kayak modification and polyethylene welding.wmv

Repair and modify a kayak using a polyethylene welder. Other tools used : propane torch, heat gun, utility knife, small hand planer, serrated knife to cut polyethylene foam.
This crudely modified kayak had a trolling motor mounted on the front, battery in the back, PVC fishing rod holders attached with caulking through ragged holes and other crudely cut holes and roughly mounted hardware. All was removed, holes patched and new rod holders installed using 1 1/4" polyethylene conduit. The battery compartment was enlarged and changed into a cooler and storage compartment. Closed with a cover made from 2" poly foam.

[@KarlLSnyder]

You couldn't pay me to get out in that yak. Rod holders might as well be water conduits to help fill kayak and the high density foam so loosely covering those gaping holes!!! Oh no! LOL. But this guy is very skilled at working those welds and fixing some pretty gnarly looking holes so props there for sure. Informative, thank you.

[@victoriablackwood8138]

I really didn't think those rod holder holes were ever going to look good again. Wow you did an excellent job! The poor boat looked hardly worth your time before you started. It looks great!

[@tonymalice]

I heard this channel is good for insomnia so I'm gonna check it out.

[@michaelosmon]

Wow. I fix a lot of things but this really opened my eyes to plastic repairs

[@jsmcguireIII]

You sir, are an artist.

[@larryl6683]

the splash guard of my car was ripped to shreds by my car tire and I was inspired by this video to weld it all back together and it was a big success. I just used a wood burner and modified it with an iron tip to reduce its heat and it worked perfect. No need for a special plastic welder tool or even those repair sticks. Scrap plastic works fine for adding molten plastic for patching material.

[@benjamingoogins1267]

That right there is what you call skills. Thank you for sharing. You give me the confidence to make a modification to my kayak.

[@michaeldolseydesigns8776]

I watched this twice, and a couple other plastic weld / mod videos, you did a great job. I have a Li battery powered, electric fin, E-FIN, I want to install on a kayak. It will power the kayak 5 mph for about 6 hours, Battery and fin weight is only 12 lbs. It will allow trolling and paddle assist if needed. The E-FIN will require an aftermarket SUP or surfboard fin box, to be integrated into the bottom of the kayak so it accepts the fin. .

[@michaelwebb8788]

Very nice work on the plastic welding. Good video.

[@thomashparker6449]

You are a master at plastic welding it looks exelent!!!!!

[@qrthrse1]

Dude. You are the kayak whisperer.

[@mikemcv3775]

Great Video! Have to tackle a HDPE Holding tank repair (ICK!!) Onboard a Schooner I work on, have welded steel,, soldered electrical, Stuck back together wood boats with fasteners,epoxys. Never messed with plastic welding, (well maybe in the age of lawn-darts I had a plastic stir welder toy kit) Now I know the tools I need onboard to take care of it, Thanks for the Video

[@TattooBull]

Very Nice ..... I like how you closed off the hatch !

[@kountrytiger1999]

great job on repairing the kayak cool ideas

[@louineadams]

This is perfect. Thanks for the instruction. We had a wind and rain storm last night and a tree limb came down and punctured one of our kayaks. Now I know we can fix it. Amazing.

[@killahbee54]

Nicely done!!! Thanks for some new tips I just learned… will use these tips soon on my kayak

[@jadekayak01]

good job on the repair and I really liked your rod holder shaping tool. Never seen a speed tip used on a soldering iron before but it looked good.

[@bigmac3006]

A good water catcher is a handball cut in half. I sharpened one end of a piece of thin walled galvanized pipe which cut a perfect hole in the ball when hit sharply with a hammer and the half ball on a 2 x 4. Slid right on the paddle and holds all the water that runs down the handle.

[@phillipiacobacci1369]

Nice job, well done, easy and clean

[@TheDivino21]

Nice workmanship

[@yrigoyen0108]

Just stumbled on you video , very cool !!!

[@fernandizo]

Wow great job.. That takes some skill to do.

[@mazwt44]

Nice job, good video, thanks.

[@AdventuresofAwesomeJoe]

I learned a lot from this video. Thank you.

[@GimmieTheGaff]

Great job! Thanks for sharing.

[@jessenurse9194]

I'm sure they had a ball with it on many fishing trips ☺️. Good fix video

[@JoseGarcia-xg2xh]

I agree, great video, you know your stuff!

[@RockKubor]

Wow so smooth work

[@williamvan909]

What a man that fella you are doing great to do it right well done two thumbs up

[@W2VQY]

Excellent job!

[@jwrhynejr.6689]

Great learning video! Thank you !

[@valley2118]

This is the best DIY video But not long enough 😉😎😆 thanks

[@RobbsHomemadeLife]

This is a good kayak video, would have made me a subscriber if I wasn't already. Loved the hatch coversThanks for sharing.

[@areitu]

I had the same question and googled a couple key words. It looks like the tip he's using, is a specifically designed plastic welding soldering iron tip. I looked up "soldering iron plastic welding tip" and my second result was a link to a harbor freight kit that looks almost like what the person in the video is using.

[@martinpecheur8506]

totally amazing work

[@cashking3512]

really cool thanks for the help!

[@RLZerr]

I recently bought a new 80 watt model that had the triangular head, similar to the Harbor Freight unit. It had no way to feed welding rod into it. All it's good for is heating up and melting a flat surface. The tip got soft and broke off the first time I used it. Some cheap alloy. fortunately was able to adapt the brass head from my old welder to the new iron. Plastic welders with the right tip seem to be hard to find.

[@BAK87]

Great job man. Nice skills and feeling for welding.

[@64maxpower]

Great Job!

[@Offtapbrewing]

Nice man thanks this will help me fix mine .

[@pistolpeta]

Excellent man, just what i was looking for.

[@Chuassy]

Great video man

[@FloppyHatPhotos]

You make that look easy.

[@elvisrickey4625]

Great job. I think I found your welder. Polyvance Plastic Radiator Tank Repair Kit on amazon. Looks just like yours and you can feed a plastic rod through it. Thanks.

[@lorenzomann7993]

You did a great job on that butchered boat, but I was hoping to see it in the water when you finished.

[@RLZerr]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnemZ32hebWKm5I

[@k323r]

nice job 👍👍

[@corollarollas]

Great stuff, did you reinforce the pole holders inside the kayak?

[@ussling]

Bravo on the restoration, but where is the next video showing the final result in action?

[@jdovak1589]

What is the make of the poly welder??...your opinion of it??

[@doomvo5]

Well done man,

[@bridgendesar]

Cracking video, have you ever thought of using a uv cured resin for the smaller holes?

[@cleavisbutkus9373]

Polyethylene is easy to weld. with I bought a wood burner similar to that one at Home Depot for 18 bucks I welded my RV water tank with polyethylene and it really came out great . When I do it again, I will be very careful not to breathe that stuff in. it's very dangerous I'll be wearing a mask.

[@superdave2112]

Very, very cool!

[@balzonurchin]

This video makes me wanna go put a hole in my yak, just so that I can repair it.

[@gilbertrobles1374]

balzonurchin 😁👍

[@GabrielGonzalez-hw5qd]

Dam this was funny

[@GimmieTheGaff]

Awesome work and thanks for sharing. A real big help.

[@shaneschexnayder9972]

How dd you patch the holes where the trolling motor went?

[@robertm4050]

Really nice work! Only thing I would worry about is the holes at the bottom of the pole holders going straight in to the body of the kayak. If your kayak flipped it would definitely let water in. I am sure you would be able to find a way to seal that up pretty easy.

[@jasonkloos6348]

Robert M the seat is open to the same area. In a flip, the rod holder openings aren't the concern.

[@6koko3]

I'd have capped the bottom of the rod holders to prevent water entering into the inside of the kayak.

[@bigbore400]

Was that a soldering iron. What was the attatchment that you fed the plastic welding sticks through.

[@saksa8937]

Perfect job! What is that tool that you use for welding (and of course were can I find it :) )

[@wadepatton2433]

all i needed to know, thanks for the vid.

[@Darksagan]

I am thinking of cutting out a panel to place in a pedal system. Any DIY you can refer?

[@pa1264]

Awesome video, can I use a normal soldering iron tool ? For plastic welding.

[@DWillerup]

Where did you get the tip for your soldering iron?

[@cockroachman27]

Are the welds just as strong as the rest of the plastic?

[@TerianaCreations]

where did you get the polyethylene foam for the hatch?

[@blakethesnake1555]

I have a soldering iron. Where can i get that tip thing for it and what’s it called.? Awesome job by the way. Really impressed by your work on this kayak

[@lindseyalex2107]

Question May 15th, 2018. Hope someone checks in. Just bought a sit on top self bailing with scupper holes. I prefer to sit in a dry kayak with our cold water lakes in Oregon. There was also a little water in the interior storage compartment, which I would like to be more waterproof. DO YOU THINK it is wise to plug the scupper holes permanently and will that keep the interior dry? I would rather attach stabilizers than tip over unintentionally when kayak camping. Thanks!

[@ME.5]

2:10 I'd like get a Spirit 3.3 dimension or some other old light cheapy and easygoing sot. But there aren't drainage holes. So I ask myself, could it be possible I'm the only one wondering what if I drill seat and keel and put inside a plastic tube like these? Would it weak the structure?

[@chrismackay8314]

what is that tool called that looks like a soldering iron, with a flat foot and hole for feeding in plastic rods?

[@excelephant]

Wow, you should demand your money back for this free information that no one forced you to watch....

[@iancameron1662]

Very nice job.were did you get thst plastic welder.thanks

[@0GraveYarD1]

he know what he is doing

[@Ram3s]

excuse me, how does the device with which you smoothed the plastic, please, thank you?

[@RLZerr]

I just used the plastic welder and melted in a little plastic and blended it in.

[@mikek3638]

For us non-handy people who have zero idea what that tool is called, can you explain what your welding tool is please? I'd like to try that and that particular welding tool looks awesome for the job. Sure beats the crap i was using.

[@6koko3]

¿Do you use a regular soldering iron? Melting temperature of tin is quite higher than HDPE. Do you use a power regulator so that you can reach the appropiate temperature? I made some trials on plastic bottles using a regular soldering iron with poor results. I am considering to buy a heat-gun.

[@RLZerr]

+6koko3 soldering iron is too hot, but if you could find and fit a tip with a larger surface area it would help distribute the heat it could work. For cooler temperatures on small intricate jobs you just need to switch it on and off frequently. I have used a power strip with a switch.

[@RLZerr]

this isn't a whitewater kayak, nor any sealed compartments so a few drops splashing in the rod holders or past the simple foam covers isn't a concern. The entire seat area is wide open.

[@SalisburySteak1]

Respect.

[@AdventuresofAwesomeJoe]

do those foam sheets make the hole water tight? I actually have a few that I could use.

[@RLZerr]

+Jose O. not water tight, but I did change the shape of the edge of the opening shown where I used the propane torch gradually heating until it was pliable. Small amounts of water splashed on now drain away outside

[@iancameron1662]

@@RLZerr were did you buy the soilder gun

[@Kev_the-Brinklow-Kayaker]

Rod in those rod holders once used did it crack your weld as needs support on the end inside the kayak else the rod will force the holder ... love the welding though.. cheers

[@RLZerr]

Fishing pole will break before these welds. Still in perfect shape 9 years later.

[@demolitionwilliams7419]

This dude is good

[@MrDanbecker]

Great ..

[@0ddba1l]

Is this welder just a soldering iron?

[@errikbater6854]

Is it safe to hold plastic from a bucket of hdpe? I urgently need to heal a kayak, but it is very important for me to do everything securely. Answer me please!

[@RLZerr]

I might not understand your question. Many buckets are made of HDPE. One way to test plastic is to burn a piece with flame or hot iron. Blow it out and if the smoke smells like a candle it should be polyethylene.

[@Ox-Plays]

Is it possible to sand it after its cooled down to get the same smooth surface as the rest of the kayak?

