[Greenbuilding] [BULK] OT: repairing cracks in plastic tubs

[Lawrence Lile]

If it is a thermoset plastic, and you have some scraps to fill in the gaps, you can weld it with a soldering iron.  It won't look very good unless you have a steadier hand than I do.  Don't try it without some fill material, I've done that and you end up scraping it up from the surrounding surface, and eventually make a hole.  You'll also get solder all over it unless your tip is scrupulously clean. Fumes are pretty fierce, too.  But what the heck, beats throwing it out, eh?  
 
--Lawrence

________________________________

From: Reuben Deumling [mailto:9watts at gmail.com]
Sent: Fri 7/27/2007 3:42 PM
To: Lawrence Lile
Cc: Racheli Gai; Greenbuilder list
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] OT: repairing cracks in plastic tubs


Thanks for all your suggestions. The proximate project involves a small swimming pool tub. I like the hot glue idea very much, but am open to any other suggestions or thoughts on specific materials or techniques. 
I've also started wondering if the possibility of "welding" is completely out of the picture. I have a soldering iron...:-) I know some very fancy plastics are weldable and know this product isn't in that category, but given the fairly low requirements (aesthetics, pressure, etc.) perhaps this could work? 

Thanks.

Reuben Deumling


On 7/27/07, Lawrence Lile <LLile at projsolco.com> wrote: 

	Answer: Plenty toxic!
	
	Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP
	Project Solutions Engineering
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org 
	[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Racheli
	Gai
	Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 2:58 PM
	To: Greenbuilder list
	Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] OT: repairing cracks in plastic tubs 
	
	Especially if it's for indoor use, I wonder how toxic all these
	substances are...
	
	Racheli.
	
	
	On Jul 27, 2007, at 12:25 PM, Lawrence Lile wrote:
	
	> Plastics are the toughest things to bond to.  In a better hardware 
	> store, or if you have a Loktite connection at an industrial supply
	> house, Loktite sells a product called an Activator, that will set up
	> plastic so it will bond better with cyanocrylic glues.  If you can't 
	> find the activator stuff, then cyanoacrylate might work OK for a
	while.
	> Epoxies are your next best bet, but they probably won't bond that well
	> to most plastics.
	>
	> Any other glue, such as hot glue, caulk, etc. will fail sooner or 
	> later.
	>
	>
	> Duct tape, the real stuff not the cheap stuff, is actually a good
	> stopgap.  We pulled out a roll of duct tape on a float trip, and fixed
	
	> a
	> cracked plastic canoe, it would work until we scraped the tape off on 
	> gravel bars, and had to reapply it.  If it weren't for that, we'd have
	> been up you-know-what-creek.
	>
	> Now, what kind of tub are you referring to?  Not a bathtub, I hope.
	> Duct tape would really look bad there. 
	>
	> Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP
	> Project Solutions Engineering
	
	
	_______________________________________________
	Greenbuilding email list
	List info:
	http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.or
	g
	List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
	Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com <http://www.buildinggreen.com/> 
	      publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
	Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org <http://www.crest.org/> 
	
	_______________________________________________ 
	Greenbuilding email list
	List info: http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.org
	List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
	Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com <http://www.buildinggreen.com/> 
	      publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
	Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org <http://www.crest.org/>