Bumper Repair with Hot Air Plastic Welder

[@Jake1973_]

I'm a welder/fabricator and thinking of opening a small shop. I could see plastic welding being a profitable addition. Great video!

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching! Keep us in mind if you have any questions about plastic repair; we are happy to help!

[@sdjnwhyNZ]

I agree. This requires skills to get a nice finish with minimum filling & sanding which keeps away heaps of competitors.

[@matiks1419]

​@@sdjnwhyNZhonestly I did it first time myself it's not that hard just do it slowly otherwise you will mess up the plastic

[@gregorysauri280]

Perfect video, not all cars have Bumper replacement, there are cars with parts discontinued and the only way is fixing the broken plastic part, so this video is perfect for those that have cars with discontinued parts...

[@polyvance]

Exactly! Or cars with very expensive OEM replacement bumpers. You can just have the OEM bumper fixed.

[@Marcoosianism]

I think the most valuable use I've found for plastic welding is fixing discontinued parts. It's a priceless repair technique. Also have a Steinel - great guns. Wish it had a pinpoint reducer nozzle included for finer repairs.

[@m0xmAn]

I use a fine steel mesh and use a soldering iron to melt the mesh into the plastic. This works very well for me and thr bond is very strong. I use plastic coffee stirring rods to fill-in gaps

[@blackhornedmountainchicken3720]

That works for some things but is by no means a universal fix all technique, especially since you want to have the filler rod be the same kind of plastic as what you are intending on repairing. If you don't use the right type of plastic for your filler it can lead to problems with the weld's strength as well as delamination (I think that is the correct term but could be wrong) or the filler peeling/raising off of/separating from the work piece and putting you right back to square one.

[@polyvance]

You are absolutely right; the filler rod needs to match the base material!

[@ckstaff]

@@polyvance Exactly, although the mesh is OK, provided it doesn't get over heated and only gently pressed in on the backside. I may be interested in getting your rod. Been doing this for 2 or 3 decades, never knew of urethane rod. What diameter is the rod? 832 degrees? Really?

[@polyvance]

@@ckstaff The urethane rod is 1/8th of an inch in diameter. Here's our full list of welding rod if you want to have a look: www.polyvance.com/Welding-Rod-List/

[@ckstaff]

@@polyvance I guess I may have missed you saying the bumper was polypro. Never seen a bumper in polypro, that I recall anyway. I remember some were ABS. Still surprised with the 832 degrees, especially if it is polypro. Also interested in that filler and bonding to either the polyurethane or polypro as neither can be chemically bonded.

[@cosakti]

from all methods to repair plastic, i think this is the best and the most professional. two thumbs up for this video.

[@valentinheredia5558]

I can show you a way easier way to do this.

[@derekweese2230]

@@valentinheredia5558 show me

[@thecollisiontechnician9212]

I have been fixing plastic professionally, ever since these videos by Polyvance have come out.

[@pontgta1]

I am not a Pro, but I have to tell you, this plastic welder is the best tool I have used. I bought the kit, and actually came with everything that you need. I made a bumper repair, and stress tested it, all bonded great! Then I moved to a washer fluid reservoir, I was able to bend it back to shape, and weld to better than I would have ever imagined. I actually felt like I knew what I was doing.:) This Company is awesome! The tech support is Excellent as well. I will continue to buy their product because of their quality and ease of use!

[@polyvance]

+pontgta1 Thank you for your kind words! We're glad to hear you enjoyed using our product! Please never hesitate to contact us for any further assistance you may need.

[@polyvance]

@donovan roesstorff Go to www.polyvance.com to see all of our plastic welders and kits. We have our popular nitrogen plastic welders (mostly for body shops), we have the hot air welder featured in this video, and we have several airless plastic welder kits (like our popular 5700HT Mini-Weld Model 7). You are sure to find a welder that best suits your needs!

[@clayton9136]

I bought one of these and could not for the life of me, figure out how to use it. Returned it the same day. This video explains alot. Lol.

[@JimmySilverFoot]

As a pipe welder, this video was very interesting. You did a jam up job.

[@polyvance]

Thank you!

[@charleswittmer2477]

great video to show how to repair bumpers that are very hard to find or any plastic parts on most cars since about 85.

[@polyvance]

Thanks! We also have tutorials on repairing thermoset polyurethane (PUR), which was very common on cars in the 70s and 80s. After that, polypropylene blends became more and more common.

[@nicolashoareau5992]

Bet I ain't the first one to say it, but this video literally rocks.

[@polyvance]

Thank you!

[@danieljessop7140]

Hot air welder is by far the best. Sand paint off, use a belt sander which is way quicker to put a channel in it to fill then stich weld it first to stop the plastic warping. Personally i would use 8mm tape rather than the rod as it leaves a stronger weld and also at the edges should be braced across for extra strength. Once completely cool just use a grinder with a soft disc and sand. No epoxy or filler needed. This is one of the better repairs i've seen though.

[@polyvance]

Nitrogen welding is even better than hot air welding because the nitrogen acts as a shielding gas to prevent oxidation of the plastic. Tape is not going to be better than welding rod. We do usually "T" off the weld at the edge, but they didn't do that in this video. Here's our nitrogen plastic welding playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6uTknWoech0l5o

[@numberpirate]

Only 3 seconds in and I love the intro music. And the dude is wearing a lab coat, epic!!!!!

[@blackhornedmountainchicken3720]

By far one of the best instructional HAPW videos I've come across, it really helped me out. Thanks and now I know what channel to go to when trying to figure things out

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@cw2gtc]

Aah-mazing! Had no idea it was this complicated, or that fixing a piece of plastic had so many steps.

[@darkshadowsx5949]

yeah anymore than 1 step and most people cant handle it. their brains explode and their internal organs get carpet bombed. they start sweating bullets and ask for help screaming like a physco. its not complicated at all you're over thinking it.

[@ios8720]

It took me lot of trying to learn to do it correctly . I need this for a DIY custom bumper i made . I used for melting rods pieces from the old bumper after i cleaned them because they matched the same plastic . Great video helped me a lot

[@polyvance]

Thank you! Yes, using the material that matches the plastic you are repairing is key! It's nice when you can use scrap pieces from a donor part.

[@notreallysmitty]

I couldn't help but notice, but when he said, "wipe in one direction to avoid contaminating the surface" he starts wiping it back and forth. Within 30 seconds

[@PrimalMiltos]

Kyle Kelly...and then sands it down to bare plastic.

[@polyvance]

@Kyle Kelly There is a reason we clean first. If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, its very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@jerryjamify]

And then he grinds the surface off, i would just grid it first.

[@polyvance]

@@jerryjamify If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, it's very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@lnhislmage]

Polyvance. Excellent point . Glad you pointed that out.

[@NewmanTractor]

Great video brother! It's really incredible what you are able to do with plastic welders and a DA! It came out looking amazing! We just did a super similar video on a fiberglass bumper this week! Thanks for sharing your experience and keep em coming!

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@NewmanTractor]

@@polyvance Looking forward to more! Have a great day!

[@polyvance]

@@NewmanTractor You too!

[@Engineerboy100]

Wow, plastic welding clinic! That was an AWESOME video, thank you I loved it, excellent technique. I'm gonna steal. :) Thanks for posting.

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@gaius100bc]

so cool, you found way to fix $50-100 worth bumper using only $300+ worth of tools and supplies, and it only takes about a day of my time, worth mere $100. so cool

[@polyvance]

Many bumpers are not $50-100. Some older cars might have OEM bumpers that are hard to find (and therefore more expensive). You may find an aftermarket part cheaper to put on yourself, but you run the risk of it not fitting properly, and you also have to wait for the part to come in. Having it repaired means you can keep the OEM part on the car and not worry about fitment issues or wait for it to come in. Of course, all cases are different, and the amount of damage will need to be evaluated to see if it is worth having a part repaired. Many times it is cheaper to repair small cracks, tears, tabs, etc. than to replace the whole part. Our hot air and nitrogen plastic welders are mostly for body shop use. They are not for DIY use, and are more expensive. Body shops would most likely have all of the other tools (sander, aluminum tape, sandpaper, etc). As far as repairing vs buying a new bumper: You can find a win-win scenario for both the repair shops and the bill payer. Check out this article and interview with Kurt Lammon, president of Polyvance (under the Plastic Repair section): autobodynews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/15517-the-best-body-shops-tips-repair-vs-replace-what-a-body-shop-should-consider.html?showall=1 There is a good example of a win-win scenario in the article: If a replacement part costs $400, and the shop makes 25% gross profit on parts, the shop receives $100 of gross profit and the bill payer pays $400. However, if the part is repaired and the shop is paid for 6 hours of work at $50 per hour with a 50% gross margin on labor, the shop makes $150 gross profit and the bill-payer only pays $300. So if the part is repaired, both the shop and the bill-payer come out better than if it had been replaced.

[@scottb7600]

You might be missing the point. This is not a DIY repair, its more for a body shop, so investing in the tools and equipment to keep labor dollars in house is well worth it. Take a metal welder for example, many of them cost $15K - $20K and for you to weld with it once is a ridiculous idea. It takes a long time for a metal welder to pay for itself, so 5 to 6K for a high end plastic welder makes sense as they tend to get used in a body shop much more often than a metal welder and pays for itself much faster too!

[@admirateurgoogle412]

Thanks to.your vidéo is very intersting for each one who wants to learn how to repair a plastic

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@jabbaweezy]

Been looking for a video like this for a while, going to mold two bumpers together to make something great

[@polyvance]

Awesome! Just make sure you identify the plastics of the bumpers beforehand and make sure you have appropriate welding rod. Call us if you have any questions or need help!

[@andyrix54]

And another thing, that background music, what exactly is its' purpose?

[@polyvance]

Some people like it, some people don't. However, it has been changed on our newer videos.

[@parkerbirch1475]

The music in this bumper repair video made it unwatchable. I would never watch a music video featuring bumpers.

[@thecollisiontechnician9212]

Most automotive educational videos have this kind of music in it.

[@andyrix54]

@@thecollisiontechnician9212 Dude, if you want to limit the views on your channel, that music is a great way to do it.

[@timelesskoontah]

You just made me interested in plastic welding...wonderful explaining....

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching! We're glad the video made you interested in plastic welder. Feel free to check out our other videos (we have a lot!)

[@timelesskoontah]

@@polyvance I've already subscribed

[@polyvance]

@@timelesskoontah Awesome! Have a great day!

[@daveys]

I got taught some slightly different techniques, but the key takeaway should be to prepare properly, use the correct filler rod and use the correct temperature for your materials. Shame that car bumpers often use so much talc in their formulation.

[@polyvance]

You're right! And to make sure both materials are melted when they join together for a proper fusion weld.

[@AdamSmith-uv6kr]

I get bumpers from Certifit and they usually run around $30 to $40 and the quality and finish ready to paint units are great. No issues with fitment. How is this more cost effective once I pay myself or my guys to do this?

[@polyvance]

All bumpers are different. Some people have cars where it is hard to find an OEM bumper (which makes them more expensive). They would be better off going to a shop that can repair their bumper instead of buying an expensive bumper and possibly paying someone to paint it to match. That isn't considering they might get an aftermarket bumper with fit issues. This hot air welder and our nitrogen welders are definitely for body shops that do a lot of repair work on bumpers. It might seem expensive to the shop at first, but they pay it off pretty quickly.

[@mikemullen4172]

Adam Smith Say Adam, will you see about getting one of those 40. rear bumper for a 1995 Merc. Sable?

[@seabears_hate_circles]

I think it's important to note that while advertised as a tool for body work, this has plenty of other applications, considering how much stuff is made out of plastic.

[@richardmyhan8755]

I told a friend 28yrs ago this would be commonplace in the automotive body repair shop, he thought I was crazy. We both were correct 😎

[@polyvance]

Not only is hot air/nitrogen welding commonplace, but SkillsUSA just added nitrogen plastic welding to their competition. Tech school students are now being trained on nitrogen plastic welders.

[@scottb7600]

Your comment cracked me up!

[@Livereater]

Great job with attention to detail in the making of this video!

[@polyvance]

Thank you so much!

[@0thers1d3]

You made this look really easy!

[@luisarteaga9219]

This looks a solution to my 2002 trans am door panel! Notorious for cracking along the top

[@jasondiddle4226]

Hey, I’m trying to customize a stock seat pan. It is a black plastics. I need to add some plastic to it to get the desired shape to the fender that I want. Then cover it with my leather. What do you suggest to use. I thought about using heat and plastic weld the same type of plastic and metal mesh to keep its shape so it matches and I can use staple gun with the leather. I have not tried this yet. There is fiberglass, but I don’t know how well fiberglass and this type of plastic play together. The other option is shaping a piece of wood to the desired shape. It will be easy to shape and I will be able to staple the leather to it. However, even though it will be hidden and covered by leather, I will know that it is there. I have pictures. I’m open to any suggestions because I don’t want to mess this up. I only have one.

[@polyvance]

Hi Jason. Send this to [e-mail] with your photos. Try to find an identification symbol molded into the plastic; knowing what kind of plastic it is will help with recommendations.

[@asadkhan13264]

After applying aluminium tape there no need to repair z😂😂🤣

[@fwir711u2]

You're not wrong

[@billburkhalter411]

Alien tape

[@wasabiginger6993]

... thanks for that great tip!

[@rocketscience4516]

Phew! I was just about to order all the welding kit, but I'll skip that now. Thanks!

[@pnjathar]

Ha ha ha..🤣🤣

[@pjbj3370]

What would you recommend if clear coat yellows, & peals off after a month or 2

[@MasteringHow-To]

Wow. Beautiful clean work.

[@polyvance]

Thank you so much!

[@TransitvanLou]

Awesome video and thanks for making it . For anyone who is saying they will just buy a new bumper off eBay than do it. Guys in Alaska and Hawaii are limited and have high shipping prices .

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@danielgarcia6485]

Learned a lot from this very informative video! Thanks for sharing!

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@hackanibal2610]

Hi, very nice video, what it's the method tu repair polyurethane bumpers?

[@polyvance]

Here is our polyurethane repair playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3ysen-Zorx5Zsk

[@thegooserider7245]

Why is this satisfying?

