Abs Remolding and repair with M.E.K

[CharlaineC]

Seeing As I cant add photos yet I will have to do so when I do my next major ABS repair with this little trick.

Most local Ace Hardware stores carry M.E.K the real stuff in a can over in their stripper section. for about $11 buck.
Next either get some real Legos or black ABS piping and Chop and break it up.
Place the parts in a GLASS JAR with a cover
Cover with M.E.K close and let sit overnight or a day.
Open and stir the mix it should be like warm honey. add more abs or M.E.K as needed
now Clean the areas that you want to fix with Alcohol
paint the edges with M.E.K and press together for a few min.
Paint the rest of the area with M.E.K and pour on the slurry and smooth out.
let sit in a dust free area for a few hours
The repair is just as good as the original if not better.
I learned this trick from a friend who restores campers and RV's they have been doing it for years.

The floors to my saddle bags where really busted up on my bike. and While I had another set I wanted to try this and well I will say that my bags now have a much stronger floor then before and They survived 3 nasty falls from Sandy. I have Also used this trick to fix the lower Fairings as well and am planning on using this trick to embed some steel strapping into the trunk lid for strength and support

 

[joedrum]

good stuff...thanks

 

[ekvh]

I bet prepping with alcohol helps the bond. I messed with it a few years ago, but I used acetone. It worked well on clean abs. I got sloppy and overconfident thinking it was magic and used it to build up some thickness to one part. It looked good, was sandable and I thought I had a good fix, but the part I applied thick and not properly preparing grew a tumor on the first 95 degree day the next summer. Fortunately it was surgically removed and didn't spread to other parts of the bike. I think it's what's referred to as outgassing. There is some of the slurry that becomes trapped in the middle. The outer layers skim and harden quickly. The inside isn't exposed to the air and remains liquid. When it gets warm enough, it boils or turns into a gas, hence the tumor.

 

[slabghost]

Be warned MEK is very bad to breathe. Wear a respirator and work in well ventilated areas away from any ignition sources.

 

[CharlaineC]

Yes you have to build up slowly and evenly as possible. the alcohol and helps very much so and then prepping the area with M.E.K is the main thing to remember so that the new and old abs weld together. for my saddle bags i used some chrome spacer bushings and held them in with bolts. the spacers wher the thickness i wanted the new floors to be so after painting the sides and floor i pored it in slowly and then used a putty knife to flatten and spread it out. then after it was dry i went with a needle searched for spots that might not have cure fully. you can also hit it AFTER IT IS DRY AFTER with a hair dryer on low this will help to find any spots to be prepped and fixed.

 

[ekvh]

Pics would be cool too . I forgot to mention what Slaghost has mentioned. Acetone is just as bad. It goes through the skin and into the bloodstream. From there a percentage hangs out on your brain until the liver is able to remove it. I mixed mine up in mustard and ketchup squeeze bottles and was able to run beads of it where it was needed.

 

[joedrum]

what is mek anyway is it different than acetone

 

[CharlaineC]

here ya go joe Methyl ethyl ketone

I use this stuff all the time in my job
for some products i use to paint with works sweet :rtfm: :rtfm: :good:

Might you be able to snag me a can lol

 

[Bobo]

+1 to what Slabghost says. MEK is VERY nasty stuff; if you can smell it, it's damaging you.

 

[CharlaineC]

yuk

hay bobo didnt know you where on here

 

[simbaboy]

Seeing As I cant add photos yet I will have to do so when I do my next major ABS repair with this little trick.

Most local Ace Hardware stores carry M.E.K the real stuff in a can over in their stripper section. for about $11 buck.
Next either get some real Legos or black ABS piping and Chop and break it up.
Place the parts in a GLASS JAR with a cover
Cover with M.E.K close and let sit overnight or a day.
Open and stir the mix it should be like warm honey. add more abs or M.E.K as needed
now Clean the areas that you want to fix with Alcohol
paint the edges with M.E.K and press together for a few min.
Paint the rest of the area with M.E.K and pour on the slurry and smooth out.
let sit in a dust free area for a few hours
The repair is just as good as the original if not better.
I learned this trick from a friend who restores campers and RV's they have been doing it for years.

The floors to my saddle bags where really busted up on my bike. and While I had another set I wanted to try this and well I will say that my bags now have a much stronger floor then before and They survived 3 nasty falls from Sandy. I have Also used this trick to fix the lower Fairings as well and am planning on using this trick to embed some steel strapping into the trunk lid for strength and support

This is amazing. My ABS bumper on a RV needs repair and I see this posting. The body shop wants $500 but I knew I could do it my self with internet search. So thanks.

Is the repair sandable?

Thanks
Simba

 

[mcgovern61]

Acetone is just as bad. It goes through the skin and into the bloodstream. From there a percentage hangs out on your brain until the liver is able to remove it. I mixed mine up in mustard and ketchup squeeze bottles and was able to run beads of it where it was needed.

Well no wonder!!! :shock: How do you expect to not have any effect from it if you are mixing it in with your burgers and fries?? :Awe: :smilie_happy:

 

[joedrum]

hmmm i think ill leave ketup and nustard bottles alone :shock: i cant be trusted oh2: :mrgreen:

 

[simbaboy]

Hardware stores also sell ABS powder for those that don't have Legos.
Simba

 

[CharlaineC]

abs powder really humm might have to try that. i know the chopped up abs piping works well just chop it up small

 

[89-300ce]

Thanks for the info CharlaineC.

I've used chopped up ABS piping and ABS cement to re-enforce the corners of my trunk. It did add strength but some destructive testing on some samples showed that the ABS dust/bits didn't melt sufficiently before the cement hardened. I had just mixed it all together and applied it. I wonder if I had kept it all in a closed container like you did with the MEK if it would have melted the ABS and not hardened before use? I'm wondering if it could be a safer alternative to the MEK.