Alright guys I had a crack in my fairing and i felt the need to be a cheap fart tonight. Also sorry for the poor picture quality, my cell would focus and then soon as i pushed to take pic it went blurry..
Tool's used: (got off web, forgot to take pic of mine)
(http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/22038-04-200.jpg)
No i never did wood carvings with it, it was giving to me years ago.
Crack from outside, it is just above shiftier:
(http://i48.tinypic.com/2vdl8jl.jpg)
backside of cracked area:
(http://i46.tinypic.com/2w58rp5.jpg)
I wanted something plastic to melt and cut up a coolant jug i had laying in garage. You mainly want the strips that have no sticker. I did use a few that had the sticker on them for the curve area. It helped form it to the curve as for some odd reason that sticker don't melt as easy as the plastic. Also note i cut the strips into little peices about this size ==== <(did not take pic, the ==== is the size):
(http://i45.tinypic.com/alqhj9.jpg)
I took my little heating tool and carved a groove down the crack. You want to do this lightly and don't go to slow or you will burn through the fairing (you would have to be going snail slow). You just want a light U groove following the crack(or V). It will lightly melt the sections to gather also, which will hold them together for you.
(http://i47.tinypic.com/30l2cu0.jpg)
The finally product however sloppy it looks work perfect. I did not really care about trying to get it supper smooth as no one will see the back of the fairing. However you can get it really smooth if you wanted.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/2psooj9.jpg)
The green and brown is a pieces with the sticker on it, I used them for the curved section like mentioned above.
If painting the outside after repairing crack you can melt a U groove in it and then fill that small grove with body filler(or whatever works for you) and paint it. I will not do this as its on the bottom of the fairing where no one is going to see it.
Side Note: There was no smoke giving off during this, but i however recommend a fan to blow across just in case. I used a heater since the garage was a little cold and i did not want a fan cooling the heated tool off.
Here is a video showing how to melt the plastic jug pieces and smoothing it around. You don't want to push down hard, slightly touching it and you will feel it getting soft and softer... Once its really soft you can start spreading it into the grove and around it to hold everything together... Its really hard to explain but once you try it you will get it. I also used that razor blade to hold the pieces in place as i melted.
I resized your pics for you.
Quote from: weedahoe on March 24, 2013, 09:14:09 PM
I resized your pics for you.
Thanks, for the life of me i cant do it :embarrassed:
Let us know Wayne if this fix ever has to hold-up under stress.......my cheap fix is JB Weld & a plastic patch.
I tried to break it apart after i was done(within reason), I don't see it breaking apart unless some one really wanted to break it (kicking the crap out of it or something). I have used this same method to fix a leaking overflow and windshild wiper container thing on trucks. I'll post how its holding up in a few weeks or when ever it gets warm enough to start riding full time.. It will be in the 30s tomorrow with snow/rain and 30mph winds making the chill in the 20s....
Interesting...
A couple of old sayings come to mind:
First...."crude but effecive"
Second "you can't argue with success"
A couple of comments:
What is the actual plastic type of the fairings? usually this is ABS plastic...
What it the plastic of the jug you used? not ABS?
It is best, probably necessary, to use the exact same type of plastic for the base material and the filler when plastic welding.....
Normally a Dremal tool is used to "Vee" groove the crack...easier and more precise that using a soldering iron.
Purpose built heat tools and plastic welding rod (of matching plastic) are available from urethane supply co.''
Urethane supply offers a manual...some of the techniques are a bit different than what you did...like making a fiberglass patch on the inside, bonded with ABS solvent and filled with their powdered material...then the Vee groove is made on the outside, and filled with plastic welding rod...then sanded smooth ...
But hey...if it worked to your satisfaction, and the cost was cheap....go for it!
Cookie
I bought a kit and do it properly :thumb:
http://www.gaterosplating.co.uk/Plastic-Welding-Kit.php
I have a kit from Urethane Supply also. I have been repairing automotive bumpers and industrial plastic containers for years. The kit is a "hot tip" tool vs the "hot air" type. I use a hot air welder at work for thick plastics. Preparation is the key for a good bond. Must be paint and oil free and "veed" to get the most amount of surface area to make the bond.
The plastics on most bikes are ABS. The jug you used is not ABS, but some type of polyethylene and is not compatable with ABS. Chances are your repair is holding from melting the two edges together. An easy source of ABS is black pipe fittings you can find at Lowe's.
Just a heads up for future repairs
It's holding and didn't cost me a cent, so works for me.
Quote from: wayne242 on March 25, 2013, 09:48:10 AM
It's holding and didn't cost me a cent, so works for me.
And thats all that matters :thumb: