Plastic fantastic

Benchtest

Alan Higginbotham looks at the toIf you have not yet used metal bonding or repaired plastics using adhesives it will certainly give you a new perspective on motor vehicles by using the materials and techniques available today. The explosion of products in the marketplace makes it difficult to choose a product as each manufacturer is certain they have the best product for you.
The main opposition to plastic adhesives and metal bonding appears to have been created by the incorrect preparation and application of the materials by the operator. Happily, guidelines supplied for the use of Fusor products are quite simple and I found the product suitable for all types of application in the bodyshop.
When repairing plastics, it is difficult to determine what type of plastic you are dealing with. There are methods to establish the type of plastic, including burn tests and visual comparison. The problem you are faced with today is that most plastic components including bumper bars are made from recycled plastics. To overcome the problem of different plastics in the recycling process, we now identify plastics for adhesive repairs as soft plastics and hard plastics; this is a simple method and adhesive have been developed for all applications.
I repaired a plastic bumper bar using Fusor 105/106 repair adhesive, the bumper bar had a split and a mounting lug was broken off. Where there is a split or a broken lug, reinforcing mesh is required. This repair only took about 15 minutes and the results were excellent. To finish the repair on the outside to a paintable standard I used plastic filler which was finished off with a fine-grade abrasive paper. Another important point to remember is that most plastic fillers will not adhere correctly to plastic. Fusor supplies a plastic filler solely for use on plastic components, it is mixed and applied in the same manner as regular plastic fillers. Fusor also supplies a chart with all its products identified. This chart is an excellent reference tool and it states all the applications and work times as well as handling strength and adhesive full cure.
I also used Fusor 105/106 to repair a grille, this adhesive is very strong and it is acrylic-based, giving an ultra-smooth finish. The material was sanded after 20 minutes and no other filler was required as there was an undetectable feather-edge with no roll-up.
It will be necessary in the future for all repair shops to have plastic repair expertise in-house. We will not be able to rely on exchange parts or on sending parts away to be repaired as this will mean your workshop will not be fully productive. Also, repaired parts need to have a trial fit before paint is applied, who better to do this than a panel beater.
I also used the Fusor anti-flutter foam, the product is used for sealing and filling, eg: doorskin to anti-intrusion bar. When cured this foam does not leave any sink-back or distortion on the outer skin panel. It is also ideal for use on roof support panels and numerous applications on a motor vehicle. Fusor also manufactures adhesives for the repairing of fibreglass and SMC sheet mould compound.
Combined with its metal bonding adhesives, Fusor supplies a full range of products to meet the needs of every plastic and metal bonding repair in the modern bodyshop. Adhesives will continue to play an increasingly important part in the repair process as cost savings mean repairing, rather than replacing plastic parts becomes the norm and the number of plastic parts on modern cars keeps growing. Correct operator procedures will ensure that adhesive repairs keep improving in quality and efficiency.

Name: Fusor 105/106 plastic repair adhesive
Distributed by: Australian Warehouse Distributors
Tel: (03) 9553 1977 Fax: (03) 9553 1225
Key Feature: Comprehensive and simple guidelines for use