[@polyvance]

We are glad you enjoyed the video!

[@daw162]

Fixing things is always satisfying. Even though it takes effort, it still feels like you're getting something for nothing.

[@printexsprasadprintex3561]

Excellent demo thanks

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@chrisb8424]

Came for the video. Stayed for the metal \m/

[@polyvance]

Thanks!

[@mathewhaggy6039]

sooo the amount of time it took to do all that, I could have just bought a new or used bumper, but I guess it would be handy for other projects

[@josephnorcalusa1710]

helpful information, thank you for sharing !!!

[@polyvance]

Thank you for watching!

[@jclaudio806]

Amazing fantastic job , know If this service exist here in Brazil ?

[@polyvance]

Hello. Thanks for watching. I am unfamiliar with repair services in Brazil. As far as sending our products, unfortunately, we cannot send our hot air or nitrogen plastic welders to Brazil. However, we can ship our airless plastic welders if you use the same voltage (we have kits in 120V and kits in 230V) www.polyvance.com/Airless-Welders-1/

[@jclaudio806]

@@polyvanceyes ok perfect thank so much for the atention Great product

[@elmeromero1794]

Or just go to eBay and order a new bumper cover for under $50.

[@scottb7600]

Possibly for a honda aftermarket bumper, but shipping will set you back at least that as well, and chances are it will get damaged in shipping, so youre still going to be stuck with a repair...not to mention the time spent fitting a new bumper, rather than just reusing the one you have...

[@bincockwell2610]

$40 @ my local salvage yard

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

@@scottb7600 New is better. That thing will split open like Ike split Tina's lip.

[@Troymatti]

Not all cars , My bumper with shipping is $850

[@Troymatti]

Lucky ,I couldn't find nothing but oem , 850 plus paint , $1100 , so I ended up fixing it for $300

[@chongkelvin9390]

Hi! Thank you for sharing such a valuable method! I wonder if I can use a heat gun to do the job instead of a hot air welder?

[@scottb7600]

Unfortunately no, you cannot focus the airflow down to a small enough point to have control of the weld and not melt down your heat gun. Hot air welders are designed with low flow with a narrow tip in mind, a heat gun does not and if you try to restrict the flow to the point where you can weld with it, the heat gun will overheat and either burn up or shut down.

[@polyvance]

Do not use a heat gun to weld. You will either fry your heat gun by restricting the airflow too much, or the heat source will be too broad and you will warp your whole bumper and not end up with a weld. There are hot air welders that look like heat guns, but they have digital temperature controls and reduction nozzles. The temperature control allows the reduction of flow without melting down the gun. An example is our Steinel LCD Hot Air Welder Kit: www.polyvance.com/Hot-Air-Welders-1/6055/ Alternatively, you can look at one of our airless plastic welders. We have some that are pretty inexpensive and will do a good job.

[@TuneStunnaMusic]

Oh Man, I can do this next time I need to do a bumper repair!

[@nobodyimportant_23]

how good is this repair compared to combining with staples?

[@scottb7600]

Its better. Witch staples alone, you can't build a repair that can be painted without the risk of the paint cracking at the repair. Staples can be added to this repair however to reinforce high stress areas that may be subject a lot of sheer or tensile loads.

[@crazyaboutcarssridhar5844]

hi sir my name is Sridhar I am from India were did I get this product how much is it going to cost

[@polyvance]

Hello, Sridhar! You can purchase the item at the link below. www.polyvance.com/Hot-Air-Welders-1/6055/ Thank you!

[@BrokenLifeCycle]

What *can’t* I use a hot air plastic welder for? Can it join plastic 5 gallon buckets together? Can I fuse schedule 40 PVC fittings to a plastic barrel and make a strong water-tight seal (so I don’t have to buy expensive bulkhead fittings) Can this be used to repair cracked low-pressure pipes in-field?

[@polyvance]

Check out our other videos to see tutorials on many of our plastic repair and refinishing products. Did you know we also make nitrogen plastic welders? We introduced nitrogen plastic welding to the automotive collision repair industry in 2006. In 2016, we introduced our fifth-generation line of nitrogen plastic welders with a full range of product features that make them the most versatile and easy-to-use on the market. See them in action in this nitrogen welding playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHeVoX6VfNV8qNE

[@donaldcook6997]

just one little question if I am going to remove the paint with a sander,then why clean area first with plastic cleaner...that is cleaning the paint that I'm that will be removed before it's removed why no remove dirty paint?? saves time & money

[@polyvance]

If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, it's very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@cleavisbutkus9373]

The most thoughral plastic weld, I've seen

[@polyvance]

Thank you!

[@isaacsarsona4418]

thorough?????

[@cleavisbutkus9373]

@@isaacsarsona4418 grammar Nazi

[@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533]

I’m a carpenter in commercial construction. Is this roughly the same tool I see all the floor coverers using ..to weld the seams ... joining those rolls of vinyl flooring they lay out?