[@8tonsemi]

Thats should be fine except if your trying to blend colors just don't sand past the color you want and you should be good. It will also help if you use automotive wet/dry sand paper dipped in water to keep the dust down.

[@marksmonthlymusic]

can you please tell me where you get the tip on the soldering iron?

[@RLZerr]

Mark Johnson this is similar to the 40 watt model I originally bought www.ntxtools.com/network-tool-warehouse/URE-ATV.html?gclid=CJLL2vfppcUCFRSEfgod038A4Q

[@jdovak1589]

RLZerr ...I get a security warning about this site...then a notice that this item is not available...would you mind giving the name of the welder /tip ...maybe it will be available thru another source...thnx

[@alderete74]

hole saw?

[@KIKE8743]

Yes, but did it work? Can you show a video of this kayak in the river rapids?

[@RLZerr]

Look at my other videos and see the kayak trip with the maiden voyage of the "Sallyak" in 2012. Watch her spin around like a top. It has a detachable rudder which we left off due to submerged logs but due to the difficulty she had in navigating leaves it on all the time now. She's still paddling in it today.

[@gastonouellet1109]

Bonjour, où avez vous acheter votre soudeuse à plastique? merci

[@RLZerr]

that's an old aluminum curtain rod. It's holding the plastic piece in place with a clamp underneath while plastic welding.

[@shaneschexnayder9972]

What tool is that at 2:31?

[@kevinwelsh7490]

what stops the PE from sticking to the shoe of the welder?

[@RLZerr]

When the temperature and contact time is correct it doesn't stick or burn. It's like anything else. Practice makes perfect.

[@dclarkbsu]

good luck with that foam....why not weld that huge hole too?

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Looks pretty simple. What's the name of the tool you were using? Could I just grab some polyethylene and the hot tool and go to town or is this more complicated than it looks?

[@RLZerr]

+Paul TheSkeptic Polyethylene welder. This one is similar to mine. www.austinkayak.com/products/1587/KC-Welder-Pro-with-Hobie-Color-Rod-Stock.html?Shopping:%20ACK%20PLA&scid=scplp286387&gclid=CJSs8LPbhMwCFQUMaQodJOcNIA Like anything, it takes practice to get good. Practice welding pieces of other polyethylene like water jugs or similar. plastic that has the triangle symbol "2 HDPE" on the bottom. You know it is polyethylene when you heat it and it smells a little like a blown out candle.

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

RLZerr Awesome thanks.

[@BillyBanana75]

Custom!

[@hearttouchmotivation6883]

Rod name

[@redneckhippiefreak]

If I could kick my self any harder, Id be in orbit.. I just saw four kyaks at the dump from a local rental company. They had 5 or 6, 2 1/2in holes randomly drilled through the bottoms. I was seconds from grabbing them and thought it was too much work to fix them.. On the look out during next seasons rental clearance. LOL

[@6koko3]

Where can I get a HDPE welder like yours?

[@RLZerr]

+6koko3 this one is similar www.austinkayak.com/products/1587/KC-Welder-Pro-with-Hobie-Color-Rod-Stock.html?Shopping:%20ACK%20PLA&scid=scplp286387&gclid=CJSs8LPbhMwCFQUMaQodJOcNIA

[@6koko3]

+RLZerr Thanks RLZerr !!

[@FeWolf]

Thank You

[@bugzziee]

curious y u didn't use real rod holders.

[@PufflesDaViking]

s buchanan You mean fancified molded versions of the pvc rod holders REAL fisherman have been using for decades ? lol And yes the point of this is entirely to mock the perception of the term "real."

[@bugzziee]

well, yeah

[@RLZerr]

s buchanan All the kayaks I've worked on the owners were not concerned on whether they had a fancy commercially molded "cup" to hold a fishing rod upright. I keep scrap material on hand for making simple repairs. When there is concern about water possible getting in the kayak from splashing or tip over it would depend on the design of the kayak and if the rod holder is on a sealed compartment.

[@austinhernandez2716]

I didn't have time to do it before at home, so when I got to the lake I used my knife to make the wholes in my kayak for the new rod holders. But even then, I did much better than whoever did it here.