Jim - It all depends on the type of plastic. See if you can find the
recycle triangle with a number in it on the back of a similar piece then
look that up.
If it is a clean break and a plastic that responds well to solvent type
glue, that is probably the best bet.
As to plastic welding, you may be able to use a soldering iron. I've
used a 30W for fine stuff and a 100W pencil iron with a flat tip for
bigger things. If you want a more precise temperature control, use a
dimmer controlled outlet. If you go this route, you are going to need
donor plastic and then do some cleanup. I would guess that this is not
a match for your application.
If you do try welding/melting, try a scrap of similar plastic first,
maybe from a broken toy. Some melts nice. Other plastic just turns
into hard brittle goo.
Melting did work well for my plastic gas tank on my B&S lawn mower gas
tank. Mowing around a tree, I hit a branch in the wrong place and
cracked the tank. I drained it, rinsed it with water, then let it dry
in the sun. It was black plastic, a little flexible and slightly
slippery. I forget the number now. I had some similar plastic from the
packing of kids toys that I used as my solder or welding rod
equivalent. I heated up the plastic and made a mound then blended it
all together. This was much more economical than the $75 I was quoted
for a replacement tank from a local vendor. When you finish, wipe the
iron tip with a wet sponge, then clean it with flux and re-tin it and it
will be like before.
You might also want to call some appliance repair places in your area.
If you get lucky, you might find a guy that collects used parts and sell
you one cheap. I was able to go this route for some spa cover clips. A
local service place always cut the clips off old covers because they get
broken fairly often.
Brian
On 3/18/2013 7:43 PM, Jim Stone wrote:
> The plastic catch that holds the door closed on my refrigerator recently
> broke. While it isn't necessary to the question I am about to ask, there are
> photos and more details about the broken part here:
> http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/refrigerator-freezer-repair/519815-broken
> -door-catch.html#post803233
>
> GE, in their infinite wisdom, doesn't sell a replacement catch alone; you have
> to buy a new door seal. Nor to they even sell just one side alone (it is a
> side-by-side fridge); you have to buy both sides for $225! That is a heck of
> a lot of money to spend for a small piece of plastic. So, I would like to try
> to repair this one before shelling out for the replacement pieces. I have
> never had much luck gluing plastic, even with glues said to be made for it.
> And, the fact that this piece is under stress every time the door opens and
> closes (let alone the fact that it failed under such stress) doesn't give me
> much confidence in glue. Still, if there is a glue or solvent that someone
> here knows of and thinks I should try, I am all ears.
>
> My other option is to purchase a plastic welder, something like this:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/plastic-welding-kit-with-adjustable-temperature-
> 96464.html I have been interested in buying one of these for a while, and
> buying a $50 tool I can use again vs. paying $225 is a no-brainer, if this has
> a good chance of working. Does anyone here have experience with one of these
> or a competitor's product? What are the odds of my being able to join the two
> pieces together well enough to stand up to repeated openings and closings?
>
> Thanks.
> Jim
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