[@scottb7600]

Its similar in that it uses a jet of heated gas as the heat source, but those that do floor coverings and wall seams generally dont use nitrogen. They also don't have a very narrow jet because they are usually making a lap joint, rather than butt joints and such.

[@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533]

Scott B thanks Scott. I have seen them “trim the top” so to say... though ... like it was a butt joint ... maybe it depends on the application. Lap joints sound like they’d be easier to get done quicker I guess.... not really knowing anything about these machines other than getting the gist of them

[@scottb7600]

@@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533 I'm not up on the roofing application, but I think they use a lap joint...or they butt the sheets together and weld a wide strip over the top of both sheets, which would technically still be a butt joint, but the width of the "rod" is so wide its more of a lap joint.

[@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533]

Scott B ah that’s the mixup.... roofers ... I was mentioning floor coverers ... vinyl floors, classrooms, cafeterias... those steak and potatoes... Definitely Laps on the roofs all day .... Unless you’re bringing the roofers into the mix now?

[@scottb7600]

@@williamgeorgelopezjunior8533 Ah, sorry about that....in my mind I was thinking roof, even though I said floor previously...Must have been a series of Mondays when I responded. I did a little digging and yes the tool is similar. In this video (see link at the end), they are using a Leister welder ($$$$) which can be used in the same way as the Polyvance 6055 welder ($). They made a butt joint, btw. I really liked the weld trimming tool they use to clean up the weld. Its pretty neat. Too bad it wouldn't work on harder plastics. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKGliHqQraeJibM

[@gluemanred]

Great repair, but your soundtrack’s got me rocking out!

[@markkelly3425]

what is the stuff called you mixed to spread on is it the same as bondo body filler

[@mandlegee105]

Ill stick to my trusty flathead screwdriver and a cheep 10 dollar heat gun😁

[@gavinpickens73]

Ive done that trick too. Or use plastic from a bad bumper and a heat gun and weld it from the back side. Then use the repair filler in the front.

[@JosrRocks]

Using a cheap ziptie works too melt it on and pres from the inside

[@sephangelo4603]

@Mykel Hardin Yeah! polypropylene that is, and that plastic is shit compared to nylon or polycarbonate. I rather fix broken PP with glue, baking soda and wire mesh.

[@polyvance]

@@sephangelo4603 Adhesives don't stick well to polypropylene, at all. Also, in general, the baking soda and super glue trick makes an extremely brittle repair.

[@swingking08]

Cut strip's out of and old bumper and heat gun work to haha dodgy plastic welding rods

[@peterpunch1]

But for a crack you have all the material there and need not add any if you use tip welding to separate and the join the plastic again instead of removing material and melting i new similar material with hot air?

[@zijie-he]

It seems too costy to repair the bumper with so many different tools. I even need a wedding ring to make it work properly.

[@murraytownsing5662]

If not sure what type of plastic what stick is best is there a genaral stick .Thanks

[@scottb7600]

You should use the same type of filler rod as base material. Polypropylene filler rod for polypropylene substrates, LDPE for LDPE substrates and so on. FiberFlex is a universal rod. Its good if you can't figure out what you have, but doesn't make a true weld.

[@adamsilesia5753]

Apply tape along the entire crack.

[@wbqg]

Very nice and saving money for sure

[@polyvance]

Thank you!

[@jpillagames9207]

I sell all the materials in the body shop I work at. We supplys for automotive painting and body work and we mix costume paint and match up paint colors for card. It’s cool to see this stuff in use

[@gilbertos1984]

You make it seem so easy. Good video

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@blackkoganinja5093]

That was so cool

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamesdemetro9123]

I never figured it out, Why would car companies make ruber or plastic bumpers??? Was metal ones not working?

[@scottb7600]

Weight savings, cost and durability.

[@allanwatts2357]

Safety for pedestrians also

[@THECONDOR98]

When your girl says she only dates guy that know how to weld 💪🏻👍🏻👌🏻

[@Swenser]

Is it possible to reinforce with metal staples along the line.

[@scottb7600]

Yes, but when nitrogen welding its usually not necessary.

[@chalupamsf]

Or I can just drill holes and insert zip ties

[@sephangelo4603]

And then glue them together.

[@walterbrunswick]

@@sephangelo4603 use bubblegum for better adhesion, preferably strawberry flavour

[@walterbrunswick]

@@opinionsvary Lol these know-it-all DIY assholes really are amazing... just one question, why are you here??

[@danieldraper4267]

Time and labor wise it might be better to find a used part and paint it. But if you are in a position where the part is too hard or expensive to get, this looks like a real quality repair. Would be a good skill to have.

