ABS with fibreglass

[Shifu]

I need to fill front headlight and tail light holes in ABS OEM fairing. Thinking of just doing a bit fibreglass work but I am unsure if the resin will bond OK to ABS.
Does anyone have experience with this sort of things or maybe can suggest another solution please

[revhead]

wont stick for too long ,i glassed up some plastics a few years back after about a week it just fell off,just get an old headlight gut it ,then just epoxy that in

[Batfink]

What u need to do is drill a line (like a stitch line) round e edge of the ABS.. I would say 10-15mm apart and same distance in from edge. That should then act like fingers for the resin to hold it there... I would then use a flexi weld to stop cracking between the 2 different compounds...

[BikerBoy]

Andrew check out the website for a company called trimfix - not necessarily this prodict, but - http://www.trimfixsupplies.com/abs-cement.html

contact a local plastics shop to get some abs offcuts and you should be able to bend/mould/form something up with a bit of heat.

[Pommie]

I've glassed up my fairings a couple of times now and they are still good after 18 months or more. Maybe depends on the prep, dunno but cant ell on mine where I repaired them apart from my dodgy painting

[Fester]

Hi

The best part is that with the old abs fill gaps once that's done.
Then you fill the inside with fine wire melted in the abs and then you can continue finishing the outside.

I repair itself by first crack to melt my faring to each other and then then a new layer of abs is to melt.
Then can I finish by tearing.
For small holes to eliminate I then use drops of superglue that you can fine sanding later.

[pete]

Hi

The best part is that with the old abs fill gaps once that's done.
Then you fill the inside with fine wire melted in the abs and then you can continue finishing the outside.

I repair itself by first crack to melt my faring to each other and then then a new layer of abs is to melt.
Then can I finish by tearing.
For small holes to eliminate I then use drops of superglue that you can fine sanding later.

hi fester,
u can sprinkle some bi carb of soda over the superglue
if u want to build it up a little, can also be sanded and drys
instantly. jat

[Fester]

Hi to all

Yes that you can do.

Oh yes and melt guns I do not use a soldering iron and a soldering gun for placing paper clips.
These Kits are beautiful but very expensive, the result is the same.
It is important to properly blend the components with each other.
Old pieces are faring comfortably find on doing this the paint and oil residue.
Both the faring what you restored first removed the paint and oil residue then you care a better result.

[cyndemgum]

Normal polyester resin will bond to the plastic for a reasonable amount of time. For a better job glass it up as per usual but use 2 part epoxy resin. Scratch up the rear of the fairing so as the resin/matting can key into the surface. Normal automotive fine bog can be used to fill any imperfections on the presented side. Ideally when finished, black flowcoat should be brushed onto the rear of the glassed portion to provide a hard, weatherproof seal. Only down side to epoxy resin is having to sand between coats if resin is allowed to dry. Wax free polyester resin does not need sanding between coats. Paul.

[Shifu]

Thank you all guys for all the info. Now I know what I am against and thanks to your suggestions I have worked out a plan of work. The areas are quite large so I think I will first hot-form some ABS sheet to rough shape to fill the most of it and weld it to the original material at the edges. Then use rough grade emery and drill some holes through for better holding and lay 2-3 layers of glass with the epoxy over it. Then smooth it out and use some automotive filler for any imperfections. Does that sounds like it might hold OK?

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wont stick for too long ,i glassed up some plastics a few years back after about a week it just fell off,just get an old headlight gut it ,then just epoxy that in

Thanks for that suggestion, but unfortunately the front of the headlight is made of glass so no go. I was thinking to use the headlight as a form for fibre glass though

[cyndemgum]

Yep that will work. Little tip, at a certain point the glass solidifies enough where any excess around the edges of the glass can be cut of with a scalpel blade. Saves a considerable amount of sanding time. Glassing is a lot like metal welding. If you don't like the weld you simply run another one. Have fun, Paul.