Welding plastic
 

Has anyone had any experience welding plastic parts (like bumpers etc)? There are kits available that look to have a glorified 40 or 80 watt soldering iron and plastic filler rod, do they work well/worth the money (such as this one http://www.autobodydepot.net/scripts/depot.exe?pgm=plstweldgate.bbx )? Alternatly should I look into what tips I can get for a weller soldering iron some plastic rod and have at it (I figure the oxy accetalene would be a bit much:D)?

Looking to fix a broken bit on the bottom of a 92 W124 bumper. Looks like the previous owner wasn't too careful with curbs, one of the ribs is cracked through.

Related subject - what is the best way to get a white paint scuff off the black plastic bumper insert?

Thanks
Paul

We have one of those in the shop. It works well for structural items however the cosmetics can leave a lot to be desired. You have to make sure you correctly identify the type of plastic or it will not work at all. Also, you cannot rely on the color of the rods to determine the type of plastic. Trial and error are the only way I know to make that dertimination. Plus you need a way to color the filler, most of them are either clear, white, or black, each being a different type of plastic. Hope this helps.