UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing

Notices

Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 4th Oct 2020, 2:54 pm   #21
emeritus
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: Glue for plastic

That's how I discovered the effect Polyclens had on plastic!
emeritus is offline  
Old 4th Oct 2020, 8:56 pm   #22
The Philpott
Dekatron
 
The Philpott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
Default Re: Glue for plastic

--Hot melt glue sticks are sometimes successful with difficult plastics. I have just used one to join PA6 (Nylon?) to an unidentified hard plastic item (which is so old it does not have a recycling mark..only time will tell if it had worked.)

Dave
The Philpott is offline  
Old 5th Oct 2020, 8:22 am   #23
Michael Maurice
Moderator
 
Michael Maurice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Wembley, Middlesex
Posts: 7,219
Default Re: Glue for plastic

I've used Humbrol model glue quite successfully.
__________________
Forum Moderator

http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/
Michael Maurice is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2020, 10:36 am   #24
stuarth
Heptode
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Heysham, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 665
Default Re: Glue for plastic

I’ve had success repairing Psion organiser hinges with superglue. The break is a narrow strip of plastic with a lot of strain, and I’ve not found a solvent adhesive which works.

Butt join the broken parts with “neat” superglue. This gets the part in its correct position, but the fix is very weak.

Make a “fillet” of superglue around the break, the glue is a reasonably viscous liquid at this point, and easy to shape. Now sprinkle superglue filler powder onto the superglue - the glue and powder mix hardens very quickly, and makes a strong joint.

The filler powder is readily available, and sold, amongst other things, for repairing plastic car bumpers, so should be reasonably effective. I believe baking powder works in a similar way, but I haven’t tried it - maybe someone on here has knowledge of the chemistry involved.

Stuart
stuarth is offline  
Old 10th Oct 2020, 10:20 am   #25
GMB
Dekatron
 
GMB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: near Reading (and sometimes Torquay)
Posts: 3,086
Default Re: Glue for plastic

Quote:
Polyethene needs a solvent adhesive, such as that sold for solvent welding polythene waste pipes.
Absolutely not. Solvent welding pipes are PVC.

There is no satisfactory glue for polythene or polypropylene. The only good way to bold them is welding. Yes, really. I was taught to do this by an expert plastic fabricator.

The welding "torch" is a heat gun which was very like a modern surface-mount rework station. It emits a narrow jet of very hot air. The welding rod has to be 100% compatible with the plastic being welded which means you either just bought brand new material, or you have to use a spare strip of the actual plastic you are fixing. After that it is pretty much like flame-welding of steel - but less hot.

Most other plastics can be fixed by epoxy in my experience.
GMB is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2020, 12:52 am   #26
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,799
Default Re: Glue for plastic

There used to be a sort of metal flag which went on soldering irons. You put it between two plastic parts to be welded, let it melt their surfaces, then withdraw it, letting the faces come into contact. OK for small things in polythene. I had one on an Antex.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 12th Oct 2020, 3:20 pm   #27
cmjones01
Nonode
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK
Posts: 2,669
Default Re: Glue for plastic

I've had good luck bonding polypropylene with 'glue gun' hot glue. It works well for the children's garden toys which have a fairly hard life.

For really difficult plastic repairs, I've used a cement called Scotch-Weld 8005 before. It sticks PEVA (also used in a lot of baby-related things) and other waxy plastics quite well. My biggest triumph was re-sticking the sole of a cross-country ski boot back on. It was made of something really slippery, maybe polypropylene, and had come clean off the bottom of the boot. The bond has to withstand the entire stress of someone skiing, and it worked. The down side is that the adhesive cost almost as much as a new boot would have done, but I'd borrowed it from a friend so wanted to make good!

Chris
__________________
What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/
cmjones01 is offline  
Old 12th Oct 2020, 6:04 pm   #28
Goldie99
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Boston, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 992
Default Re: Glue for plastic

One of the most impressive glues I've used recently was Stormsure Flexible Repair Adhesive, which is essentially a one component flexible polyurethane.

As an experiment - I had a pair of Wellingtons that must be at least 25 years old, and that had split almost completely across the full width of the sole, directly under the ball of the foot, where it bends the most - they were ready for the bin, but I tried the Stormsure product on that split, just to see what it would do; 18 months later, they're still in reguar use, and completely watertight.

As a urethane, provided the surfaces are clean, roughened, and degreased, it'll stick like the proverbial to almost anything... but it's also a flexible product, so not ideal for everything.

Alan
Goldie99 is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2020, 3:17 pm   #29
The Philpott
Dekatron
 
The Philpott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
Default Re: Glue for plastic

I tentatively used (clear) hot-melt glue stick to stick PA6 (Nylon 6?) to whatever the red body of the drill is made of (acrylic? polypropylene? ABS? feels too flimsy to be polycarbonate)

It is surprisingly solid. I thoroughly roughed up both surfaces but they were by no means flat- maximum surface area contact couldn't have been more than 40 or 50%.

