Adheasive gurus, need .02

[splitshot]

How would you fix this?

The Girl Scouts were a little hard on my favorite cooler, the handle is about to come off with a large chunk of plastic. Looking for the right material to bond it back to the foam and seal the cracks.

 

[john_eckels]

That kind of plastic is kind of hard to repair. The only thing I can think of is getting a Permatex Radiator Tank repair kit. It has fiberglass cloth and some epoxy. You will definitely need some cloth or something to stengthen up the area

 

[450 DUDE]

Your prolly gonna have to make some kinda doubler out of plastic or lite gauge metal , and then get some nasty epoxy and slap it on.

hth

ken

 

[Zekester]

I think epoxy would be too brittle, it will just crack and flake off....

anywhere you have a crack take a small drill bit, like maybe 1/16, and drill the end of the cracks, this will stop them from going further...take a piece of 1/8 stainless, drill holes and tap them, with a fine thread tap...slip that stainless behind the cracks, as mentioned, as a doubler, use some short stainless bolts with washers to cinch things up, then slather everything with some white sikaflex marine sealant, and it won't get wet...the stainless will support the handle, the sika flex won't crack again...

 

[-Spike-]

I'd buy a new one. Those things don't break 'cause they were misused, they explode for no reason. Which means on top of the fact that plastic is almost impossible to repair, the rest of the cooler is gonna explode soon too.

I'd check Craigslist or Goodwill for a cheap alternative, if that's your motivation.

-Spike

 

[splitshot]

I'd buy a new one. Those things don't break 'cause they were misused, they explode for no reason. Which means on top of the fact that plastic is almost impossible to repair, the rest of the cooler is gonna explode soon too.

-Spike

That's kind of what I was thinking. This is one of those 128 qt marine jobs and they aren't cheep, just wondering if I could get a couple more seasons out of it...(fits perfect between the wheel wells in the 40).
Might try to experiment with omni-grip, sika or epoxys while I'm shopping for a new one. Thanks

 

[-Spike-]

If I absolutely had to repair that, I'd use fiberglass mat and epoxy resin. Try the hobby shop for both and advice on how to use them.

-Spike

 

[splitshot]

If I absolutely had to repair that,

-Spike

Key words, right there.. I think your doing a fine job of talking me out of it..

 

[titanpat57]

As long as the handles integrity is still there...and it's just a case of cosmetics...I'd get a tube of GE White silicone caulk and caulk the BeJesus out of the parts that you can fit the tip into. If you use a solvent based glue then it will meft the foam affecting the insulation. Then tape the c r a p out of it to hold together..let it set up for a week then take the tape off and trim the excess with a razor.

Or send the Girl Scouts a bill....lol

"Neither a lender nor borrower be"!

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Most cooler shells (at least the good ones) are made from ABS which is a styrene based polymer. Here is a glue that is compatible with ABS but I cannot see how you would get any structural integrity out of a glued but-joint. If you had another sacrifical cooler then you could maybe scab a piece over the crack and use this glue but otherwise I vote for toss it!

IPS Weld-On #2354 Plastic Solvent ABS, Styrene Adhesive Glue

 

[-Spike-]

I cannot see how you would get any structural integrity out of a glued but-joint. If you had another sacrifical cooler then you could maybe scab a piece over the crack and use this glue but otherwise I vote for toss it!

That's what the fiberglass mat does, bridges the cracks.

-Spike

 

[agomez]

use a bunch of duct tape...

 

[splitshot]

This is what the Mrs brought home yesterday.