Repairing Plastic

All motorcyclist know that horrifying sound of expensive plastic breaking. Replacements for fairings, painted body parts, boxes, etc. are extremely high. Thanks to my partners brief career working in a Hollywood special effects model shop, she knows a lot about bonding plastics, and this is our second successful experiment using non-standard techniques to repair plastic motorcycle parts.

This project came out of the need to replace the hinges in a Honda Trunk box that was still serviceable, but pretty battered. We had experimented before with bonding plastic using fiberglass repair fabric and Cold Weld with excellent results. Unfortunately, none of those materials was at hand so our special effects expert suggested just a piece of stout plastic and Gorilla Glue.

We obtained the needed bonding/re-enforcement piece from a common laundry soap bottle.



After some further sizing and cutting, the bonding surfaces of both the box under repair and the re-enforcement piece of bottle were roughed up using a medium grit Dremel sander. Then carefully wetted, glue applied, and clamped.



We probably could have used another clamp or two but were able to make due with some household tape. Once dried the bond was strong and has survived a week of normal, commuter, in and out service with no signs of weakening.



The hinges are proving to be a different story. Keep your eyes open for the rest of the story.