Plastic welding tools

[tractors1]

I've worked with many types of plastic and solvents for 20+ years but recently had the wonderful opportunity to deal with a hole in a polypropylene tank, which is common for trailer tanks. No solvent or glue works on poly, it must be welded. Usually done with an expensive hot air welding gun, but I found a tool/kit at Harbor Freight for less than $20 that works quite well. I experimented with ABS plastic first, then fixed my leaking diesel fuel tank on my tractor in less than 10 minutes. Good you tube videos on how to use it. Better than replacing a $700 fuel tank!


https://www.harborfreight.com/80-wat...kit-60662.html
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[cpaharley2008]

Good to know about other options.....thanks

[Vermilye]

I have a fair amount of experience with the hot air plastic welding systems, and by far prefer them, but when I had serious damage to my gray tank from road debris I no longer had access to the hot air welder. I used the Harbor Freight system, and while not as good as the hot air system, it worked. I managed to fill a 1" hole & 3" crack.

[RBRV]

I too used the cheap harbor freight tool to fix a large garden cart and a broken wheelbarrow. I broke the first one then got another and it broke too, I was able to finish the job and each repair came out great. The bronze tip fatigues under the heat and bends and then breaks. Harbor freight does also sell a more expensive but still affordable air welder.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by RBRV

I too used the cheap harbor freight tool to fix a large garden cart and a broken wheelbarrow. I broke the first one then got another and it broke too, I was able to finish the job and each repair came out great. The bronze tip fatigues under the heat and bends and then breaks. Harbor freight does also sell a more expensive but still affordable air welder.

I used their solder-iron type tool instead of the air welder as I needed to fix a hole in a diesel fuel tank without removing it from the tractor. Chickened out at the idea of blowing hot air into that without cleaning it out, would have taken a full day to take the tractor apart to remove the tank!