Thanks for the great video! I'm going to be honest, I work for the company that makes the KCW PRO for Hobie and appreciate your opinion. There are a couple of other things I'd like to add as benefits for the KCW PRO. 1: The welding tips are cast and machined in Tennessee and the welding rod (on the Hobie Welder) is also extruded in the US. On the PV brand, the same is also true, but not on the HF brand. 2: The alloy used on the tips was very carefully chosen to be strong while hot and conducts heat very well. This alloy is not cheap plain brass like the HF model. The HF tip also contains lead, which is not the most environmentally friendly. 3: The mesh on the Hobie Welder and the PV welder is heavier gauge then the HF mesh, and if my memory serves me correctly, the HF mesh is either galvanized steel or aluminum....I can't remember which, but it it can be torn by hand, so in terms of added strength, its minimal. 4: The new Hobie and PV welders are 200 watt ceramic core heating elements, so they get hot faster and stay hot longer when used than the old 80 Watt version we used to have. They also typically last much longer than a nichrome wire heater. The cores are also replaceable, so if one burns out, you don't need to buy a new welder, you can just replace the core. 5: The Hobie welder comes with the exact HDPE the boat hull is made from so the bond strength can't be beat. The PV version comes with a close match to the hull material, but not as exact as the Hobie one...Keep in mind there are hundreds if not thousands of variations of HDPE. The HF welder comes with something that's totally useless for repairing HDPE. 5: HF has no live tech support for plastic welding. Tech support costs the company money, but PV has it and I believe Hobie does as well. HF will just tell you to call us, which we don't particularly appreciate. Thanks again for the honest review! BTW we in no way sponsored the video review.
I bought and used the Harbor Freight welder yesterday to do a repair on a quite sizable hole in an RV water tank (a flat surface on the top of the tank). It worked well for a one-time use to do a repair on plastic I could get nothing else to seal on. An inexpensive and relatively quick repair. I used the stainless steel mesh to cover and reinforce the repair by placing the tip directly on the mesh and applying pressure to force the heated mesh into the plastic base and then held it in place with a screwdriver until the plastic hardened enough to keep it in place. I did this repeatedly until the job was completed. When I applied the rod, I was careful to heat/melt the plastic below the rod to insure the melted plastic would have the opportunity to mix and in my opinion form a stronger bond. Mixing the two materials (the original surface material and the plastic rod) together I think better mimics the way steel welding actually works - the metal of the surface being welded and the melted rod become one. I ended up with a layer of plastic approximately 1/4 inch thick over what was originally an approximately 3/8 inch gap in places. My first test, filling the tank and cruising down the road (it's a water tank on an RV) was successful. Expert that I now am (a little joke), on your hull keel I think I would have cut and formed the stainless steel mesh and conformed it to the hull before welding and then employed the same technique of melting the mesh into the hull with the head, holding it in place until the plastic cooled, and then layering plastic over the mesh with a plastic welding rod. I suspect that would perform a very rugged repair.
I repaired my set on top kayak that kept filling up with water at my campsite using plastic water jug caps and a piece of S/S wire flattened by a camp hatchet on a rock. I heated the SS up in the campfire, then pressed the flattened SS to the area to be repaired and added the plastic bottle cap cut into peaces to form a weld puddle as needed. That was16 years ago. And my son & kids are still paddling the same kayak today. So, where there's a will there's a way.
The wind caught the gate into my property as I was driving my cherry 78 Dodge Colt into the yard, and broke out a section of the taillight on the driver's side. I bought a the Harbor Freight plastic welder that you used in this video to repair the taillight, using a taillight repair kit and fragments of the broken light. The repair came out quite well, but of course the old car is no longer as pristine as it was before the break. The tip of the plastic welder did bend a bit by the end of my messing around with it. After I was done with the repair on the car, I removed the tip and placed the tip in a vice and heated it thoroughly with a propane torch and simply straightened it back to its original shape. I'll probably need to do this every time I use the plastic welder, but it's not much of an extra chore, and for the 20 bucks I spent on the welder, I can live with it.
thank you!!!! i just lost my cheap lifetime angler while traveling for work.... strap snapped after a big truck sped by me.... (need to dyi a better rooftop anchor).... i just purchased the "kc" due to your video! thank you!!!!!! god bless and keep up your passion!!! very good tips!!
I just brazed a triagular shaped piece of 1/8" thick sheet metal to my 325 watt solder iron. I use #2 high density polyethylene from milk jugs, antifreeze jugs etc.
I have a tip that I designed and made myself from scraps of old stainless steel commercial food serving utensils. A bit of cutting and shaping and I get exactly what I want. Flat tips,round tips etc. I even have a large one with an insulated handle that I heat with a blow torch. It's mass holds heat well and puts a nice smooth flat finish on large repairs. Making your own tips and tools easy and the way ahead.
Kayak Hacks Fishing not a bit of it! The stainless heavy duty cutlery cheap to pick up second hand. Draw shape on it with a sharpie and set in about it with angle grinder. If it don't work out then either bin it or make another bit into a smoothing or shaping tool. Heat with blow torch and rub over repair. Grind to suit profile required.
thanks for the review, ordered the welder using your link and going to attempt to repair my Yakima Skybox 18 when it arrives Thursday. I'll report back how it turns out.
Good review, thanks. I've seen the Hobie unit and just the rod feed tube alone seems to be the deal maker for me. Now that you've revealed the soft metal flaw in the HF unit, the Hobie's equivalent flat foot platen is clearly better . I appreciate your vids; they are no nonsense, have no silly attitude, are only as long as they need to be, and are all reasonable as to just how much "hacking" makes sense.
Informative video. I have passed on the HF welder up to now because I suspected I would have issues of some sort. Goes back to the old adage, ya get what ya pay for.
I just fixed a leak on my feelfree lure that Happened when. hit something yesterday. I used some old atf jug ( recycled hdpe ) . i did not use a propane torch like i used to, I use a wood burner that i bought for $5 about 3 years ago . It worked great . It had some different tips that came with it . The tip I used looked a lot like the flat one your using but smaller. It was do easy and went on smooth . So smooth that I cut up some more jugs to make a keel guard out of . it matches my ocean camo pretty good .
The same thing can be said about most Harbor Freight tools. If you need it for rare or occasional use, buy it. If you use the tool regularly or make a living with the tool buy them elsewhere. I love the place myself!
Yup it does bend. It is easy to bend back when hot, however the tip will break. This happened the first time I used it. HF did give me a new one. I have since purchased a hot air plastic welder for large work. I don't feel it is junk, but is a nice, light welder for light jobs where your not going beating it up.
I have been using a heat gun to repair cuts and scratches but it heats up to much surface area . I am thinking about getting a plastic welder. Thanks for the review. Thumbs up.
I use the head gun with the spreader to run over the surface gently and knock down any small curls. All the manufacturers I checked recommend against messing with small scratches and advise only repairing the biggies. Heat gun is good to prep the surface a bit before starting the welding.
Exactly my experience with the HF soldering iron thing. Got a free 15ft Pelican canoe that dragged a couple miles after the trailer strap broke. I practiced with some scrap HDPE and it barely melted the stuff. Before too long the triangle tip just broke off. HF is a crap shoot. I have gotten some gems there but this one was a dud. Went back and got the welder with the air hose. That should fix my canoe and then some. Thanks for the info.
The HF one is terrible. Temp is difficult to control due to low quality parts and the heating elements don't last. The 6055 Steinel LCD Hot Air Welder is an awesome tool however. If you don't want to plunk down 2 to 6k for a nitrogen welder the 6055 is the way to go. It has digital temperature controls, good instructions and a wide variety of rod that's actually LABELED so you know what it is you have and comes with a reduction nozzle and a speed tip! I use one A LOT!
It’s what you use it for. Personally, I repair plastic blow mold figurines (like Santa Claus) for my wife. She sells them. I use a light touch, to avoid crushing/cracking the figurines. I have used a HB $17 welder for over a year with no bending. I fix pretty much anything plastic with it. Also, I keep a wet sponge nearby to wipe the slag off.
Like your videos! So helpful! I have subscribed. Your pleasant demeanor and wisdom make me Whish I could come to your garage and have you assist me in my repair. I am looking to purchase a used kayak with a 3 inch cut all the way through.
Whoa! That's a big cut! I hope you can get at the cut from both sides. You need to drill a small hole at each end of the cut, to keep it from growing, melt a "V" along the cut and then fill that in with HDPE - do not just try and cover the cut. Thanks for the kind words on the channel!
I just use a Black And Decker heat gun and butter knife or spoon and acrylic end on a screwdriver to smooth it out. Do t forget to lick spoon to keep from sticking.
just a small tip to anyone looking at the hft welder if you have the capability to shorten the shank as much as possible it will no longer bend I've bent mine 3 years ago cut it off and have been using it since
How did you do that? Did you rethread the shank? Cutting it off would remove the threads? I would really like to know since the HF welder is so much cheaper it would be a better deal if the tip would not bend.
5 years later, I see an issue with the Harbor Freight welder and the rod you tacked down then melted it in. The KC heats the kayak plastic and the rod and melts the two together. As you would if you were making a metal weld. The cheapo one you'd have to use like a welding flame as you do when welding with oxy-acetylene on steel.
Awesome video I was thinking about buying one now I'm going to go with the expensive or one probably in the long run saving me money I don't have a lot of money so every penny counts
You were right about the Harbor Freight plastic welder. I was fixing up a long crack in an ice fishing sled. The HF broke toward the end of the job. Actually I don't regret buying it though. It gave me the confidence to go on and purchase a better welder. Is the hobie welder going to hold up to reconstructing ATV, sleds, snowmobiles, etc.? What to you think of hot air welders ? I tried an old fashion soldering iron. It was a bit ox'y to use on the job I was doing, but it may have a place. Keeping it hot was a job with a small tourch. I want a good welder but am Leary of purchasing, not knowing who makes good quantity.
@@KayakhacksFishing thank you. I may try both. My ice fishing sled is about 4 feet long. I welded inside and out before the tip broke off. It kept bending, I kept straightening. I expected it. I think I took to it after many years of drywall finishing and thin coat plaster work.
Also, fyi, somebody suggested I use zip-strips as ‘welding rods’. Nope, they are crap/flimsy welds. It’s like using bubble gum vs. epoxy. The best welding ‘rods’ are more of the same material. Plus, just because you use the welder for your kayak, and don’t need the black rods that came with the HF welder, doesn’t mean that they aren’t good for fixing things like say, welding plastic toys from the inside, or car dash items. And the black rods that came with mine were harder and thicker than the ones you got.
HDPR tarp strips. less thick, so easily melt and ensure a strong bond. Just be sure the tarp you use is HDPE and not LDPE. They come in both. Edit: So a better and SUPER cheap source of pure HDPE is bottle caps with the Recycle #2 symbol. That is food-grade HDPE. Clean it well and you have easily manageable pieces to apply as filler. The rod kits are design for a specific purpose, we often just need filler material. I guess you can look around at different pop/soda bottles and select caps that closely match the colour of your yak, lol
Kayak Hacks Fishing ive gone through 5-6 of the hf models and thats the only reason i toss them...once it cools the handle is very brittle and you cant useit too well with no support at that point.....as for the tips...i use a bolt with the same threads and grind the head to an angle
I think if you found an old school soldering iron with the big chunk of copper (high thermal mass), it would blow both out of the water and work faster.
Kinda strange. I've been using the HF welder on a Old Town Dirigo 140 for a year and my tip is not bent. Just used it last night. The only advantage I see is the hole you can push a rod thru.
Also, I saw your other comment and could not find it in the list. I tried sticking a KC welder tip into the HF welder. Unfortunately, the threads are a bit different and it will not screw all the way in. The keeps the tip from heating all the way up - but if you are OK with a lower temp, it will work.
Kayak Hacks Fishing your right the kc welder would be best. I own two kayaks and my uncle mainly fishes off kayaks he decked out his own fishing kayaks he git me into rec kayaking and ocean kayaking. me I just like getting out there to paddle rec out there when I can and fish on occasion. I like modding on the cheap and haulling equipment to camp etc after I paddled up creek.
I think you threw out FiberFlex welding strips. They are a heat-reactive adhesive containing carbon and glass fibers, and I find they form a strong bond, especially when combined with ss mesh or lengths of ss wire. The bond hardens when cooled. You heat the tip (3/4") of a strip, then press it onto the (cool) substrate. You might pull the Fiberflex out of the trash can and try it.
I'm thinking that repairing the flaps caused by oysters wouldbe better if you used the welder to heat the base material to soften it before melting the flap back into it. Thoughts?
Those cuts are fairly small - pushing up at most 1/8" of material on each side. The welder will heat everything as you fold those back and I do not see the need to do anything with the "trench."
Mike Curtis + Good idea for a correct weld. The system of just laying the plastic rod on the work, would prove to produce an incomplete weld if bend tested and inspected closely. It is not for the amateur to attempt a certified metal weld. Plastic also requires the right procedure for best results. I know, I know, it's been working.
I tried that and the KC tip did not fit easily into the HF. You have a great suggestion and I wonder if the HF welder I had was a bit off and could not take the KC tip
Nice video. Thanks for the comparison. I always like to invest in quality tools, for it is cheaper in the long run. I am curious as to why you have registration numbers on your kayak? I enjoy the videos...thanks
alan king 300 million of the real Americans are thinking like that, and so getting exactly what they deserve. Why not take the POS back and demand a refund, then never go thru their Chinese door again? And why not read Deuteronomy 28? Slowly.
Just buy a Polyvance unit. They are MUCH higher quality and stand behind their products. plus you get free tech support (without going through a phone tree) with your purchase.
Love your video & thank you for your effort sir.. here in Malaysia, most kayaks are made from China using LLDPE / LDPE as material.. any opinion on how to do maintainance on these materials..? what the differences between these two & which is better..? Tq in advance sir..
I have to look at the HF an see if you could modify the hole to fit a larger shaft. As in most of their products the quility of the materials used is lacking and if its a tool that you will need to reuse your right go with the gold product. Thank you
One person who commented said he could get a real tip into the HF welder. Maybe the tolerance was tight on mine and that prevented me from doing that. You might be able to gently rethread it to allow a real tip to fit... and that would produce an inexpensive solution.
