No dumping allowed!

[Tar Devil]

I'm posting this in the bilge, 'cause it ain't worthy of Building/Repair... But I could use some advice.

Whilst in Pittsburgh this week, a friend gave me a boat... one of these little, 8' plastic pontoon fishing boats. But when I got home to look at it one of the pontoons has a mighty split running from the deck down about 30 inches back. Someone apparantly tried in vain to fix it with some kinda gooey goop, but I'm curious (before I waste any money or time) if this plastic stuff can be repaired with either polyester or epoxy. My experience in the past is epoxy doesn't adhere very well to plastics.

Otherwise, guess I'll do him the favor of taking this pile of plastic to the dump.

Later,

Phil

[LeeG]

my vote is the dump,,,you could experiment with melting tupperware into the crack but I bet there's a reason the crack is there,,it's cheap plastic.

[imported_Conrad]

It's repairable by either welding or gluing. The trick is to find out what kind of plastic it is, and while there are specific tests to help you identify it, as a practical matter try this:

First, take a low power soldering iron and see if you can melt/weld the crack back together. If it melts into long, thin strings the chances are good it will hold. You can buy plastic "welding rod" at your local autobody supply store, with different types of rod for different plastics. They can help you out.

If it doesn't melt together/form strings, but just smears with heat, you can glue it with the special glues used to repair plastic automotive bumper covers. These mix like epoxy, but set very fast- 2-3 minutes, and remain somewhat flexible, and are very strong. The urethane (similar to 5200) used to set windshields will also work well on many plastics.

My best guess is that it's polypropylene, and will heat weld very easily. ;)

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

TODAY IS DUMP DAY IN MY TOWN YIPPPY I'M ON MY WAY :D

Phil bring it by we will eather fix it or dump it :D

Boy o Boy I love dump day

[huisjen]

Hey Joe: try Decaf?

Our dump is open (for withdrawals and deposits) 364 days a year. :cool:

Dan

[seafox]

Dan ours frown on withdrawls they only take and take and take, though you can buy wood chips and compost

they had a chean up day this weekend where they let people bring stuff to the city shops oh the humanity the treasure that was there in the metal pile... the temptation to visit after dark and liberate a little dune buggy luckly I fell asleep and the chance I mean temptation passed
jeffery

[Del Lansing]

Check with the manufacturer for repair kits or suitable adhesive. A friend has a Coleman canoe (plastic) that holed from a split-shot wedged between the steel-pipe backbone member and the skin. They have a special kit that contains the_only_glue that will weld the stuff.

[raycon]

It can be welded. Look for a machine shop specializing in plastics they may have a hand held extrusion welder. Call the manufacturer for material type. If you can tell the manufacturing process blow molded, rotational , molded it my clue into the material type. If it looks like the pontoon split from temperature (cold) may be a polypropylene blend -- having had a coffee yet so I could be way off. (You could drill a hole above the water line and foam fill then make a patch out of whatever you have available)

[Tar Devil]

Thanks, folks, for the help. Sounds like it might be salvable.

Sorry I haven't replied before now. Been fishing with my Dad, who caught and released a 10 lb largemouth! (No camera, though).

Later,

Phil