[@polyvance]

Thank you for watching! All cases are different, and the amount of damage will need to be evaluated to see if it is worth repairing the part (or having it repaired). Many times it is cheaper to repair small cracks, tears, tabs, etc. than to replace the whole part. You can find a win-win scenario for both the repair shops and the bill payer. Check out this article and interview with Kurt Lammon, president of Polyvance (under the Plastic Repair section): autobodynews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/15517-the-best-body-shops-tips-repair-vs-replace-what-a-body-shop-should-consider.html?showall=1 There is a good example of a win-win scenario in the article: If a replacement part costs $400, and the shop makes 25% gross profit on parts, the shop receives $100 of gross profit and the bill payer pays $400. However, if the part is repaired and the shop is paid for 6 hours of work at $50 per hour with a 50% gross margin on labor, the shop makes $150 gross profit and the bill-payer only pays $300. So if the part is repaired, both the shop and the bill-payer come out better than if it had been replaced.

[@flagmichael]

I think I'm going to have to go the repair route. The front bumper of our Prius is badly cracked; as with many Toyota passenger cars the bumper does not seem to _quite_ clear parking blocks. I have been checking car-part online and have never found a replacement, and our one wrecking yard in Flagstaff never seems to get one. A new one is $266... it will need painting, of course, but most solutions will.

[@MrTravisAl]

For me, it’s turnaround time. Couple hours of labor and paint versus waiting three days for a part.. then when it arrives you need time to prep it primer and paint it before install.

[@PORRRIDGE_GUN]

Exactly this. I had 2 cracks in a rear bumper of a Hyundai coupe. Invisible repair from local bodywork company £660. But undamaged bumper from a breakers, inc shipping £125 and a respray at a local paint shop £150. £275 total. If I can get one the same colour, respray not required

[@dq7143]

What professional body shop will go through the time and expense for a split in a plastic bumper cover?

[@polyvance]

Plenty. Why make the customer wait for a replacement part for something that can be fixed without too much trouble? You may be interested in the "Plastic Repair" section of this article from Autobody News. It talks about the benefits of plastic repair and gives a win-win scenario for the shop and the bill-payer: www.autobodynews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/15517-the-best-body-shops-tips-repair-vs-replace-what-a-body-shop-should-consider.html?showall=1

[@nickyborrisino]

I just came here for the music.

[@راميمصطفىللدعايةوالإعلان]

Thanks very much , what kind of hot air machince u used

[@polyvance]

Our hot air welder options can be found here: www.polyvance.com/Hot-Air-Welders-1/ and our nitrogen welders can be found here: www.polyvance.com/Nitrogen-Welders-1/

[@Lifeizrigged]

Lol nope....too much work! It's 2019 now. ...just use JB WELD on both sides and sand it down...Done!

[@scottb7600]

Uggghhhhh......Just to reiterate common knowledge....JB weld does not stick to polypropylene or polyethylene plastic with any sort of reliability. Adhesives may work reasonably well on other plastics (still not as good as welding) but on PP and PE welding is really the only option for producing a permanent repair.

[@danieljessop7140]

jb weld is terrible. Plastic welding done right is far quicker.

[@whatfreedom7]

Daniel Jessop it’s pretty strong too.

[@TheStigma]

Do professionals never embed mesh or similar reeinforcement? It seems like an easy way to make sure the weld point is actually stronger than before

[@soullessone4681]

clean with plastic cleaner then sand it down wow

[@scottb7600]

You would be very surprised how many people skip those steps then complain that plastic welding produces poor results....Just like metal welding, prep is very important.

[@sergey_sovetsky]

soulless one - lol, I guess, not everyone gets your sarcasm )))

[@AmandeepSingh-qe4ok]

soulless one i commented same ...Lol

[@polyvance]

There is a reason we clean first. If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, its very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@alanpeksider2255]

Good job 👍🤓

[@damyanovasen]

Or just, you know, drift stitch it 😂

[@pcnepal]

OK for quick and dirty fix but won't last.

[@sk22ng]

Bumper covers are pretty inexpensive. As a novice who repairs my own automobiles, I don't see the value in trying to save one of these. Although I have a similar hot air soldering device that I use to repair my electronics complete with what appears to be the same nozzle and a digital temperature control I still wouldn't waste my time. This must be a labor of love and skill. Nice demonstration and enjoyed viewing the video earning a thumbs up.

[@ckobo84]

It's like a 50 step process! Lol

[@scottb7600]

IT all depends on the bumper cover. If you have a honda civic or other car with a $100 new OEM bumper, you'd only ever repair minor damage, but some bumpers are so expensive, you could spend days repairing them and still come out way ahead. Thene there is availability. If you have porsche, bmw, or tesla, for example you may have a 6 month wait for the bumper.

