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Old 07-24-2008   #1
doublet

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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 294
Plastic Welders

I feel like every paddler I know is paddling a cracked boat. Last weekend the Big South put-in was looking like a boat repair shop with dozens of boaters discussing the best bitchethane strategies and removing seats. It seems pretty common to crack boats after 20 days of Colorado mank. For new boats that comes down to about $50/day of paddling.

I've been looking into epoxies, and I'm told by a plastic expert that there is no epoxy on the market that will hold HDPE together. The only real solution is plastic welding with welding wire. Has anyone used one of these welders? How easy are they to use? Do they work?

I can get a welder with wire shipped to CO for about $135. Maybe if I went in on it with a few buddies it would be worth a shot? Any opinions?

TT
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