DIY Project

T

T2FFN

Senior member
 East Yorkshire
Right, I've bought a facelift rear light that has a crack in it to see how good a repair I can make of it. If I can't get the crack invisible, sealed and as new, then its a cheap training aid I can practice wet sanding/polishing plastic with as I managed to pick it up for £11.

So, here is the only close up pic I have until it arrives: http://imageshack.us/f/15/3et1.jpg/

I've been looking at 'plastic weld' chemicals that react with plastic, melt and reset the plastic, without clouding or affecting other areas. The idea being the crack is cleaned up, the crack chemically sealed, then wet and dry rubbed down, and polished.

Option 1: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EMA-Plastic-Weld-suitable-for-most-plastic-Modelling-57ml-Evergreen-Plastruct-/390644871583?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=AYZLLYMvqyXMrfRz6BkVEoO2QEw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Option 2: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221268049082?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I've been searching google and forums and haven't found any success stories, but also haven't found any conclusive fails. Anyone tried similar? How did it come out?

I'll update as I get around to doing this, hopefully with positive results. Again, if not, its hardly an expensive lesson :thumbsup:
 
Also, maybe a mod could move this to the How To section if that's more appropriate.
 
So the light unit turned up last night, and the 'crack' is much larger than can be seen in the picture above. I will post a better pic later. From the look of it, the cracks penetrate the full thickness of the plastic, but are 'clean' and have not separated so both sides are still in contact with each other.

I think I may try using a dremel to channel a V groove into the crack, with the bottom of the V the full depth of the plastic, but not so far as to protrude through to the other side and make an actual hole. Polish the sides of the grooves with dremel tool, then fill with optically transparent epoxy that when hard, can be wet sanded to be perfectly flush with the face of the plastic.

Depending how this comes out, I might throw the light in the bin, or continue with the project :rofl:

The last step might be a very light tint to be applied. Now, the majority of the damage is over the red portion of the light face, so visibility of this might be reduced, compared to any damage over the clear portion.

Anyway, £11 to experiment seems worthwhile for some bank holiday activities :D
 
Oh, the other thought I had was to dremel out the entire portion of the light that was damaged and replace with a new section of matching plastic. (Area is a large red square with defined edges) but my dremel hand may not be steady enough for that :rofl:
 
Ok...

Plan B.

eqypy8en.jpg


I'll still work on the other light out of interest, but now i have a perfects set ready and waiting :twisted:
 
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