How to repair/glue ABS tool case?

[peter]

Hi

I have to repair my beloved Consort ABS tool case. The bottom edge has worn thin and split. I do not want to splash out on a new one (£100 + vat) so I would like to find out the best way of repairing it. Perhaps some reinforcing layer which could be glued on to inside? tia

peter

[The Medway Handyman]

You can buy ABS glues foe model building

- first one I found.

Might help?

[The Natural Philosopher]

IN fact halt the plastic pipes you buy are ABS. That or PVC. From memory te same solvents glue both..so plumbers cement for plastic waste pipes and some extra ABS/PVC sheet, possibly cut from a scrap pipe and unfolded in the vicinity of a heat gun or oven, should do the job.

I HAVE has some success in models, reinforcing vac formed ABS cowls with glass cloth and superglue, or even epoxy.

A quick and dirty modellers fix would be to get some micropore tape from Boots, and some medium superglue from a model shop, stick the micropore across the weakness and then slosh the superglue all over it.

If you want to etch the surface first, use solvent weld thinners or buy dope thinners from a model shop..its all largely MEK. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone, whatever that is)

[Peter Twydell]

I believe MEK was banned because it was found to be a carcinogen or something equally nasty. It has been replaced by dichloromethane (dimethylene chloride).

One source is Plastic Weld Cement or Plasweld from EMA Model Supplies:

local model shop (although they are few and far between these days) might also stock it. I have been using it for years to weld various plastics.

[newshound]

No, PVC and ABS use different solvent weld glues. One "wrong" way round usually works, the other doesn't. Sorry don't have the reference to hand

[peter]

Thank you very much for the suggestions peter

[mark]

I think you would use the same glue as for solvent weld waste pipes.

mark

[Peter Twydell]

I replied to this a couple of days ago, but Dem I believe MEK was banned because it was found to be a carcinogen or something equally nasty. It has been replaced by dichloromethane (dimethylene chloride).

One source is Plastic Weld Cement or Plasweld from EMA Model Supplies:

local model shop (although they are few and far between these days) might also stock it. I have been using it for years to weld various plastics.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

[The Natural Philosopher]

That's a myth. AFAICT its still in daily use and readily available. This came up on a modelling group and we all went a-googling, found no substance in the claim, checked all our tins amd bottles, and found it clearly mentioned on many of them.

I have some Hepworth(?) plastic weld stuff for plumbing. Its a solution of PVC and MEK.

[Peter Twydell]

Bugger, that's another week gone by without becoming perfect :-)

ISTR reading some years ago about MEK being banned, and I know that that's what Plasticweld used to be. Airfix Magazine used to recommend it in the sixties.

Anyway, here's a safety sheet:

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yup. Its deprecated in kids stiff, cos its a dangerous inhalant. I use it and acetone a lot in model building, and stagger out with a headache usually if I am not careful. Now I use it,and leave the modelling room.

[Peter Twydell]

I can appreciate that. I once dropped a bottle of carbon tetrachloride (remember Dabitoff and fire extinguishers?) in my garage and was out of the door before it hit the floor.