I just used the HF tool to repair a crack on the bottom of my Ascend FS10. My kayak is 5 years old but I had noticed some water accumulating in the bottom. Last time I took it out it got a significant amount and it was time to do something. A crack had happened where the tip of one of the seat "feet" rested against the bottom of the kayak. Thanks for mentioning the HF included plastic rods because I almost used those! I used LDPE because I had no HDPE lying around...I used a lid off of a green Rubbermaid "Roughneck" container. Yes, the tip of the HF welder did bend up but it worked. I welded LDPE on both sides of the crack and used the steel mesh on both sides of the crack as well...also drilled two holes on the ends of the crack. Test run was succesful...no leaks. Hopefully it will last a while.
The welder tip on the Harbor Freight unit is garbage. I bought one myself a few years ago and it broke the first use. Shameful that they are still selling them with the inferior metal alloy tip. I was able to adapt a brass plastic welder head to it but had to re cut the threads with tap and die set.
I know that most don’t want to keep taking a tool back to the store,but do they have the same no questions give you a new tool like they do most of their other tools for this?
I am a certified playground safety inspector and have been looking for a cheaper alternative to the drader plastic welding product line. In your opinion, do you think the kc welder mentioned in your video would suffice to repair gouges and stress cracks in playground slides? If so, what welding material would you suggest and where do you purchase it?
Ryan, this is kind of out of my league. Just taking a shot at answering, the first issue is to make sure you MATCH the repair plastic with the item being repaired - do not mix. Next, on cracks, make sure the repair is applied to both sides if the crack is all the way through with the appropriate prep (making a V, etc). I am not familiar with the drader line, so cannot make a comment on that - the Hobie welder works great on my HDPE kayak. Where to get the material - try Granger. That is the company that actually shipped my Amazon material. I have a video that talks about that ( ruclips.net/video/rX4sQaXR8lM/видео.html ). Bottom line is you need to consult with a playground equipment expert to figure out the best approach. Sorry I could not be more helpful.
Kayak Hacks Fishing, I think I'll take a chance on it to see if it will work in this application. Best case scenario I save the county a few hundred bucks, worst case, I have a good plastic welder I'm sure my crew will find other uses for. Thanks for the information and the video!
Just curious if adding pressure is needed? I have no real experience.with either it just seems that you should allow the tool to do the work and melt the plastic. Some pressure of course is needed I imagine the HF tool or any would be very light. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
I noticed near the end of the video, it appeared that you put your KC tip into the HF welder. IF you did, how did that work out? Also I have to say that the ones that really keep harbor freight in business are not middle to high class earners, meaning that. at least in my area, they make no more than 10,000 to 12,000 per Year. So, that extra $50 is more like $150 to them.
The KC tip did not screw all the way in. Another commenter suggested just straightening the HF tip and reusing. That is an option that might work a few times until the HF tip breaks.
I know this is old now, buf, it seems to me the shape of the HF "rods" being flat rather than round plays a big part in its usage! The round rod requires alot of extra time the tip is heated coupled with the extra force required to flatten a rod is WAY more than the tools intende use of heating a flat thin strap of filler into or onto some metal mesh or into a gash or gouge. For that reason i would say the HF tool was being judged in a way in which it was not intended to work and should be retested using the proper style filler material with which it came! After all, you would'nt use TIG filler rod with a MIG welder would you? Or solder plumbing joints with electrical solder. Of course not! So why not use the style filler this was obviously intended for the tool and see how it holds up under "normal use" for that tools design? I must say though, i personally would be more inclined to purchase the 75 dollar tool because of its vesatility to use either round or flat filler. Just my two cents!
Can you replace the tip with a better (more expensive) one? Thanks for the video! I ordered a plastic welder for $17 off of eBay just before watching this video. It looks identical to the HF welder you are testing.
Have you tried any heat gun plastic welders? Just curious how it would compare to the KC welder. Off hand the heat gun would require two handed operation, the second hand to hold a screwdriver or putty knife to flatten the rod. But other than that, do you see any other issues with a heat gun?
@@KayakhacksFishing says to me that folks are still pushing too hard. It's a SLOW process. Rushing will melt it, but there is a limited bond occurring between the new and old material. It should be closer to spreading peanut butter over the surface.
@@KayakhacksFishing I need only a cheap one likely twice a year max. So I actually just ordered this style from Amazon. Soldering iron tips bend as well when pushing too hard. When I get mine, I'll see if I can find a metal tube just bigger than the wedge shaft to serve as a collar to strengthen these copper/brass tips. Might alter the heat conducted to the tip slightly, but will fix the bending some. And I'll be using bottle caps with a Recycle #2 symbol for the filler as that is high grade HDPE in a thin form that can be cut into pieces that are easily melted and bonded. With some looking, you can likely find a good colour match. I need orange and black for my Oldtown, Mountain Dew and...
Not here to nock anyone however items made of HDPE plastics are much easier to fix here is why I say so Taking A look around us are numerous things that use the same plastic minus the color it comes in we have milk jugs laundry soaps motor oil all types of containers of high strength plastics they use this stuff for shipping food stuffs to so it very common Simple to see what kinds of plastic it will be by looking at the logos molded in to the item it a triangle and it will say 2 in the center and hdpe some were close and any type of other plastic may not work as this stuff is like trying to Weld steel to aluminum not going to happen so one needs pay attention to small details recycling old things is a great asset saves some money and a skill builder Not to forget nothing can have dirt oil or a film of any kind soap and solvent included some sandpaper helps or steel pot scrubber thingys are at times great and on google play store there are apps for the purpose of identification of these plastic logos there can be other things there to will need to take a bit to look take care have fun its about the adventure
Exactly. As long as the recycle number 2 is on the bottom of the bottle you're good to go. I have four rotomolded kayaks all different colors. I buy laundry detergent in jugs that match the color of the different kayaks. The Harbor Freight Tools okay but I prefer a torch and a screwdriver. Heat the tip and you're good to go. It's just the way I've been doing it for years I guess I'm used to it.
I don't understand how an 80W tool can melt HDPE which has a welding temperature of 575f. the HF tool clearly states it only gets up to 525f on the box...am I missing something?
Yeah you were right ! The H.F. fell apart. I have to say I hit it with a big job. I had about a 4 ft. Long crack in my ice fishing sled. I welded outside and in,. On the outside I weld the crack, with welding rods. On the inside I reinforced with fine mesh stainless (I think to fine a mesh). I used kevlar plastic rods. As I welded the tip kept bending, and I kept straightening. Finally the tip broke. I finished it with the tip of the barrel. I still don't feel bad about the deal. I think for light repair, small cracks, tabs, its just ducky, but for big stuff for get it. I'm thinking about a hot air welder, because I want to use it on body work, bumpers, snow mobiles, etc. . Maybe I show get both welders ?
Wish I had seen this video before getting the HF plastic welder. I bought the HF welder to fix the belly pan on a BMW. The tip kept bending with minimal force applied and before the repair job was complete for an 8" crack the tip snapped off! Frustrating!
I tried the good tips on the welder and they did not fit well. I suppose you could recut the threads with a tap and die and that might work. Worth trying if you already have the HF welder and a tap.
Sadly neither of these are for sale in the uk for a reasonable price, would you recommend a soldering iron with a large flat tip to melt steel mesh to fix a bumper?
