Filling gaps in plastic

[Jess Ragan]

What's the best way to fill gaps in over-drilled plastic? I'm looking for something that would blend itself well with the plastic in a game system's shell. I've done some research and learned about plastic putty, but are there other options I should explore? I've also heard that you can load soft plastic zip ties into a hot glue gun, but it sounds like a pretty good way to ruin a perfectly good glue gun.

[edintv]

You can search Youtube for Charcoal powder and Crazy Glue, Issue will be color matching.

 

 

[Stephen Moss]

5 hours ago, Jess Ragan said:

I've done some research and learned about plastic putty, but are there other options I should explore? I've also heard that you can load soft plastic zip ties into a hot glue gun, but it sounds like a pretty good way to ruin a perfectly good glue gun.

Why would anyone want to put zip ties into a glue gun, you can get glue stick in most, if not all primary colours so why not just use the hot glue instead.

 

I would think there are two primary problems, the first will be colour matching, the second will be removing any excess as that may create extra marks.

For the first you will probably have to get something that is initially close and live with the difference, mask and mix some model paint to the correct colour and paint over it.

For the second, if you can fill from either side perhaps tape the outside so that the filler will not protrude above the exterior surface which would then require sanding down which whereby you are likely end up marking more of the exterior.

 

Considering that you may have to remove any over-spill from the exterior surface I would think you want something easy to remove, so

Hot glue may be an option but can be trick to remove any excess cleanly once it has cured.

Perhaps a little expensive as you generally cannot get it in small tubes but silicone sealant may be worth considering as you can clean off the excess before it cures

Perhaps try melting a wax crayon/candle of an appropriate colour and pouring that into the hole, taping over one side to prevent it running out of course.    

 

[Osgeld]

On 10/31/2024 at 9:20 PM, Jess Ragan said:

What's the best way to fill gaps in over-drilled plastic? I'm looking for something that would blend itself well with the plastic in a game system's shell. I've done some research and learned about plastic putty, but are there other options I should explore? I've also heard that you can load soft plastic zip ties into a hot glue gun, but it sounds like a pretty good way to ruin a perfectly good glue gun.

you are not going to, end.

 

if you over drilled a hole find some nice Nickle, bright chrome washers, or black chrome washers, and make all the holes look the same with them cause if you plan on still using that hole, no matter what you put in there is going to break out fairly quickly, in a couple of my major mess-ups I took some thin aluminum plate and made the whole thing a feature panel

 

you could use a similar plastic and solvent weld it in there but its going to be obvious as hell ... which leads to me to ... 

 

Plug, body fill, sand, paint... no matter what your not going to make it blend in so you have to make your, or someone else's mistake into a feature 

Edited November 9 by Osgeld