ABS cement vs plastic epoxy

daught

daught

Well-known member
I been using abs cement to glue abs fairings and it's pretty good. If I layer it on both sides of the crack it's solid. If I try to glue just the crack, without excess glue around the crack, it's not that durable. Usually I brush some acetone around the crack to prime the plastic for better fusion.

Is there an epoxy that is more durable than abs cement?

West marine g-flex epoxy comes to mind. I been using it with great success to fix blown skis. Way better than stuff you find in regular stores. Still dunno if it better than ABS cement which actually melts the surfaces to fuze them.
 
check out "abs slurry" on the googler
 
That's what abs cement is basically. ABS mixed with methyl ethyl ketone and acetone. A good sized can of it was under $10 so I went that route. So any idea how it compares to epoxy?
 
If crack isn't wide enough to apply abs glue I use welding torch, otherwise abs served me well over the years. If you need extra plastic abs staff from home depot works fine, but I usually have useless fairings laying around to fill gaps and missing parts.
 
JB weld kind has worked OK for me with fiberglass mesh backing ... but the best is to just weld it .... heat gun with a nozzle and piece of ABS stick. Prep the fairing crack with V shape edging and heat the fairing and stick. Best and strongest ABS connection in my own experience.

I doubt that the cement will withstand once pushed. I always thought it's good for putting plastic models together ... LOL ... remembering hobby as a kid.
 
^ I tried welding with my ski base repair iron. It did not heat the plastic enough in the center to form a proper weld. Your method sounds way better. Do you just use a regular heat gun with that nozzle? I never saw one of those. Would a mini torch work, or it's too hot?


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I have been plastic welding for over 8 years .... have worn out 3 plastic welders .... I can do the repair for you if you want it done right .... Cheers , Les
 
Nothing is done right on my bike :)

I had just a windscreen and tie wrapped headlight for years. I just want these cracked fairings on so they don't take spaxe in my house.


Sent from the future using my GOLDEN iPhone 30 SS
 
inreb said:
check out "abs slurry" on the googler
Click to expand...

daught said:
That's what abs cement is basically. ABS mixed with methyl ethyl ketone and acetone. A good sized can of it was under $10 so I went that route. So any idea how it compares to epoxy?
Click to expand...

Thanx for clearing that up. Obviously I was under the mistaken impression that the slurry might be a good third option as it would add some body to the glue. Damn you trigger finger and a thousand apologies. (Non of them sincere)
 
Windscreen and headlight different plastic, most windscreens are acrylic just like glass in the head and back of headlight is different plastic all together, so non of the abs staff will work at least for the headlight.
 
daught said:
^ I tried welding with my ski base repair iron. It did not heat the plastic enough in the center to form a proper weld. Your method sounds way better. Do you just use a regular heat gun with that nozzle? I never saw one of those. Would a mini torch work, or it's too hot?


Sent from the future using my GOLDEN iPhone 30 SS
Click to expand...

You can buy a nozzle, but I couldn't bother spending 50 bucks and ordering it as a special order or pay high shipping from e-bay ... I just made a nozzle from this sheet metal, kind of rolling it into a cone and secure it with a metal strap to the tip of the heat gun. Heat gun on high, and carefully heat up the filling material as well as the sides of the crack. I have fixed all kinds of cracks, including tabs on my bikes and so far it's solid.

If I had a show piece high value bike, I'd probably pay someone to do it with a professional welder, but for my kind of machinery ... LOL .... no, it's not gonna happen. The guys (a couple of them here on the board) do a great job, but obviously you have to compensate them for their time and equipment, plus you have to drive the fairing some place etc.
 
inreb said:
Thanx for clearing that up. Obviously I was under the mistaken impression that the slurry might be a good third option as it would add some body to the glue. Damn you trigger finger and a thousand apologies. (Non of them sincere)
Click to expand...

If you take sheet ABS and dissolve it in ABS solvent, it makes a thick black slurry which is indistinguishable from the ABS used for the fairings. The biggest issue is to go with thin layers and build it up or you get soft slurry under a hard shell.

I did it on my S1000RR and my wife's Vespa, and the results were amazing. Don't try and just cement the crack. It needs reinforcement. You can then sand it down to the desired thickness.

I have a bunch of sheet ABS (like 4x6 feet) left over if anyone needs some.
 
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