[@polyvance]

As Scott mentioned, it all depends on the bumper cover. Some are extremely expensive, and right now some are hard to get. We had a call from a shop earlier this month that said 2022 Kia Carnival bumper covers are backordered until February of next year. The bumper cover was repaired with one of our nitrogen plastic welders, and their customer didn't have to wait. Additionally, our nitrogen plastic welders repair more than just bumper covers. You can use them to repair fender liners, windshield washer bottles, fan shrouds, headlight tabs, and more! Headlights are getting more and more expensive, and being able to repair them can save the customer a lot of money.

[@polyvance]

View this video on our website for more information about the products used for this repair and for some helpful tips! www.polyvance.com/video/nitrogen-hot-air-fusion-welding/bumper-repair-with-hot-air-plastic-welder

[@scottb7600]

@MATT ZAWAR Fiberglass repair is out there in abundance, so we don't focus on it.

[@babaimusickingofmusic1204]

Awesome

[@ChrisEllis696969]

'v' '' vvv:"

[@ckstaff]

@@scottb7600 Fiberglass not a very good option on repairing polyurethane, which these bumpers are made of.

[@scottb7600]

@@ckstaff You are correct. But the bumper in this video is polypropylene not polyurethane. Glass is not a good repair method for either, but a PP bumper can be welded as shown, whereas a PUR bumper cannot be welded in a conventional sense.

[@rjlinnovations1516]

Excellent technique for the repair of the plastic bumper 👍

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@shameempt]

Seems like it's gonna take a month to finish 😂 just go and buy a new bumper instead 🙌🏻 Lol

[@polyvance]

Nah! Hot air (particularly hot nitrogen) can provide the quickest and strongest repair and can save a body shop thousands of dollars a year. Replacing a bumper that can be repaired is a waste of time and resources.

[@MrDanayr16]

People don't want to and pay me to fix it instead 😂🤣😃

[@quantumgelato4787]

lol I would have that bumper ready for primer in 30 minutes. I bet you buy generic bumpers.

[@benson4u215]

Who buys 200$ plastic bumpers for vehicles that are only 10 years old.

[@quantumgelato4787]

I just worked on a 2009 Mercedes c66 AMG, and the OEM bumper for it cost $1250 not including the trim pieces and Styrofoam pieces. Just the bumper 1250. If you do insurance work you always want to buy OEM because if it doesn't fit properly when your putting a car together on a deadline day it makes you and the insurance companies look bad.

[@choimdachoim9491]

A fender-skirt on my 30 year old motor home has an impact-crack. For a one-time repair this method shown here has too high of a tool and material investment but watching this video made me wonder if I can fix it with CA glue and baking soda. From the videos I've seen it's quick and durable enough to repair aircraft.

[@scottb7600]

Don't use CA on your skirt! It will not hold for the long term. I believe your skirt is made of ABS and Plastifix works amazingly well on it. It chemically etches itself into the ABS and should not fail. Plastifix LOOKS like it could be CA and baking soda, BUT neither part of Plastifix adhesive will do anything without the other part, unlike CA glue. PF is a special type methylmethacryalte (not to be confused with cyanoacrylate CA glue) designed for ABS, PC, Acrylics and other hard plastics.

[@TheNoobComment]

this probably will cost more than you buy a used bumper and have them paint it....

[@TheSaif78]

Ofcourse this is not made for DIYers, it's made for big body shops, where it would save shit ton of money

[@ThisTall]

TheNoobComment if both bumpers would need paint, you’re literally saying 1hr labour for a guy to do this would cost the same as a new bumper?? Your completely nuts.

[@rastwet]

If it’s a new model you definitely save money

[@backyardbbqwithvlad6663]

If the new bumper costs $1000 and used costs $600 you will do anything to save money

[@lnhislmage]

Plastic welder from harbor freight 50 bucks or so. New aftermarket bumper unpainted $200 plus paint supplies plus removal and installation. If you’re lucky you can probably fix the crack without even removing it from the car.

[@CaptainSportfish]

If i'd like to modify a plastic bumper with a valance/spoiler, coul'd I use this product too?

[@polyvance]

If it is made out of the same type of plastic, yes you can.

[@KiRiMa64]

Subbed!!!

[@shyamashok7534]

thankyou ❤

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@GreatDane2412]

You call this welding ? 😂😂😂 its more like glueing

[@scottb7600]

This is true welding.

[@polyvance]

How so? This is absolutely welding! From dictionary.com "Weld: to unite or fuse (as pieces of metal) by hammering, compressing, or the like, especially after rendering soft or pasty by heat, and sometimes with the addition of fusible material like or unlike the pieces to be united." Here, we are using a TPO welding rod to repair a TPO bumper. We heat both the bumper and the welding rod and melt the welding rod into the base material. The welding rod is not an adhesive like glue; it has absolutely no adhesive property when dry or wet. The welding rod is melting into the base material here and bonding with the bumper.

