Date:         Tue, 30 May 2000 13:34:47 -0700
Reply-To:     Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fixing polyethylene
Comments: To: Bill Johnson <bjohns@DTX.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Bill and listees:  I've never seen a gray water tank on a Westy, let's start
with that.  I can get  high grade yellow contact cement(multiple thin layers
allowed to dry in-between each coating) to "stick" to polyethylene and
likely any of several matrix materials,  1/8" nylon one(nylon on one side,
neoprene on the other) neoprene.  Sticking, however, is different than
bonding.

Your best shot at a non-welded bond is to go to your local Old town Canoe
dealer and buy a $35 "Old  Town Discovery Repair kit.  Follow the
instructions to the letter(especially the bit about polarizing the plastic
before catalysing the resin), use the nylon cloth they provide or go nuts a
get the biaxially woven crow's foot kevlar for more strength.

The epoxy putty will fail, but not sure about the mylar and black stuff.
When I think of mylar, I think of model airplane wing construction or sail
board sail material.  for all this hassle, what's a new tank cost and how
much labor is there to the R and R?

Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Johnson <bjohns@DTX.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2000 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: Fixing polyethylene


>I used a mylar patch, not glass fiber.  It was to hold everything together
>and give the patch some ability to expand and contract without leaking.
>This is an adhesive made for automotive trim, and is weather proof.
>
>Bill
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ibm.net>
>Way cool!  Finding *anything* that will stick to PE is a major feat.  I
>would guess that glass fiber could be used as the reinforcement if
>strength
>was the object rather than containment.
>
>d
>David Beierl - Providence, RI
>  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
>'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
>'85 GL "Poor Relation"