Tip! Alternate Tab Removal Method

[Nanotec-USA]

Here is one of their helpful videos. Repairing a Medical Device Using PlastiFix

 

[Hawkeye]

Hawkeye, your comment regarding frame repair material. I used to order plastic welding and chemical repair services to car dealerships. I used a repair system made by Polyvance (formerly Urethane Supply Company) named PlastiFix. You can fabricate missing pieces, repair mis-drilled holes, etc solid as a rock. Structural repairs, I grind up fiberglas mat then mix with the plastic repair powder. Much stronger and sets up quicker than most epoxys. Professional kit after 25 years I still have workable materials (chemicals): the blue blob is a moulding bar.

sounds like what I am looking for. Have you tried to stipple it? and does it have other colors. Man! if you can mix and match colors this stuff would be the only way to go for adding detail to frames.

 

[One Ping Only]

It dices, it slices…

 

[Nanotec-USA]

Hawkeye, yes, stipples with a caveat (Edit: Using Rocker Panel Chip Guard spray or spray-in bed-liner. For soldering iron 'heat stippling I would go with an airless plastic welder since you are putting a thermal plastic into the repair. the airless plastic welder is basically a temperature controlled soldering iron' and two welding tips. Refer to the pictures I've added here. I used this to repair a deep gouge where the spear-head Dremel attachment slipped on the upper rail of my first P80 build. You can shaped and use the soldering iron without the noxious chemical fumes of the PlasticFix. NOTE: I do not make any kick backs or personal gain from posting Polyvance's products and tools.

 

[Nanotec-USA]

So yeah, fret cutters if you have them. But what if you don't, and you only want to build one or two and are a cheap bastard like me. Well, if you own a Dremel, the answer will only cost you about $6.

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-650-8-Inch-Straight-Routing/dp/B00004UDIL

Been using this bit to bevel the forend on M1's for years. Turns out, it does a nice job on the P80 tabs too.
Set the speed fairly high to prevent chatter. Buzz off 90% of the tab, and then slow down and get deliberate. Take very slow, light cuts. For the final passes, let the smooth portion of the cutter shank ride on the plastic jig. You will be left with very little file/sandpaper work to finish.
Unlike the sanding drum, you can get right up in the corners and it doesn't clog with melted plastic either.

After cutting, before filing/sanding.

no4mk1t, your final product looks amazing, thanks for sharing your idea.

 

[no4mk1t]

no4mk1t, your final product looks amazing, thanks for sharing your idea.

That's what this forum is all about.
If you want to thank someone, thank Racer88 for creating this forum to have a place to serve as a repository of information and knowledge. He has poured a lot of B,S,&T into it and a good bit of out of pocket money for the software and all the add ons. Plus a ton of his personal time. His wife must be a saint.

Next time you are looking for something to do on a rainy day, read the older posts. I say "older", the forum is just 10 months old, but a lot of good info has been posted in that short time on a variety of subjects, not just 80% topics.

 

[Racer88]

He has poured a lot of B,S,&T into it and a good bit of out of pocket money for the software and all the add ons. Plus a ton of his personal time. His wife must be a saint.

I keep her boozed up!

Just kidding. She is a saint for putting up with me.

 

[Hawkeye]

Hawkeye, yes, stipples with a caveat (Edit: Using Rocker Panel Chip Guard spray or spray-in bed-liner. For soldering iron 'heat stippling I would go with an airless plastic welder since you are putting a thermal plastic into the repair. the airless plastic welder is basically a temperature controlled soldering iron' and two welding tips. Refer to the pictures I've added here. I used this to repair a deep gouge where the spear-head Dremel attachment slipped on the upper rail of my first P80 build. You can shaped and use the soldering iron without the noxious chemical fumes of the PlasticFix. NOTE: I do not make any kick backs or personal gain from posting Polyvance's products and tools.

Thanks for the info
this looks like it will work better than LB Weld for fixing frames, I can see using it for sculpturing logo on frame grips, like I do on p80 because of thin wall grips. Right now, I have two more Freedom Wolf to build, they have enough plastic to work with, but I will try plastic fix the next time I need to add stock for sculpturing.

The welder looks just like a temp controlled soldering iron I have.
I can't make it out on the label but how hard is it when cured?
Is the mix runny? Does it thicken when it starts to set, and can it be worked and shaped in this stat of curing?

The biggest problem I seem to have with JB Weld is small pin holes that show up after sanding. It seems that when you over work JB Weld before it sets the more pin holes show up. JB Weld has ground steel dust mixed in for strength. I thought this was what was causing the pin holes, but I think it is air bubbles trapped in the mix, or both. I have noticed that the less you work in or mold it when it is still puddy the less pin hole show up.

This is why I am looking for something to use that is as hard as JB Weld and can take 225 degrees heat in the cure oven when painted.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Looking at all the videos, I find myself wondering if I should use my vertical mill. It's more time/work in terms of setup, but it's far more precise than doing anything by hand.

