Tweet
Since my Max II is a 1970 model, it has the ABS body.. From what I conclude on here, many don't think that ABS is repairable by welding when it becomes cracked out and such. Being a former Auto body student and currently an auto tech student at the same college, I went and talked to my Auto body teacher about fixing the cracks in my body, and the big hole, and he took it in for a project piece. From helping personally with it, and watching the repairs be done, the ABS is plastic welding together better than HDPE normally does.. Just get some ABS filler rod(available through auto body supply places, and through Harbor Freight) and start melting it all together... If its a good size crack or isn't wanting to hold together well because of stress, simply cut a piece of window screen(just normal old steel or aluminum window screen) about an inch and a half bigger than the crack on all sides and start melting it into the plastic. This works on all types of plastics that can be repaired by melting, and is an approved method of repair by NATEF and all other certifying bodies in auto body. And, with the simple addition of plastic adhesion promoters in the primer, ABS will hold onto paint better than HDPE... Saturns body panels were all made of ABS plastic, as well as the farings on 90's model mustangs, and door skins on 93-02 Camaros.
-
-
Plastic welding takes a bit of skill and experience.....and in my case, add in some luck. It is easier for many people to just use acetone to make up repair "goo" and a little fiberglass cloth to hold it all together. There is a third alternative though, WEST SYSTEM | Specialty Epoxies - G/flex
And here is what I've done with it. MaxII: [IMG]
[/IMG] http://www.6x6world.com/forums/max-a...-tall-tub.html
Attex: [IMG]
[/IMG]
The key to using the epoxy is all in the prep work...and the adhesion is even better on ABS than on HDPE.
Comment