Sure, I think that would work. Anything hot will melt HDPE. I have another video on doing small hole repair by heating a putty knife or using a lighter. ruclips.net/video/-jmtV-qkIqU/видео.html or ruclips.net/video/cztQ2T_evyQ/видео.html
Definitely works fine. I made one with a small steel foot and it works fine. For small jobs you don’t need a shoe at all. Just use the iron as it is. The real strength comes from the screen mesh anyways. Just hold it in place till the mesh hears and sinks in the plastic the move to another place and repeat. Use the shoe to smear it around for the cosmetic part.
Why not just remove the HF welding tip and either put it in a vice to straiten it or (better yet) hammer the tip shaft bend to straiten it on an anvil or heavy piece of metal. No need to throw away something that can be simply fixed. Since the whole tip is probably copper, hammering the shaft strait will also work harden it, making it less susceptible to bending.
@@KayakhacksFishing Thanks for the quick response. I just found out that I had what I needed all along! For me it is even almost the exact color I need. Folger's Coffee containers are HDPE and almost match the red on my Coleman canoe. I'm sure most people either drink that coffee or know someone who does. At least in North America. Not sure if it is sold internationally but thought I'd throw it out there. With the amount of coffee my wife drinks I will never have to replace this canoe! Lol!
A heat gun will help.. Warm the material and push it into shape and let it cool while in appropriate shape.. (Don't heat it to the point of melting, just to the point of pliable)... You can use a heat gun or a propane torch to warm the material..
I just shared your great video on Facebook. (Hopefully, you do not mind that the video was shared. I will remove the video if you would rather not have it on my public post of Facebook.)
Type in plastic welder tip in ebay. They are $3.25. I brazed a triangular shaped piece of 1/8th thick sheet to my sold iron tip. I have a Weller 325 watt solder iron.
never heard of plastic welder I've been trying to weld my yellow kayak with a solder gun and the plastic on the kayak turns orange and rubbery it do sent melt together at all ???
If it turns rubbery, you have used too much heat. Try being more "gentle" It should look translucent as you work it, not clear. You also probably need a wide tip to distribute the heat evenly.
If it dries at a different hardness than the HDPE, it definitely will not work for anything that flexes in any way. Just because it bonds to the surface, doesn't mean it bonds on a molecular level. You really need to match materials as close as possible. Even with metal weldings, different alloys of the same base metal won't bond correctly.
More kayak repair tips in this playlist - ruclips.net/p/PL8egn41J7Go9-1BgMNPF5FvNm0yqqqelS
Thanks for the great video! I'm going to be honest, I work for the company that makes the KCW PRO for Hobie and appreciate your opinion. There are a couple of other things I'd like to add as benefits for the KCW PRO. 1: The welding tips are cast and machined in Tennessee and the welding rod (on the Hobie Welder) is also extruded in the US. On the PV brand, the same is also true, but not on the HF brand. 2: The alloy used on the tips was very carefully chosen to be strong while hot and conducts heat very well. This alloy is not cheap plain brass like the HF model. The HF tip also contains lead, which is not the most environmentally friendly. 3: The mesh on the Hobie Welder and the PV welder is heavier gauge then the HF mesh, and if my memory serves me correctly, the HF mesh is either galvanized steel or aluminum....I can't remember which, but it it can be torn by hand, so in terms of added strength, its minimal. 4: The new Hobie and PV welders are 200 watt ceramic core heating elements, so they get hot faster and stay hot longer when used than the old 80 Watt version we used to have. They also typically last much longer than a nichrome wire heater. The cores are also replaceable, so if one burns out, you don't need to buy a new welder, you can just replace the core. 5: The Hobie welder comes with the exact HDPE the boat hull is made from so the bond strength can't be beat. The PV version comes with a close match to the hull material, but not as exact as the Hobie one...Keep in mind there are hundreds if not thousands of variations of HDPE. The HF welder comes with something that's totally useless for repairing HDPE. 5: HF has no live tech support for plastic welding. Tech support costs the company money, but PV has it and I believe Hobie does as well. HF will just tell you to call us, which we don't particularly appreciate. Thanks again for the honest review! BTW we in no way sponsored the video review.
Thank you very much for that additional insight!
I bought and used the Harbor Freight welder yesterday to do a repair on a quite sizable hole in an RV water tank (a flat surface on the top of the tank). It worked well for a one-time use to do a repair on plastic I could get nothing else to seal on. An inexpensive and relatively quick repair. I used the stainless steel mesh to cover and reinforce the repair by placing the tip directly on the mesh and applying pressure to force the heated mesh into the plastic base and then held it in place with a screwdriver until the plastic hardened enough to keep it in place. I did this repeatedly until the job was completed. When I applied the rod, I was careful to heat/melt the plastic below the rod to insure the melted plastic would have the opportunity to mix and in my opinion form a stronger bond. Mixing the two materials (the original surface material and the plastic rod) together I think better mimics the way steel welding actually works - the metal of the surface being welded and the melted rod become one. I ended up with a layer of plastic approximately 1/4 inch thick over what was originally an approximately 3/8 inch gap in places. My first test, filling the tank and cruising down the road (it's a water tank on an RV) was successful. Expert that I now am (a little joke), on your hull keel I think I would have cut and formed the stainless steel mesh and conformed it to the hull before welding and then employed the same technique of melting the mesh into the hull with the head, holding it in place until the plastic cooled, and then layering plastic over the mesh with a plastic welding rod. I suspect that would perform a very rugged repair.
Thank you for the description of your repair process! We can learn from it.
I repaired my set on top kayak that kept filling up with water at my campsite using plastic water jug caps and a piece of S/S wire flattened by a camp hatchet on a rock. I heated the SS up in the campfire, then pressed the flattened SS to the area to be repaired and added the plastic bottle cap cut into peaces to form a weld puddle as needed. That was16 years ago. And my son & kids are still paddling the same kayak today. So, where there's a will there's a way.
Now that is an innovative solution!
The wind caught the gate into my property as I was driving my cherry 78 Dodge Colt into the yard, and broke out a section of the taillight on the driver's side. I bought a the Harbor Freight plastic welder that you used in this video to repair the taillight, using a taillight repair kit and fragments of the broken light. The repair came out quite well, but of course the old car is no longer as pristine as it was before the break. The tip of the plastic welder did bend a bit by the end of my messing around with it. After I was done with the repair on the car, I removed the tip and placed the tip in a vice and heated it thoroughly with a propane torch and simply straightened it back to its original shape. I'll probably need to do this every time I use the plastic welder, but it's not much of an extra chore, and for the 20 bucks I spent on the welder, I can live with it.
Absolutely! For one off repairs, why spend more. And your idea of heating to fix the tip is great!
thank you!!!! i just lost my cheap lifetime angler while traveling for work.... strap snapped after a big truck sped by me.... (need to dyi a better rooftop anchor).... i just purchased the "kc" due to your video! thank you!!!!!! god bless and keep up your passion!!! very good tips!!
Thank you for taking the time to do this video
You are welcome!
I just brazed a triagular shaped piece of 1/8" thick sheet metal to my 325 watt solder iron. I use #2 high density polyethylene from milk jugs, antifreeze jugs etc.
