OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Tech Talk Plastic Welder - Butane fuelled

G'day folks,
Just bought one of these @ $69.95 on clearance from Jaycar Electronics, and I'm quite impressed with its build quality.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/plastic-welding-kit-duratech/p/TS1331

Just about ideal for catcher repairs, with PE welding rods [some are included].

Pic as received:

G'day Glo Mod Gadge
I saw theses at Jaycar, but though them a promotion for Star Wars.

It will be informative to see how you think the welder performs
in use. Very helpful information!

-------------------
Jack

Might try it on rigid UPVC first, as I have some PVC welding rod on hand.

I have done a 'Plastic Welding' course and just about any plastic can be welded but yes there is a "BUT" the rod being used must be the same material as what you are welding
If you are going to weld say a grass catcher get one (old/damaged)the same and cut rods out of it
Ian

Catchers are made of HDPE [High Density Polythene], and welding rods are available through engineering/bearing trade suppliers, if you don't have an old catcher to cannibalise.

Edit: and I see Bunnings now stock them; https://www.bunnings.com.au/tradeflame-polyethylene-plastic-welding-rods_p5910356

Sorry to hijack this thread, but is it possible to buy small welders like this for doing aluminium alloy? I would like to try my hand at welding some broken mower decks rather than rely on my old method of riveting followed by fibreglass/poly bogging.

Incidentally I did try a very crude method of plastic welding in the past which was reasonably successful. I just used a soldering iron and small strips of the same plastic that I was repairing. It worked but the result was not all that pleasing to the eye.

G'day vint_mow,
These plastic welders, just as for the electric pro level units, use a jet of hot air to heat the surface of the workpiece while fusing the filler rod onto/into it.

Soft soldering methods can be executed with a hot air gun, but metal fusion welding/brazing is the domain of flame torch and arc welding methods.

The cheapest really effective option for welding aluminium alloy would be one of the small portable DC output inverter welders, plus a GTA/TIG torch/regulator/gas hose kit, and a CoreGas Size D Argon cylinder from Bunnings. So you'd be looking at setup costs, with new kit, a bit north [depending on the exact torch/reg selection] of $800,including the $200 fully refundable cylinder deposit. That's based on a Lincoln 130A inverter welder kit; $449 in the current Total Tools EOFY flyer.

Oxy/LPG torch brazing of aluminium can be used with special brazing rods, but it's quite a bit more difficult manual technique. And the result always looks lumpy, compared to a well-executed TIG weld.

Thanks Gadge,

So it is a tad expensive then? I might ask around to see if anyone in town can do this kind of welding fairly cheaply. I have an uncle who is very good at welding... that is, any kind of metal except aluminium that is! He says he has tried in the past but always ends up blowing a hole straight through it. lol!

G'day vint_mow,
Yep, ask around your local area. There's most probably someone about who works from home, that you'll only hear about by word of mouth.
Like a tradie I know down here who does precision welding, and has his shop set up next to his house.
We call him 'Pete's Afternoon Welding', 'cos he's not a morning person, and works the hours that suit him best.

I'm currently set up for MMA [stick] arc welding, and oxy/LPG brazing and flame cutting, which covers most of my jobs. My bike mechanic mate has TIG/GTA and MIG/GMA setups, and oxy-acetylene, if I need those.

Hi Do you think that Jaycar type plastic welder would repair a cracked but otherwise Ok Super 24 fuel tank.

It looks like HDPE to me. There are quite a few cracks but it was still usable if only a small amount of fuel was in the tank. We have gotten round the issue with a handle tank from a utility. But it's a bit small.

I am sure these tanks would be unobtainable do it seems worth a try.

Jeff

G'day Jeff,

The problem with HDPE fuel tanks/catchers is that, they do become brittle and prone to cracks from exposure to sunlight over time.

Once this starts to occur, they're pretty much a chuckaway - welding up the cracks becomes a process of chasing your tail...

These tanks are still very much available; this is the item, tho' it doesn't have a pic; https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/lawn-mo...ne-victa-fuel-tank-cap-assembly-en71180a

Thanks Gadge,

That is the big Super 24 tank is it? The utility tank I am using is also a handle tank but smaller. Still bigger than a cowl tank though.

Yes I guess this tank would be brittle. Not worth buying a welder to fix it I suppose.

What we are currently doing works Ok. I was more interested in originality than anything else

Although that's a lot cause probably on a 24 that's been converted from FC to PT.

Thanks again

Jeff

Where are the cracks Jeff, I assume the front of the tank would be the most exposed to the sun. I know MF picked up a couple of these, wonder if they had tanks.

G'day Jeff,
Yep, that's the big 5L tank. It was also used on several other 'Pro' series walk behind models, and the Victa Vac.