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Cheap and Easy Plastic Repairs...

tkent02

tkent02

Forum LongTimer
Past Site Supporter
This technique is borrowed from some model airplane guys I know.
It makes a strong and lightweight repair.

The side cover had a few cracks, and also I wanted to fill the holes where the emblems were attached.

Start by finding some used fabric softener sheets, there are probably a few on the floor next to your dryer, or maybe in your sock drawer. They are made of some kind of plastic fibrous material, don't know exactly what it is but it is pretty strong. It's a lot easier to handle than fiberglass, the strands don't tend to come apart and stick to everything. Cut them into a bunch of different sized strips.




Clean or sand off any paint overspray, dirt, grease or anything else that would keep epoxy from sticking.

Use nitrile or similar gloves so you can use your finger as a spatula, to apply the epoxy and to smooth it out.

Mix a batch of epoxy glue and repair the cracks as well as you can, using the glue alone. Then start laying up the dryer sheets like you would fiberglass, squeezing out the air, do as nice a job as you can at getting a lot of layers stuck tightly together.






When it dries it will be a lot stronger than just glue alone would be.
 
Outstanding! I have a crack in both of my side panels right next to the topmost post on each one. I have also removed the emblems and filled the holes. One of the repairs has cracked through the epoxy, and I was wondering if there was something other than fiberglass I could use to strengthen it. I would have never thought of using dryer sheets.
 
Cool! I could see where this would be handy for repairing all kinds of things. Does painting affect the epoxy?
 
Paint has no effect...

Paint has no effect...

MissFabulous said:
Does painting affect the epoxy?
Click to expand...

no effect on the epoxy, but it may be hard to get a good finish on the epoxy to paint over, might take a lot of sanding. On my sidecover repair I only did it to the inside of the cover.

The model airplane guys also sometimes use superglue instead of epoxy, that may work well on plastics too, or may be easier to sand. I have never tried it.
 
I used epoxy to "shave" the emblem holes and preliminary sanding/primering/painting results show it behaves just like the rest of the sidecover.

I *love* epoxy. I seriously only discovered it like a year ago. And I only recently discovered epoxy putty, which is a whole 'nother layer of usefulness. I have no idea how I survived so many years without the stuff.
 
Here is a trick. I havent tryed it yetm but it should work.
Take some Lego bricks (in the right colour) and put them in a glas of Acetone. They should melt, and them you can make repairs with the stuf. It should be strong, and elastic...
 
Otto said:
Here is a trick. I havent tryed it yetm but it should work.
Take some Lego bricks (in the right colour) and put them in a glas of Acetone. They should melt, and them you can make repairs with the stuf. It should be strong, and elastic...
Click to expand...

Oh the humanity!
 
Nothing beats Hotcha Glue !!!! but it is so dam expensive
 
Otto said:
Here is a trick. I havent tryed it yetm but it should work.
Take some Lego bricks (in the right colour) and put them in a glas of Acetone. They should melt, and them you can make repairs with the stuf. It should be strong, and elastic...
Click to expand...

Seriously??? If that works, it would not only be cheap, but fun, too!
 
what epoxy are you guys using

what epoxy are you guys using

Please advise as to the brand and type of epoxy you are using to repair the plastic side covers. Need to do a few myself. Thanks, Terry.
 
Don't think it matters...

Don't think it matters...

headsbikesmopars said:
Please advise as to the brand and type of epoxy you are using to repair the plastic side covers. Need to do a few myself. Thanks, Terry.
Click to expand...

I used whatever 5 minute stuff my wife had laying around, probably slow-cure epoxy would be stronger but it doesn't really matter.
 
You can also use a soldering iron and plastic scraps to melt repair some plastic parts. Use lots of ventilation with this procedure.
 
headsbikesmopars said:
Please advise as to the brand and type of epoxy you are using to repair the plastic side covers. Need to do a few myself. Thanks, Terry.
Click to expand...

I used JB Weld. The original formula, NOT the quick dry stuff. Put one of the holding plugs on my side cover back on with this stuff, just built up the area with JB over a couple layers about a day or two apart. Clean area, and patience are the keys.
 
SqDancerLynn1 said:
Nothing beats Hotcha Glue !!!! but it is so dam expensive
Click to expand...
Hotcha Glue, from Vetter, is simply an automotive grade epoxy, actually manufactured by Lord Corporation. Any good quality epoxy will be indistinguishable in this type of application. As for paintability, epoxies can be painted over; it may require a primer to privent the repaired area from showing through the finish. Any good paint guy should be able to answer that question.
 
At your local marine supply store(assuming you live around water), you can find West System epoxy patch kits that have excellent resin, 2 grades of micro-ballons for thickening, curing speed and gap fairing, mixing cups and applicator spatulas. I think the kit is about $15 US...strong, flexible and made especially for plastic bonding.
 
Otto said:
Here is a trick. I havent tryed it yetm but it should work.
Take some Lego bricks (in the right colour) and put them in a glas of Acetone. They should melt, and them you can make repairs with the stuf. It should be strong, and elastic...
Click to expand...
I can already see my friends facial expression when I tell them that I used some LEGOS to put my bike together!
 
Slightly related....

I had some scratches on the fenders of my 4-wheeler. I used a propane torch on a low setting and quick sweeping movements of the flame over the scratched area. The scratches melted and leveled out. Just don't stay in one place too long!

BTW... This won't work on painted plastic.
 
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