That works!
325 w??? Do you hold it a foot from the surace to use it? 😁
I have a tip that I designed and made myself from scraps of old stainless steel commercial food serving utensils. A bit of cutting and shaping and I get exactly what I want. Flat tips,round tips etc. I even have a large one with an insulated handle that I heat with a blow torch. It's mass holds heat well and puts a nice smooth flat finish on large repairs. Making your own tips and tools easy and the way ahead.
You are far more skilled than I!
Kayak Hacks Fishing not a bit of it! The stainless heavy duty cutlery cheap to pick up second hand. Draw shape on it with a sharpie and set in about it with angle grinder. If it don't work out then either bin it or make another bit into a smoothing or shaping tool. Heat with blow torch and rub over repair. Grind to suit profile required.
Your reassurance inspires me to give it a try. Thanks.
Andrew could you please make a video showing how you made your tips? I can't picture it. By cutlery you mean like butter knives?
@@andrewwilson8317 Curious also to see the process. Is a special grinding wheel on the angle grinder required to grind stainless steel?
thanks for the review, ordered the welder using your link and going to attempt to repair my Yakima Skybox 18 when it arrives Thursday. I'll report back how it turns out.
Thanks! and please let me know how it goes
I've had the same issue with the Harbor Freight iron's tip bending. That's a serious flaw.
Good review, thanks. I've seen the Hobie unit and just the rod feed tube alone seems to be the deal maker for me. Now that you've revealed the soft metal flaw in the HF unit, the Hobie's equivalent flat foot platen is clearly better .
I appreciate your vids; they are no nonsense, have no silly attitude, are only as long as they need to be, and are all reasonable as to just how much "hacking" makes sense.
Appreciate the compliment! I have more coming to tide over the winter months until the season picks back up next year.
Add a small copper or steel tube over the tip shaft to give support and put it back on and it makes it stronger I did it and I still use the same tip.
Thanks for the tip!
Informative video. I have passed on the HF welder up to now because I suspected I would have issues of some sort. Goes back to the old adage, ya get what ya pay for.
I agree.
I just fixed a leak on my feelfree lure that Happened when. hit something yesterday. I used some old atf jug ( recycled hdpe ) .
i did not use a propane torch like i used to, I use a wood burner that i bought for $5 about 3 years ago . It worked great . It had some different tips that came with it . The tip I used looked a lot like the flat one your using but smaller. It was do easy and went on smooth . So smooth that I cut up some more jugs to make a keel guard out of . it matches my ocean camo pretty good .
Great idea! Thanks
The same thing can be said about most Harbor Freight tools. If you need it for rare or occasional use, buy it. If you use the tool regularly or make a living with the tool buy them elsewhere. I love the place myself!
You hit the nail on the head (excuse the tool pun!)
Thank you for sharing! I’m new to plastic welding and I have a lot to learn lol New supporter here!
Yup it does bend. It is easy to bend back when hot, however the tip will break. This happened the first time I used it. HF did give me a new one. I have since purchased a hot air plastic welder for large work. I don't feel it is junk, but is a nice, light welder for light jobs where your not going beating it up.
Thanks for sharing
I have been using a heat gun to repair cuts and scratches but it heats up to much surface area .
I am thinking about getting a plastic welder. Thanks for the review. Thumbs up.
I use the head gun with the spreader to run over the surface gently and knock down any small curls. All the manufacturers I checked recommend against messing with small scratches and advise only repairing the biggies. Heat gun is good to prep the surface a bit before starting the welding.
Have you tried reducer nozzles on the heat gun? They can reduce as far as around 4mm in diameter.
If you're a true hobbyist you can make your own tips .great video sir
Nice review. Cheap isn't always cheap. Thanks for posting, you helped me make up my mind.
Exactly my experience with the HF soldering iron thing. Got a free 15ft Pelican canoe that dragged a couple miles after the trailer strap broke. I practiced with some scrap HDPE and it barely melted the stuff. Before too long the triangle tip just broke off. HF is a crap shoot. I have gotten some gems there but this one was a dud. Went back and got the welder with the air hose. That should fix my canoe and then some. Thanks for the info.
Try a Polyvance KCWPRO!
How is the welder with the air hose?
The HF one is terrible. Temp is difficult to control due to low quality parts and the heating elements don't last. The 6055 Steinel LCD Hot Air Welder is an awesome tool however. If you don't want to plunk down 2 to 6k for a nitrogen welder the 6055 is the way to go. It has digital temperature controls, good instructions and a wide variety of rod that's actually LABELED so you know what it is you have and comes with a reduction nozzle and a speed tip! I use one A LOT!
It’s what you use it for. Personally, I repair plastic blow mold figurines (like Santa Claus) for my wife. She sells them. I use a light touch, to avoid crushing/cracking the figurines. I have used a HB $17 welder for over a year with no bending. I fix pretty much anything plastic with it. Also, I keep a wet sponge nearby to wipe the slag off.
The light touch is key
Like your videos! So helpful! I have subscribed. Your pleasant demeanor and wisdom make me Whish I could come to your garage and have you assist me in my repair. I am looking to purchase a used kayak with a 3 inch cut all the way through.
Whoa! That's a big cut! I hope you can get at the cut from both sides. You need to drill a small hole at each end of the cut, to keep it from growing, melt a "V" along the cut and then fill that in with HDPE - do not just try and cover the cut. Thanks for the kind words on the channel!
I just use a Black And Decker heat gun and butter knife or spoon and acrylic end on a screwdriver to smooth it out. Do t forget to lick spoon to keep from sticking.
just a small tip to anyone looking at the hft welder if you have the capability to shorten the shank as much as possible it will no longer bend I've bent mine 3 years ago cut it off and have been using it since
How did you do that? Did you rethread the shank? Cutting it off would remove the threads? I would really like to know since the HF welder is so much cheaper it would be a better deal if the tip would not bend.
I did not re-thread it I just pushed it in real tight and tightened the set screw
Thanks - I will have to try that. Good tip for others!
5 years later, I see an issue with the Harbor Freight welder and the rod you tacked down then melted it in. The KC heats the kayak plastic and the rod and melts the two together. As you would if you were making a metal weld. The cheapo one you'd have to use like a welding flame as you do when welding with oxy-acetylene on steel.
Thanks for that point!
Awesome video I was thinking about buying one now I'm going to go with the expensive or one probably in the long run saving me money I don't have a lot of money so every penny counts
Same here. I count every penny. I make a few bucks on the royalties from my books and that is what I use to buy stuff to test.
I watched a video where the guy took the tip off completely and just pushed down and sort of brushed it in. It worked great
I'll have to try that
You were right about the Harbor Freight plastic welder. I was fixing up a long crack in an ice fishing sled. The HF broke toward the end of the job. Actually I don't regret buying it though. It gave me the confidence to go on and purchase a better welder. Is the hobie welder going to hold up to reconstructing ATV, sleds, snowmobiles, etc.? What to you think of hot air welders ? I tried an old fashion soldering iron. It was a bit ox'y to use on the job I was doing, but it may have a place. Keeping it hot was a job with a small tourch. I want a good welder but am Leary of purchasing, not knowing who makes good quantity.
I would like to try a hot air welder, but have not purchased one. The Hobie welder and the tip is still going strong after a few years.