(Stating the obvious for lithium batteries this appliance is not kept indoors for safety reasons; the battery pack had to be adapted for installation upside down to accommodate the charger. It is very much a bodge but won't short out at the base as the terminals are recessed.)

Dave
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC01824.jpg
Views:	112
Size:	92.2 KB
ID:	217790   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC01825.jpg
Views:	107
Size:	119.8 KB
ID:	217791   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC01826.jpg
Views:	107
Size:	90.9 KB
ID:	217792  
The Philpott is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2020, 5:46 pm   #30
Bazz4CQJ
Dekatron
 
Bazz4CQJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 4,923
Default Re: Glue for plastic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldie99 View Post
As a urethane, provided the surfaces are clean, roughened, and degreased, it'll stick like the proverbial to almost anything... but it's also a flexible product, so not ideal for everything.

Alan
The expanding polyurethane foams certainly stick pretty well to many materials and can also be used on damp/wet surfaces, water apparently assisting the chemical reaction.

B
__________________
Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch.
Bazz4CQJ is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2020, 10:49 pm   #31
crackle
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Basildon, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,100
Default Re: Glue for plastic

The RGD R130 is a hard plastic case, not one of those waxy soft poly-something plastics.
Most plastics glues intended for hard plastics should work.
I use superglue.
Having said that I have never had any success of gluing the plastic pillars back and expecting any glue to hold when the case is screwed up.
I scrape the surrounding plastic and the pillar to roughen it, glue the pillar in place with superglue, then use a good quality epoxy glue to build up a thick fillet all around the pillar and the case.
I do not use quick set Araldite epoxy it is rubbish and stays soft enough to tear even after days..
Use a high quality slow setting epoxy. There is not much point in mentioning the type I use because it is no longer available. But it was made by SP systems, and comes in 2 tins one a dark grey paste and the other a white paste.

Mike
crackle is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2020, 10:55 pm   #32
Boulevardier
Octode
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,641
Default Re: Glue for plastic

Quote:
Originally Posted by crackle View Post
The RGD R130 is a hard plastic case, not one of those waxy soft poly-something plastics.
Most plastics glues intended for hard plastics should work.
I use superglue.
Having said that I have never had any success of gluing the plastic pillars back and expecting any glue to hold when the case is screwed up.
I scrape the surrounding plastic and the pillar to roughen it, glue the pillar in place with superglue, then use a good quality epoxy glue to build up a thick fillet all around the pillar and the case.
I do not use quick set Araldite epoxy it is rubbish and stays soft enough to tear even after days..
Use a high quality slow setting epoxy. There is not much point in mentioning the type I use because it is no longer available. But it was made by SP systems, and comes in 2 tins one a dark grey paste and the other a white paste.

Mike
Do you happen to know if Araldite Standard (which is very slow setting) is OK for what you were doing? I need an adhesive that is capable of filling spaces and that won't run through any gaps or holes before it "sets" - i.e. that will stay where it's put without running everywhere.

Mike
Boulevardier is offline  
Old 18th Oct 2020, 9:21 am   #33
Andrew2
Nonode
 
Andrew2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,034
Default Re: Glue for plastic

Probably OT but worth telling I think. A few years ago I stuck a piece of single-sided PCB in the bottom of a diecast aluminium enclosure using bog-standard Bostik. About a year later I wanted to dismantle it, but the PCB was reluctant to come out. I resorted to levering it with a large screwdriver and it took all my strength. Eventually the bottom of the box cracked! I developed a new respect for Bostik after that!
__________________
Andy G1HBE.
Andrew2 is online now  
Old 20th Oct 2020, 7:40 pm   #34
Vintage_RC
Heptode
 
Vintage_RC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Twickenham, London, UK.
Posts: 536
Default Re: Glue for plastic

Here is a technique I have used with great success. First the pillar and surrounding area is roughened with glass paper. Then the pillar is positioned with superglue (just to hold it for the real repair). Then I coat the area with Devcon 30 minute epoxy and take cloth tape with a fairly coarse weave and soak it with the same epoxy and place around the area to be repaired. The epoxy soaked cloth tape becomes immensely strong when set. You can see an example in the attached photo (for those wondering it is in fact an R/C transmitter). You need to vary the technique to suit the nature and position of the break. In this case I was able to take advantage of the close proximity of the pillar to the case sides.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	EclipsePillarRepair2.jpg
Views:	130
Size:	106.8 KB
ID:	218448  
__________________
Alan G6PUB, BVWS
Vintage_RC is offline  
Old 21st Oct 2020, 7:35 pm   #35
Kyle__B
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
Posts: 142
Default Re: Glue for plastic

This is a very good technique! It's the same principle as building something out of fibreglass, micarta, duroplast, hemp etc.

But using it on case plastics, that's something I'd never think of, but when I see someone else do it, suddenly it's like it was staring me in the face this whole time.
Kyle__B is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:19 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.