21 replies to this topic

[Morally Challenged]

I was surfing one of the tech blog sites and came across something that might be useful for modding. Is there anyone out there who knows more about welding plastic that can enlighten us as to the feasibility of using this?

Discovery Power Welder

[Red Star]

I'd say wrong forum. Move to general?

[badger]

I'm actually intrigued about this thing. The only problem I see concerns what types of plastics it works with. I don't even know if this would be an issue.

If this thing works for Nerf blasters, it can open up a whole new domain for integrations. No more insane amounts of hot glue and epoxy. Just one blaster bonded to another. This may be indeed worth looking into. I think I will order one this Friday when I get paid.

[Red Star]

I'm actually intrigued about this thing. The only problem I see concerns what types of plastics it works with. I don't even know if this would be an issue.

If this thing works for Nerf blasters, it can open up a whole new domain for integrations. No more insane amounts of hot glue and epoxy. Just one blaster bonded to another. This may be indeed worth looking into. I think I will order one this Friday when I get paid.

Keep me in the loop, I'd love to see/hear if this thing works/worthwhile.

[Soothsayer]

I'd also like to be updated about this, seems like the connection of guns might be flimsy, but still, I'd like to hear how this turns out.

[Morally Challenged]

As to whether or not this is the right forum, it is an item that would be used to mod nerf blaster; I guess it's a judgment call on that. I most likely be getting this sometime in the next month and I'll let you all know how well it works. (Though I would love to hear from someone with a little more experience in the subject before committing myself to a $30+ charge)

[BlackFox]

Wow, this looks promising.

I don't know... I have my doubts though. I don't want to speculate too much, but would they really create something that melts plastics together for a product rated ages 8+?

Nonetheless, now I want one.

[Pineapple]

Reminds me of a Mattel Spinwelder, a toy that came out long before many of you were born.

It basically was a drill, of sorts, that spun a soft plastic rod, effectively heating it to it's melting point. Some fancy handwork and you could create "welds" between plastic pieces that Mattel provided with the toy. There even were rivets that you could chuck into the welder (with an attachment) that spun-melted them into holes in plastic pieces (that Mattel provided with the toy, again).

I cannot say much, since I only had one for a few months before breaking, and Mattel obvioiusly didn't have much of a winner product, so it's only a "wait and see" approach as to whether or not this new contraption is a re-do of an older product, or a whole new mousetrap altogether.

Looks pretty cool, though! Imagine the possibilities if it is a better product!

Ooops... after reading this in the product description, I have to wonder.

Weld a design, break it, then reuse the pieces to weld something else! Non-stop fun and learning the hands-on way.

BREAK it? Aiee.


-Piney-

[Norther of Heaven]

Sweet, now the only thing to worry about is where you'd find spare plastic if you needed any to weld.

[Kid Flash]

I think I might stick to the hot glue for the airtanks still but for things like the ls/frontgun/dtb this could be useful... Badger please post your critique of it here when you get it.

[CaptainSlug]

Not sure what kind of plastic welding it actually is but I'm wary of using it for anything structural. Especially since their demonstration image looks photoshopped.

http://en.wikipedia....Plastic_welding

Edited by CaptainSlug, 10 August 2008 - 05:49 PM.

[nerfer9]

My friend has one, it works wonders. You can weld 2 very thin peices together to make on piece

[A side of nerf]

My friend has one, it works wonders. You can weld 2 very thin peices together to make on piece

Has he used it for integrations with nerf? I would be wary of this because it runs off of batteries.
-A side of nerf

Edited by A side of nerf, 10 August 2008 - 08:00 PM.

[CaptainSlug]

I'm somewhat suprised that a device like this exists at all, and especially that anything resembling a "brand name" is associated with it. There are a few (though unusual) plastic types which can outgas toxics as they melt. But almost all do so if they burn. In my opinion anyone who is interested in one of these should first seriously re-think the idea. Then if you're sure, snap one up quickly before the liability suits take it out of circulation. Then hide it from your parents, if you need to, until you're 18.
(I add that last caution as someone who owned a Mattel Sonic Blaster new)

Effective plastic welding works by reaching the specific plasticity point for a family of plastics. There's no combustion, which would be the source of the fumes you are posting warnings about.

Various sonic plastic welders weld parts together by causing extremely high speed inter-surface vibrational friction.

[Blacksunshine]

wanna cheap real plastic welder here ya go.

http://www.harborfre...temnumber=41592

[Drone Fragger]

I have a suspiscion that this is a spin welder that uses an extremely low tempreture plastic as the welding "rods". This would not only make it safer for kids but also explain how the welds could be broken and reused for something else, considering they aren't going to be particularly strong at room temp.

[TheNerfLoki]

I have a suspiscion that this is a spin welder that uses an extremely low tempreture plastic as the welding "rods". This would not only make it safer for kids but also explain how the welds could be broken and reused for something else, considering they aren't going to be particularly strong at room temp.

I believe that Drone Fragger is probably right. Until we know for sure how this works and what plastics it works on, I do not believe this will be useful. I see three possible outcome 1 The weld falls or break off in a nerf war. (most likely) 2 It does not work well at all on a nerf gun (2nd most likely) 3 It works well (least likely).

Edited by TheNerfLoki, 11 August 2008 - 05:32 PM.

[Morally Challenged]

wanna cheap real plastic welder here ya go.

http://www.harborfre...temnumber=41592

There is only one problem with that welder, you need an air compressor to make it work (greatly increasing the price)

[CaptainSlug]

There is only one problem with that welder, you need an air compressor to make it work (greatly increasing the price)

And I already have a compressor, so I might buy it.

<- tool addict

Edited by CaptainSlug, 11 August 2008 - 11:14 PM.

[doubleshot]

There is only one problem with that welder, you need an air compressor to make it work (greatly increasing the price)

And I already have a compressor, so I might buy it.

<- tool addict

It would just run off of compressed air?

[Blacksunshine]

There is only one problem with that welder, you need an air compressor to make it work (greatly increasing the price)

And I already have a compressor, so I might buy it.

<- tool addict

It would just run off of compressed air?

There is also a plug to heat the element in the welder it seems.



As to the price of a compressor you can get one pretty cheap also from that same site.

BTW slug, there is a much better quality one available thru that site as well.

Well I dunno if its better. But it has the air motor built in so you don't need the compressor. Adds some to its portability.
http://www.harborfre...temnumber=96712

Edited by Blacksunshine, 12 August 2008 - 03:46 AM.

[Morally Challenged]

There is only one problem with that welder, you need an air compressor to make it work (greatly increasing the price)

And I already have a compressor, so I might buy it.

<- tool addict

is jealous of said tools. On a side note (I know this should be in homemade) there is a new service for people who don't have access to a prototyper shapeways. They will build any design you can make in a 3D program then ship it to you (they charge around 50 to 100$ depending on the piece)