Tell me about: Plastic welding

Halfers Part of things Posts: 157	Tell me about: Plastic welding Halfers @v8halfers
	Jan 9, 2007 1:57:40 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	I spent all evening in the garage with the Dremel cutting the Front bumper to fit my Evo 2 with the big intercooler fitted. the original plan was to buy a 2nd hand aftermarket bumper for it to allow me to use the larger intercooler for my mahoosive turbo conversion. This would set me back over £400. 2 broken cutting discs, about a metre of masking tape and some scrapes and grazes later, the std bumper now fits ok. The only down side is that the central "hole" isn't quite as deep or as tall as the new intercooler so I got to thinking about it and if I can modify the lower edge of the central aperture, I can maximise airflow to the whole intercooler. I want to do a proper job so was thinking about plastic welding as a way to get a nicer finish to the bumper rather than just cutting it. I would basically cut and shut the bottom edge by moving it down and fit the Evo 3 splitter I'll probably drill some holes along the top as theres a metal plate/bracket behind areas of the bumper for strength and I can't remove it all as thats where the brackets mount to. Heres what it looks like with the std intercooler: would plastic welding work? Heres a chpped image showing what it could look like:
	Triumph Estate to do list: 1. Remove Rover V8 - done 2. chop, weld, spray - ongoing, need motivation 3. drop in RB25 4. burn rubber

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madmart Part of things love is: valvebounce in top gear Posts: 559	Tell me about: Plastic welding madmart @madmart
	Jan 9, 2007 3:06:43 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	plastic welding is pretty easy you can buy kits to do it, soldering iron plastic rods and holder etc . I generally just use a soldering iron and a strip of bumper of the same plastic and chamfer the bits to be joined then fill/work in the v between with the strip, pretty much works every time nice and strong. HTH
	Last Edit: Jan 9, 2007 3:07:21 GMT by madmart

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peachey Part of things Epitrochoidal Shaped Head Posts: 177	Tell me about: Plastic welding peachey @peachey
	Jan 9, 2007 11:52:42 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Not sure if I understand totally but plastic welding should do it if you can get it thick enough. But in saying that, I doubt the cheap kits(well thats the case in Australia) will be anywhere near adequate. My plastic welding solder thing was nearly $1000 alone and there is generally alot of other bits and equipment to go, well I have heaps of gear I use for different jobs, so if your getting a kit with everything it should cost heaps. I guess best way would be to try get a thick stick to start, general rule of thumb is same thickness of what you want to weld, and go from there. If you can practise a fw times first too. The sticks might be expensive but it can be a tricky thing to do at the best of times so practise if you can aswell.
	Corollin' along

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