Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Plastic Welding - No More Seams!; Scary pics inside...
Topic Started: Feb 28 2008, 02:01 AM (250 Views)
COS_Vader
Member Avatar
Det Founder
Supporter
WARNING: This is not something everyone will want to do, because the potential to really, really screw up your armor exists if you make a simple mistake. You'll have to practice with scrap a few days before you'd dare try it on your only set of armor.

Just started playing around with a $99 hot air plastic welder I picked up at Harbor Freight last week. You have to be very, very careful about the temperature setting, practicing a few hours on scrap ABS to make sure it doesn't burn the plastic but melts the seams evenly.

Here's some first results:

Posted Image

Posted Image

With a little practice and a lot of luck, I'll soon have a set of seamless RC armor. :) All I'll have to do is clean it up, fill in the old rivet holes, fill in any gaps with ABS rod (can pick it up at Harbor Freight as well, but it's cheaper on the internet and you buy only what you need), then hit it with a sander and it should be good to go.

Just thought I'd share a new idea. ;)

Kev
RC-1422
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
crazas
Member Avatar
Detachment Leader TX 3758
Supporter
Nice but with my skills this is way too scary for me !!!! LOL
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
COS_Vader
Member Avatar
Det Founder
Supporter
Yeah, it is pretty scary. But I taught a guy tonight and he's plastic welding his clone. ;) He's a quick learner.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SpitFireScout
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
awesome, i'll need to look into one of those, my dad has all sorts of hard plastic laying around and he has wanted to get a plastic welder, fun to see it in action.
So you have the welder gun, which heats up the air and then you work in the plastic rod to add material in as you heat everything up?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
COS_Vader
Member Avatar
Det Founder
Supporter
Yup. That's how it's done. You can tac weld without rod, but you always want to reinforce your welds with rod. Hardest part is figuring out what rod to use, as all abs is not the same as I found out the hard way. ;)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SpitFireScout
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
sounds alot like Brazing a metal welding method, or Stick Welding.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
COS_Vader
Member Avatar
Det Founder
Supporter
It is. ;)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Cantina · Next Topic »
Add Reply