 

[Racer88]

Looking at all the videos, I find myself wondering if I should use my vertical mill. It's more time/work in terms of setup, but it's far more precise than doing anything by hand.

If it works, it works! Let us know! And if you're "the type," make a video!

I believe the famous builder and "professor" "MGB" used to say: Learn, INNOVATE, Share. (emphasis added to the middle word)

 

[axkiker]

Looking at all the videos, I find myself wondering if I should use my vertical mill. It's more time/work in terms of setup, but it's far more precise than doing anything by hand.

I make all mine on a mill.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

After completing a few frames, I decided it's not worth the effort to take the time to set up the mill. Not for tab removal. I nip them off then finish with a Ryobi rotary tool using a grout bit. The grout bit is just the right size to allow me to rest the smooth part of the bit shank along the jig edge - to keep the finish cut level and smooth as glass. Done in ten minutes.

My original thought was the precision of a mill would allow better control of the cut when preparing a 76% frame. Then after doing two of them I decided a 76% frame is in no way worth my time and no amount of fine toolery or finesse can produce a finished frame I can be happy with.

Even if finished with the greatest care, in my opinion 76% frames are analogous to this:

No thanks.

 

[Michele]

Here is one of their helpful videos. Repairing a Medical Device Using PlastiFix

Ummm I don’t remember seeing this. Interesting product. It works similar to superglue and baking soda method.

 

[USApat]

Hawkeye, your comment regarding frame repair material. I used to provide plastic welding with an airless plastic welder and chemical plastic repair services to car dealerships. I used a repair system made by Polyvance (formerly Urethane Supply Company) named PlastiFix. You can fabricate missing pieces, repair mis-drilled holes, etc solid as a rock. Structural repairs, I grind up fiberglas mat then mix with the plastic repair powder. Much stronger and sets up quicker than most epoxys. Professional kit after 25 years I still have workable materials (chemicals): the blue blob is a moulding bar.

Ummm I don’t remember seeing this. Interesting product. It works similar to superglue and baking soda method.

These two posts are arguably one of the best finds on this forum. Thanks for posting about this company. I have a printer repair, car repair and various projects where this company's products will help. And obviously, this looks like it could help with P80 fixes. THANK YOU!

 

[Bongo Lewi]

These two posts are arguably one of the best finds on this forum. Thanks for posting about this company. I have a printer repair, car repair and various projects where this company's products will help. And obviously, this looks like it could help with P80 fixes. THANK YOU!

I used a JB Weld plastic mending chemical to re-attach the mounting lugs on the fairing for my Suzuki Carry. For one lug (sort of a tab that hold the fairing on) , it held and worked great. In another lug, it cracked again after a short time. I assume it was mostly operator error or poor choice on my part. I believe the reason it failed was the goop didnt bond well with the plastic. The JB seemed more more like a gap filling glue or epoxy than a true bonding material. I may try Polyvance.

 

[USApat]

Don't miss their "cracked car dash" repair video. It covers the process quite nicely. It's just like doing bodywork, yet with plastic dashes. If you have an old classic you need to restore, this may be your answer if you can't locate a good dash. (which is most cases). It looks to be labor intensive as it means, repairing, resurfacing and recoating the entire dash, which means removal and reinstallation after repairing it outside the vehicle.

 

[Hvymax]

The possibilities are truly endless. I've whittled them down with a pocket knife, buzzed them off with a 4.5" grinder with a cutting wheel, milled and dremeled them

 

[jayman]

Getting ready to cut the tabs off my first frame this weekend (pf9ss). after reading so many different ways to do so, it sure makes me feel more nervous now, as I, and all of us want the cleanest, nicest and highest performing frames.. not to mention that the channel is going to be interesting as well. Will definitely be going really slow tho.. will keep reading around the forums here for more great ways to have FTQ

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Getting ready to cut the tabs off my first frame this weekend (pf9ss). after reading so many different ways to do so, it sure makes me feel more nervous now, as I, and all of us want the cleanest, nicest and highest performing frames.. not to mention that the channel is going to be interesting as well. Will definitely be going really slow tho.. will keep reading around the forums here for more great ways to have FTQ

It's like making plastic models when you were a kid. Use the tools and techniques people here use and take your time. It will be fine.

 

[Racer88]

Getting ready to cut the tabs off my first frame this weekend (pf9ss). after reading so many different ways to do so, it sure makes me feel more nervous now, as I, and all of us want the cleanest, nicest and highest performing frames.. not to mention that the channel is going to be interesting as well. Will definitely be going really slow tho.. will keep reading around the forums here for more great ways to have FTQ

Yep... just take your time. Heck, you can use a utility knife to cut the tabs, and you'll be fine. You don't have to get "fancy." But sometimes "fancy" suits your fancy! But yeah.... just go slowly and don't be in a hurry.

I've built six, so far, and the part that still makes me nervous is drilling the pin holes.

Just take the plunge, so to speak!

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