work? The activator is applied to one side and adhesive applied to the other side. Note I'm not suggesting, just wondering.
Years ago I fixed a similar fracture on a door handle part with some industrial strength epoxy from work that came in a twin-tube syringe pack, the resin and hardner is pressed out together through a spiraled mixing tube so it's precisely metered for exact amount and all mixed by the time it comes out the end of the spiraled tip, the adhesive did the trick for me right up to the time I traded the car in a couple of years later, I was actually quite shocked. However I could not remember what it was that I used, it's 15 years ago!
There are some wicked adhesives out there though:
http://www.dymax.com/products/plastic/index.php
UV cured plastic adhesive
http://www.permabond.com/en/en-epoxy.htm
is likely the kind of adhesive I had used before
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...be7ZMZSJBQRHgl
one of the 3M product that says "bonds many plastics"
I've used Plastex on a number of repairs on my car (e.g. tabs on my rear tail lights) and around the house (a desk drawer bracket). It's a neat product - it's like a "mini instant plastic kit". Comes with great instructions, but you get better with practice. Allows you to actually "make" a new piece of plastic for your repair. I've never had one break - and I've never had great results with crazy glue on plastic. Since using it a few times, it's become a staple in my "fix it" box - I bought the biggest set they have.
There are two common ways to refine the qualities of epoxy.
If you want to use it as a filler and sand & shape it, add microspheres (looks like white powder but are tiny glass spheres). Usually the original package gives you a scoop and instructions. Easy & effective.
If you want to use epoxy to fix a break or join parts...but want it have better gap filling properties and be tougher (less likely to crack, more like a piece of fiberglass and less like simple glue), then add flox - which is chopped up fiberglass. Looks similar to a powder. Won't give you the full strength of fiberglass which has long glass fibers and epoxy...but tougher than epoxy alone.
All three (plain glue, microspheres or flox) are commonly used on composite aircraft. West System epoxy is easy to find and works well across a variety of conditions. But you don't need any specific epoxy for flox or microspheres.
(more than you wanted to know...sorry....but these are good techniques that work in a wide variety of settings. I've used them around the house, cars, boats, airplanes, etc.)
@ spender: Good to hear that Plastex works. Website looks a little amateurish. Still might go this way.
@ RF5BPilot: I build & fly RC models, so I'm very used to working with microballoons in epoxy as filler. Never tried it with flox. Very interested in this.
@ Mark I: There's enough room for both pieces on the outside of them, but the smaller one broke so close to the interlocking hole that I don't know if it's fixable by any means.
Finished up fixing the door lock today, which is why I had to remove the door panel in the first place. Even with this minor glitch, I can't imagine how much I saved doing it myself!
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