@@KayakhacksFishing thank you. I may try both. My ice fishing sled is about 4 feet long. I welded inside and out before the tip broke off. It kept bending, I kept straightening. I expected it. I think I took to it after many years of drywall finishing and thin coat plaster work.
Just because a consumable item from a tool bends or in my case breaks, doesn’t mean you have to throw the tool away. 😆
When this video was posted, there were no inexpensive replacement tips... everything was at least $25. Now, there are options.
Loosen the screw and push the tip in further, that way there will be more strength and less stalk to bend.
I'll try that. Thanks
Also, fyi, somebody suggested I use zip-strips as ‘welding rods’. Nope, they are crap/flimsy welds. It’s like using bubble gum vs. epoxy. The best welding ‘rods’ are more of the same material. Plus, just because you use the welder for your kayak, and don’t need the black rods that came with the HF welder, doesn’t mean that they aren’t good for fixing things like say, welding plastic toys from the inside, or car dash items. And the black rods that came with mine were harder and thicker than the ones you got.
HDPR tarp strips. less thick, so easily melt and ensure a strong bond. Just be sure the tarp you use is HDPE and not LDPE. They come in both.
Edit: So a better and SUPER cheap source of pure HDPE is bottle caps with the Recycle #2 symbol. That is food-grade HDPE. Clean it well and you have easily manageable pieces to apply as filler. The rod kits are design for a specific purpose, we often just need filler material. I guess you can look around at different pop/soda bottles and select caps that closely match the colour of your yak, lol
The biggest issue ive had with the hf welder besides the tip....the handle tends to melt at the three screws on the base
Ouch! I had not encountered that
Kayak Hacks Fishing ive gone through 5-6 of the hf models and thats the only reason i toss them...once it cools the handle is very brittle and you cant useit too well with no support at that point.....as for the tips...i use a bolt with the same threads and grind the head to an angle
Great idea, thanks!
I think if you found an old school soldering iron with the big chunk of copper (high thermal mass), it would blow both out of the water and work faster.
Kinda strange. I've been using the HF welder on a Old Town Dirigo 140 for a year and my tip is not bent. Just used it last night. The only advantage I see is the hole you can push a rod thru.
Maybe I was pushing on it too hard...
you can buy the tips with the hole to push the rod through on ebay
Thank you very much, that was just what I wanted to know, - Mike in Coronado
Been looking for a good plastic welder. I’m sold on the Hobie pro welder.
I think it will last longer. Mine is still good after using it for 5 years.
Sorry - RUclips is only just now showing me your comment. I still use mine - works great.
very cool comparison thank you, I think the kc welder would be a good choice
I agree. Hard to face up to spending the money for one, but it does work so much better.
Also, I saw your other comment and could not find it in the list. I tried sticking a KC welder tip into the HF welder. Unfortunately, the threads are a bit different and it will not screw all the way in. The keeps the tip from heating all the way up - but if you are OK with a lower temp, it will work.
Kayak Hacks Fishing your right the kc welder would be best. I own two kayaks and my uncle mainly fishes off kayaks he decked out his own fishing kayaks he git me into rec kayaking and ocean kayaking. me I just like getting out there to paddle rec out there when I can and fish on occasion. I like modding on the cheap and haulling equipment to camp etc after I paddled up creek.
Kayaks are like 1950's cars - you can be a real shade tree mechanic! If you come up with some neat mods, please do a video!
Nice side by side comparison!
I think you threw out FiberFlex welding strips. They are a heat-reactive adhesive containing carbon and glass fibers, and I find they form a strong bond, especially when combined with ss mesh or lengths of ss wire. The bond hardens when cooled. You heat the tip (3/4") of a strip, then press it onto the (cool) substrate. You might pull the Fiberflex out of the trash can and try it.
Would those work with HDPE? They only said they were for plastic.
I'm thinking that repairing the flaps caused by oysters wouldbe better if you used the welder to heat the base material to soften it before melting the flap back into it. Thoughts?
Those cuts are fairly small - pushing up at most 1/8" of material on each side. The welder will heat everything as you fold those back and I do not see the need to do anything with the "trench."
Mike Curtis + Good idea for a correct weld. The system of just laying the plastic rod on the work, would prove to produce an incomplete weld if bend tested and inspected closely. It is not for the amateur to attempt a certified metal weld. Plastic also requires the right procedure for best results. I know, I know, it's been working.
buy the kc tip...and put into Harbor freight soldering iron same size any way if thats only the complain save you MONEY...
I tried that and the KC tip did not fit easily into the HF. You have a great suggestion and I wonder if the HF welder I had was a bit off and could not take the KC tip
Nice video. Thanks for the comparison. I always like to invest in quality tools, for it is cheaper in the long run. I am curious as to why you have registration numbers on your kayak? I enjoy the videos...thanks
In NC, if you put a trolling motor on, you have to register it as a powered craft. I would use the motor when fishing tandem with my wife
Why not just bend the "bent" tip of the Harbor Freight Welder back to its original shape?
It just bends again when it gets hot.
does HF sell replacement tips? hell 20 bucks, and a few bucks off and on for a new tip wouldnt be too bad.
alan king 300 million of the real Americans are thinking like that, and so getting exactly what they deserve. Why not take the POS back and demand a refund, then never go thru their Chinese door again? And why not read Deuteronomy 28? Slowly.
Just buy a Polyvance unit. They are MUCH higher quality and stand behind their products. plus you get free tech support (without going through a phone tree) with your purchase.
You are pressing too hard, you're supposed to let the heat do the work and take your time.
Thanks for that tip
thank you, is good to know before to buy it.
Definitely buyer beware on this thing.
Stick with the real tool for more than a few uses. Im gonna get the HF one, only because I need it exactly once.
Good call. You can get a few uses out of the HF.
Love your video & thank you for your effort sir.. here in Malaysia, most kayaks are made from China using LLDPE / LDPE as material.. any opinion on how to do maintainance on these materials..? what the differences between these two & which is better..? Tq in advance sir..
I believe the process is the same. Just be sure you use LDPE instead of HDPE
I have to look at the HF an see if you could modify the hole to fit a larger shaft. As in most of their products the quility of the materials used is lacking and if its a tool that you will need to reuse your right go with the gold product. Thank you
One person who commented said he could get a real tip into the HF welder. Maybe the tolerance was tight on mine and that prevented me from doing that. You might be able to gently rethread it to allow a real tip to fit... and that would produce an inexpensive solution.
I just used the HF tool to repair a crack on the bottom of my Ascend FS10. My kayak is 5 years old but I had noticed some water accumulating in the bottom. Last time I took it out it got a significant amount and it was time to do something. A crack had happened where the tip of one of the seat "feet" rested against the bottom of the kayak. Thanks for mentioning the HF included plastic rods because I almost used those! I used LDPE because I had no HDPE lying around...I used a lid off of a green Rubbermaid "Roughneck" container. Yes, the tip of the HF welder did bend up but it worked. I welded LDPE on both sides of the crack and used the steel mesh on both sides of the crack as well...also drilled two holes on the ends of the crack. Test run was succesful...no leaks. Hopefully it will last a while.
Perfect! I wonder if the Rubbermaid container was actually HDPE. If it had a recycle number 2 on it, it probably was.
