Plastic Welding Help.... Please

Metal Twister

Highly Motivated
I'm thinking about shortening an ABS Plastic water tank. It looks like welding is the way to go in that gluing is suggested for grey or black water tanks only. So with that said what does one look for in a good plastic welder? Is there any good helpful tricks when welding plastic? And finally is ABS any different to weld than other plastics? Any insight or direction would be appreciated.
 

skersfan

Supporting Sponsor
I truly have no answer for you, but I would call Rich at Ronco plastic tanks. He runs the shipping department and is quite knowledgeable about the process is my guess, a real nice guy. Tell him your are an Oklahoma Sooner fan the sky is the limit. Just teasing on that, but he is a big sooner fan. Wish I had answers for you.
 

Metal Twister

Highly Motivated

skersfan

Supporting Sponsor
Good luck, I welded up a kayak after a tree fell on it. Not pretty, but it does not leak, but thank god it is on the top side!!!
 

Wavebreaker

Adventurer
I use a steinel hot air for water tank repair. similar to this http://www.steinel.net/Professional-Heat-Guns/HL2010E as for secrets don't over heat your material . it will become clear while welding that and keep the gun mobile. Picture the seam, rod held at a 30 degree angle to seam run gun heat into seam and up the rod drawing it towards you. Make it a constant motion.

The rods you get for doing the tank you need to push slightly into the seam and don't drag the rod it needs to lay into the seam.

Here is a tank i made for my latest could not get the right size. you can see the gun i use sitting on tank.



Good luck with it it just takes a little practice. If you get a leak heat area, use a cold piece of steel to push melted plastic into hole. Don't add more rod unless its a large hole.
 

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