Bass Boat Dash Panel Repair

This 2005 Stratos bass boat dash panel has several cracks and holes in it. This dash panel is made of ABS, a very brittle, rigid plastic. Being exposed to outdoor elements, like UV rays, over time can make rigid plastics even more brittle. In this video, we will demonstrate how to repair cracks and holes in ABS plastic using Polyvance’s 2503 black PlastiFix repair kit.

Rigid plastics, like ABS and polycarbonate, are often found on motorcycles, boats, and vehicle interior panels. Sometimes replacement parts are expensive or difficult to find, and in some cases, they may not be available at all. Polyvance’s PlastiFix rigid plastic repair kits are an easy-to-use, effective way to repair these types of brittle plastics.

This page shows different ways of applying PlastiFix.

This page can help you identify your plastic to see if you are working with ABS.

Always wear proper safety gear while working!

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Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2dcIpirWh4

Products Used:

Note: This is a list of the Polyvance products that can be used to make this repair. This list does not include sanders, grinders, or other common tools you will need. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call technical support at 800-633-3047.

• 1000 Super Prep Plastic Cleaner (several options available) OR 1001-4 EcoPrep Plastic Cleaner
• Aluminum Body Tape (several options available)
• 6122 Heavy Duty Round Burr
• 2503 Black PlastiFix Rigid Plastic Repair Kit (see all kits here.)
• 6125 Tapered Burr
• Plastic Magic Adhesion Promoter (several options available)
• Waterborne Primer Surfacer (several options available).
• 6040 Whip Hose

Video Notes:

• In this video, we used the black PlastiFix kit. PlastiFix also comes in white and clear. Our PlastiFix Professional Kit contains both white and black powder.
• English Closed Captions have been provided for this video. Click on the CC button to turn them on or off.
• The length of this video is in no way representative of the actual time required to perform a complete repair and therefore should not be used for estimating purposes.

Music Credits:

• "Super Friendly" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
• "Wallpaper" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

English Transcript:

This 2005 Stratos bass boat dash panel has several cracks and holes in it. This dash panel is made of ABS, a very brittle, rigid plastic. Being exposed to outdoor elements, like UV rays, over time can make rigid plastics even more brittle. In this video, we will demonstrate how to repair cracks and holes in ABS plastic using Polyvance’s 2503 black PlastiFix repair kit.

To get started, clean the plastic with plastic cleaner or soap and water. Next, align the cracks and apply aluminum tape on the front to hold the cracks together. On the back side, grind a v-groove about halfway deep into the plastic, making sure the v-groove is centered along the crack. If the crack extends to the edge of the part, make sure to v-groove along the edge, about an inch on each side of the crack. This edge v-groove provides extra reinforcement for the repair. When grinding around a hole, bevel the edges of the plastic all the way around the hole.

Next, prepare the PlastiFix. Fill the cup with the black PlastiFix powder, and fill the dropper bottle with the liquid. Attach the dropper needle to the bottle. We’ll be using the dropper method to fill these cracks and holes. Squeeze a few drops of liquid into the powder. This will make a small ball in the powder. Use the tip of the needle to stab the ball. Hold the ball slightly above the v-groove, and squeeze the dropper to release the ball of powder into the v-groove. Apply enough material to fill the v-groove. Once all the liquid has evaporated, fill any gaps or imperfections with more PlastiFix, making sure the v-groove is completely filled. When finished with the repair on the back side, wait about thirty to forty-five minutes for the PlastiFix to cure completely.

Once the PlastiFix has cured, remove the aluminum tape from the front side, being careful not to stress the repair areas. Use plastic cleaner to remove any adhesive residue. Using a pointed carbide grinding burr, v-groove halfway through the plastic. Again, fill the grooves with PlastiFix using the dropper method. Once all the liquid has evaporated, fill any gaps or imperfections with more PlastiFix. Once all the v-grooves are completely filled, allow the PlastiFix to cure for about thirty to forty-five minutes.

Use a Roloc disc on an angled grinder and 80 grit on a DA sander to sand the repairs flat. Sand around the repair areas with 180 grit sandpaper to eliminate any shine.

Apply Plastic Magic to the raw plastic areas to prepare the part for primer. Allow the adhesion promoter to cure for 15 minutes. Apply one to two fine coats of primer, allowing the primer to flash between coats.

Once the primer is dry, hand sand with 400 grit sandpaper, being careful not to sand all of the primer off. Blow or wipe the part off to get rid of any sanding dust. Mix and apply filler over the repair areas. Here, we’re using Polyvance’s Putty Flex. If wiping in tight contoured areas, sometimes it works best to mix small amounts of Putty Flex and wipe multiple times. Allow the filler to cure for the recommended amount of time. Once the filler has cured, begin sanding using 180 grit sandpaper and finish sanding using 320 grit sandpaper. If any raw plastic is exposed after sanding the filler, apply a thin coat of Plastic Magic. Once the Plastic Magic has cured, apply two to three coats of primer, allowing the primer to flash between coats. It may be necessary to block-sand and re-prime the repair areas to achieve desired appearance.

Rigid plastics, like ABS and polycarbonate, are often found on motorcycles, boats, and vehicle interior panels. Sometimes replacement parts are expensive or difficult to find, and in some cases, they may not be available at all. Polyvance’s PlastiFix rigid plastic repair kit is an easy-to-use, effective way to repair these types of brittle plastics.

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