The welder tip on the Harbor Freight unit is garbage. I bought one myself a few years ago and it broke the first use. Shameful that they are still selling them with the inferior metal alloy tip. I was able to adapt a brass plastic welder head to it but had to re cut the threads with tap and die set.
My experience as well.
I know that most don’t want to keep taking a tool back to the store,but do they have the same no questions give you a new tool like they do most of their other tools for this?
If you buy the insurance, they will take it back. I think they will take it back within 14 days without it, but am not sure.
Kayak Hacks Fishing thanks
I am a certified playground safety inspector and have been looking for a cheaper alternative to the drader plastic welding product line. In your opinion, do you think the kc welder mentioned in your video would suffice to repair gouges and stress cracks in playground slides? If so, what welding material would you suggest and where do you purchase it?
Ryan, this is kind of out of my league. Just taking a shot at answering, the first issue is to make sure you MATCH the repair plastic with the item being repaired - do not mix. Next, on cracks, make sure the repair is applied to both sides if the crack is all the way through with the appropriate prep (making a V, etc). I am not familiar with the drader line, so cannot make a comment on that - the Hobie welder works great on my HDPE kayak. Where to get the material - try Granger. That is the company that actually shipped my Amazon material. I have a video that talks about that ( ruclips.net/video/rX4sQaXR8lM/видео.html ). Bottom line is you need to consult with a playground equipment expert to figure out the best approach. Sorry I could not be more helpful.
Kayak Hacks Fishing, I think I'll take a chance on it to see if it will work in this application. Best case scenario I save the county a few hundred bucks, worst case, I have a good plastic welder I'm sure my crew will find other uses for. Thanks for the information and the video!
Good luck!
Just curious if adding pressure is needed? I have no real experience.with either it just seems that you should allow the tool to do the work and melt the plastic. Some pressure of course is needed I imagine the HF tool or any would be very light. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, a little pressure is required. As you say, let the tool do the work
I noticed near the end of the video, it appeared that you put your KC tip into the HF welder. IF you did, how did that work out? Also I have to say that the ones that really keep harbor freight in business are not middle to high class earners, meaning that. at least in my area, they make no more than 10,000 to 12,000 per Year. So, that extra $50 is more like $150 to them.
The KC tip did not screw all the way in. Another commenter suggested just straightening the HF tip and reusing. That is an option that might work a few times until the HF tip breaks.
I know this is old now, buf, it seems to me the shape of the HF "rods" being flat rather than round plays a big part in its usage!
The round rod requires alot of extra time the tip is heated coupled with the extra force required to flatten a rod is WAY more than the tools intende use of heating a flat thin strap of filler into or onto some metal mesh or into a gash or gouge.
For that reason i would say the HF tool was being judged in a way in which it was not intended to work and should be retested using the proper style filler material with which it came!
After all, you would'nt use TIG filler rod with a MIG welder would you? Or solder plumbing joints with electrical solder. Of course not! So why not use the style filler this was obviously intended for the tool and see how it holds up under "normal use" for that tools design?
I must say though, i personally would be more inclined to purchase the 75 dollar tool because of its vesatility to use either round or flat filler.
Just my two cents!
You make some great points! Thanks for that insight
Can you replace the tip with a better (more expensive) one? Thanks for the video! I ordered a plastic welder for $17 off of eBay just before watching this video. It looks identical to the HF welder you are testing.
Good point. Unfortunately, I did not try that, so do not know if the thread sizes are compatible.
You can only replace the tip before it breaks. But then why not just buy an iron with a flat head in the first place
Have you tried any heat gun plastic welders? Just curious how it would compare to the KC welder. Off hand the heat gun would require two handed operation, the second hand to hold a screwdriver or putty knife to flatten the rod. But other than that, do you see any other issues with a heat gun?
No, I have not tried the heat version. Without trying one, I have no insights.
Have you tried letting it heat up and applying pressure the opposite way to bend it back to straight?
I tried that, but it never really worked well the tip that comes with the kid is pretty weak
@@KayakhacksFishing says to me that folks are still pushing too hard. It's a SLOW process. Rushing will melt it, but there is a limited bond occurring between the new and old material. It should be closer to spreading peanut butter over the surface.
@@blaircox1589 Good point!
@@KayakhacksFishing I need only a cheap one likely twice a year max. So I actually just ordered this style from Amazon. Soldering iron tips bend as well when pushing too hard. When I get mine, I'll see if I can find a metal tube just bigger than the wedge shaft to serve as a collar to strengthen these copper/brass tips. Might alter the heat conducted to the tip slightly, but will fix the bending some. And I'll be using bottle caps with a Recycle #2 symbol for the filler as that is high grade HDPE in a thin form that can be cut into pieces that are easily melted and bonded. With some looking, you can likely find a good colour match. I need orange and black for my Oldtown, Mountain Dew and...
@@blaircox1589 Great points! Thanks for the idea!
Could I buy a KC Pro tip and install it in my solder gun?
I do not know if the threads are compatible. If they are, it should work if your solder gun is at least 80W
Not here to nock anyone however items made of HDPE plastics are much easier to fix here is why I say so
Taking A look around us are numerous things that use the same plastic minus the color it comes in we have milk jugs laundry soaps motor oil all types of containers of high strength plastics they use this stuff for shipping food stuffs to so it very common
Simple to see what kinds of plastic it will be by looking at the logos molded in to the item it a triangle and it will say 2 in the center and hdpe some were close and any type of other plastic may not work as this stuff is like trying to
Weld steel to aluminum not going to happen so one needs pay attention to small details recycling old things is a great asset saves some money and a skill builder
Not to forget nothing can have dirt oil or a film of any kind soap and solvent included some sandpaper helps or steel pot scrubber thingys are at times great and on google play store there are apps for the purpose of identification of these plastic logos there can be other things there to will need to take a bit to look take care have fun its about the adventure
Exactly. As long as the recycle number 2 is on the bottom of the bottle you're good to go. I have four rotomolded kayaks all different colors. I buy laundry detergent in jugs that match the color of the different kayaks.
The Harbor Freight Tools okay but I prefer a torch and a screwdriver. Heat the tip and you're good to go. It's just the way I've been doing it for years I guess I'm used to it.
Replacement tips available and also cheap
I have bought similar tools at HF. Their insurance is cheap and if it breaks you can just go get a new one.
Absolutely true. Guess it depends on how often you need to do repairs.
I don't understand how an 80W tool can melt HDPE which has a welding temperature of 575f. the HF tool clearly states it only gets up to 525f on the box...am I missing something?
I don't know... but it works.
80W with the correct metal resistance can easily get to 575F, keep in mind a metal solder melts at 370F and some solder guns are under 20W.
Thanks for that additional info!
It's because commercial HDPE typically melts at between approximately 250f-350f
I think I'll go with HF for my first one. Go cheap to learn, then go expensive. After all I could buy three HF. And have $10.00 left for beer.
That is a good approach.