[@Noname-lk2ol]

Lol yea this dude who posted this is obviously an uneducated dumbass 😂

[@HartyBiker]

This looks quite similar (but more involved) to welding vinyl flooring.

[@jeffersonlisboadealmeida2720]

i love usa......

[@Kinematographer]

Ideally, twist the stick too, this promotes better adhesion and the polymers are stronger.

[@scottb7600]

If the right amount of heat and pressure are applied, there is no need for twisting the rod.

[@jamesguiberteau6607]

Did he really have to and the entire bumper or could u blend it in

[@AtlasReburdened]

Why clean before the initial sanding?

[@polyvance]

If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, its very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@rossokeefe9268]

So what process is the better way.hot air welding or hot iron welding with the steel mesh..?

[@polyvance]

Hot air welding is much faster than airless welding. Going further, nitrogen welding is better overall than hot air welding because the nitrogen acts as a shielding gas and keeps the plastic from burning. You can still add in the stainless steel mesh when hot air welding if you need extra reinforcement for your repair. We did this in our video where we repaired a kayak with the nitrogen welder: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jne1Yp6Zj6-ZmaM

[@rossokeefe9268]

@@polyvance ok..I'm in the autobody trade and deal with busted bumper cover frequently..I've been using the hot staple gun..with moderate results...can you recommend a setup that may be the best for my needs..thanks

[@polyvance]

​@@rossokeefe9268 If you're repairing a lot of bumper covers, a nitrogen welder would be good for you. You don't want to solely repair with hot staples. We've got 8 different nitrogen welders to fit a variety of budgets: www.polyvance.com/Nitrogen-Welders-1/ Unfortunately, we are having supply chain issues and we are currently out of stock. These welders range from $1295 to $4895. Send an email to [e-mail] and ask for some literature on the nitrogen plastic welders. If you would rather speak to someone, you can call us at 800-633-3047. We're happy to help. If you'd like us to do a demo at your shop so you can see it in person, we can do that.

[@scottb7600]

@@rossokeefe9268 Absolutely. If you see the potential for doing repairs daily, I would probably steer you towards an 8203 Nitro Fuzer, even though its quite a bit more than the 8202, it has a built in nitrogen generator so you would never need to buy nitrogen or rent bottles. a 100 cu ft bottle will be used in about 6 to 8 hours of actual weld time, depending on your set-up, this can add up pretty quickly and it is a little bit of a pain to swap bottles out, especially if you are in the middle of a repair. If you only might doing a few repairs a week, then go with the 8202 Nitro Fuzer as the added cost of the 8203 will take longer to pay off. But then again, we have had customers recoup the entire cost of an 8203 on one repair! (Maybe you'll get lucky, too and a Lamborghini will roll in with a broken front and rear bumper!)

[@rossokeefe9268]

@@scottb7600 thanks for the info

[@josemendiola4957]

Excelente video 🌮🍗🍔🍟🌭🍕🍪🍗🍔🍟🌭🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@CarlosSanchez-kd8et]

Great educational video. thanks

[@polyvance]

Thanks for watching!

[@IDMUMTAZ]

Wow amazing..

[@jec_ecart]

Wow. Professional 👍🏻

[@colsinclair7793]

Iv only got dirty paper towels. Why clean at the start when you're going to sand it down anyway?

[@polyvance]

If you have contaminants on the plastic and you sand or grind it, it's very likely you will embed some of the contaminants into the sanding scratches (which will impact the quality of the repair). You should always clean the plastic first! You can clean it again after if you wish, but you should always clean it first!

[@sbjennings99]

Awesome informational educational video experience Y'alls

[@chongmeng8049]

Hi what kind of welder is suitable for bonding PP/EPDM bumper?

[@polyvance]

The best welder for Polypropylene, which is what most bumpers manufactured today are made of, is going to be a nitrogen welder. The hot nitrogen gas creates a true fusion weld between the plastics, rather than just adhering to it. If you're interested in investing in a nitrogen welder, you can explore the options available to you from Polyvance in the link below. www.polyvance.com/Nitrogen-Welders-1/ Thanks for watching!

[@pammvi]

Please send me some information on this Nitrogen welder...looks interesting for the plastic welding of bumpers.

[@polyvance]

Happily! Just email [e-mail] and ask for nitrogen plastic welder literature. Thanks for watching!

[@SeridianPulse]

thank you a very informative video, I'll order a new bumper now.

[@polyvance]

Our hot air and nitrogen welders are more for body shop use. We do, however, have a hot air welder kit, our 5700HT Mini-Weld Model 7, and a few other airless welder kits that can be used for DIY and are cheaper. Having a bumper repaired by a body shop with professional equipment may save you money instead of having the bumper replaced. It just depends on the amount of damage to know if it is worth repairing or not. Many times, it is cheaper to repair (or have repaired) those small cracks and torn tabs rather than replacing the whole bumper.