Yeah you were right ! The H.F. fell apart. I have to say I hit it with a big job. I had about a 4 ft. Long crack in my ice fishing sled. I welded outside and in,. On the outside I weld the crack, with welding rods. On the inside I reinforced with fine mesh stainless (I think to fine a mesh). I used kevlar plastic rods. As I welded the tip kept bending, and I kept straightening. Finally the tip broke. I finished it with the tip of the barrel. I still don't feel bad about the deal. I think for light repair, small cracks, tabs, its just ducky, but for big stuff for get it.
I'm thinking about a hot air welder, because I want to use it on body work, bumpers, snow mobiles, etc. . Maybe I show get both welders ?
@@dennisprah223 I have been thinking about getting a hot air welder as well. Glad you were able to get the job done!
Wish I had seen this video before getting the HF plastic welder. I bought the HF welder to fix the belly pan on a BMW. The tip kept bending with minimal force applied and before the repair job was complete for an 8" crack the tip snapped off! Frustrating!
Ouch!
Some of their stuff may be junk. But, if you buy a Century brand welder, they are made by Lincoln welders, they are the cheap line.
Thank you,It's good to know
Sad... I wanted the HF welder to work since it is so much cheaper.
Swap out tip with a 8mm x 10mm bold...it works
Thanks for that suggestion!
What about buying the cheaper welder and see if you can get the decent tips, if compatible?
I tried the good tips on the welder and they did not fit well. I suppose you could recut the threads with a tap and die and that might work. Worth trying if you already have the HF welder and a tap.
Kayak Hacks Fishing Ahh ok, they looked like a simple slot in and tighten with a grub screw. For an extra $50 it’s worth the better one. 👍
Is the rod feeder diameter larger on the one you are using compared to the KC link you provided? It appears as if it is. Thanks...
No, it should be the same
Can you please recommend a low temp welder 140-240*F for thermoplastic beads ie polymorph moldable plastic?
I'm sorry, but I do not have enough experience to help
Nicely done sir
Thanks! Appreciate it!
Does KC sell the tips separately because they might fit the HF.
I did not try the tips in the HF version. I just looked on Amazon - there are a few tips there for $8. Good deal if they work.
still works even on kayaks
Excellent product comparison. Thanks
Make your own tip and rod for the center
I wish I knew how to do that...
Is it possible to purchase new tips for hf model? If so how much?
I have not seen the HF tips being sold separately.
Sadly neither of these are for sale in the uk for a reasonable price, would you recommend a soldering iron with a large flat tip to melt steel mesh to fix a bumper?
Sure, I think that would work. Anything hot will melt HDPE. I have another video on doing small hole repair by heating a putty knife or using a lighter. ruclips.net/video/-jmtV-qkIqU/видео.html
or ruclips.net/video/cztQ2T_evyQ/видео.html
Definitely works fine. I made one with a small steel foot and it works fine. For small jobs you don’t need a shoe at all. Just use the iron as it is. The real strength comes from the screen mesh anyways. Just hold it in place till the mesh hears and sinks in the plastic the move to another place and repeat. Use the shoe to smear it around for the cosmetic part.
Why not just remove the HF welding tip and either put it in a vice to straiten it or (better yet) hammer the tip shaft bend to straiten it on an anvil or heavy piece of metal. No need to throw away something that can be simply fixed. Since the whole tip is probably copper, hammering the shaft strait will also work harden it, making it less susceptible to bending.
Yes, you can do that. I think metal fatigue would eventually cause it to break.
@@KayakhacksFishing ^ that.
It would more than likely break immediately.
Kayak hacks
You mention you can get that flat tip without hole (@ 2:19) for the Hobie do you have a link? I can't seem to find it
Sure - this is the one I purchased - amzn.to/2L6mP21
Just buy replacement tips.. No sense in throwing an operational tool away.
Good point. When this video was posted, there were no inexpensive replacements.
Hey do think spray that tuff rubber spray or that liner spray would be ok to spray on the bottom of my kayak for protection?????
I would not risk it. If it makes things worse, it would be impossible to get off.
Using a bed liner would cause too much drag on your yak.
Why not get the better tips and use on the HF welder?
The tips cost just under $30. By the time you buy them, you are at the same price as the better welder
You can use zip ties as welding material it's perfect.
Great idea! Thanks
Great idea! And you can get them in different colors. Thanks, i just bought this welder and have not used yet to maintain kayaks.
Do you know if they are HDPE? That's what I need.
@@rudynunweiler2916 I do not know - I have not tried them yet
@@KayakhacksFishing Thanks for the quick response. I just found out that I had what I needed all along! For me it is even almost the exact color I need. Folger's Coffee containers are HDPE and almost match the red on my Coleman canoe. I'm sure most people either drink that coffee or know someone who does. At least in North America. Not sure if it is sold internationally but thought I'd throw it out there. With the amount of coffee my wife drinks I will never have to replace this canoe! Lol!
Getting a Hank Hill vibe here, but in a good way!
Will the tips interchange ? If so buy expensive tips and cheap welder.
I could not get the expensive tips to fit properly.
That was the only ? I had...Thanks
Great review!
everyones got videos out on how to repair a dented kayak, but mine has idled outward and im not sure how it happened or what to do about it??? Help!!!
Wow. I do not have a clue on how to deal with that. Maybe the manufacturer can give you some guidance?
A heat gun will help.. Warm the material and push it into shape and let it cool while in appropriate shape.. (Don't heat it to the point of melting, just to the point of pliable)... You can use a heat gun or a propane torch to warm the material..
Boiling water and a blower. Hobie has a good instructional video on the subject.
I just shared your great video on Facebook. (Hopefully, you do not mind that the video was shared. I will remove the video if you would rather not have it on my public post of Facebook.)
thank you very much! I encourage that as it is a way for me to grow the channel.
Great video
shouldnt you use a fan to blow that plastic smoke away from you ?
Good point!
I have a good electrical solder iron can I use a plastic welding tip for it?
I have never tried that. If the tip fits, it might work.
Type in plastic welder tip in ebay. They are $3.25. I brazed a triangular shaped piece of 1/8th thick sheet to my sold iron tip. I have a Weller 325 watt solder iron.
You sir ....sound like hank hill
Nope! He sounds like me!
never heard of plastic welder I've been trying to weld my yellow kayak with a solder gun and the plastic on the kayak turns orange and rubbery it do sent melt together at all ???
If it turns rubbery, you have used too much heat. Try being more "gentle" It should look translucent as you work it, not clear. You also probably need a wide tip to distribute the heat evenly.
Question! What gage mesh is used with plastic wire?
Sorry, I do not know that number. It is the same as a window screen.
Put the tip in a vise and straighten it - save yourself $54..
I'll have to try that. The threads might get crushed. Let's see.
Blow torch pair of pliers problem solved.
If I only need to weld something once or twice, the $20 tool is fine vs the $100 tool.
i'd rather brush epoxy resin, I can't stand the smell but I guess it would be the most practical choice.
I had not heard about using resin - thanks.
Does that work on high density polyethylene?
JB Weld Epoxy resin attaches perfectly and strongly to HDPE 2. I put a little dollop of that on my kayak and could not get it off.
If it dries at a different hardness than the HDPE, it definitely will not work for anything that flexes in any way.
Just because it bonds to the surface, doesn't mean it bonds on a molecular level. You really need to match materials as close as possible.
Even with metal weldings, different alloys of the same base metal won't bond correctly.
What temperature does the Ck welder get to?
I do not know.