Welding plastic is an essential skill for anyone who works with plastic. The reason is that most of us are not aware of how to weld plastics. Most of the time, plastic is not welded. However, there are many applications where welding plastic comes in handy. Welding plastic is a skill that everyone needs to have. Here are some reasons why welding plastic is a necessary skill for you.
The process of welding plastic is quite easy and quick. It does not involve high heat which makes it safe for beginners. The temperature that you need to use during the process of welding plastic is low and nothing more than 400 degrees Celsius. This means that it does not require you to wear protective gears like helmets and goggles. In this article, we are going to show you how to weld plastics so that you will be better prepared for any project you might come up with in the future.
Welding Plastic:
On the basis of what you will learn here, you will be able to make a plastic welded object such as an axel, a pipe cover and other related objects. In addition, the process of welding plastic can be used in making jewelry such as earrings and bracelets. Welding plastics can also be used in forming patterns on clay items such as pots. The process is quite simple. You will learn the basics of welding plastics in this article.
Welding Plastic: Materials You Will Need
- A welding machine: The first thing that you will need to make your project is a welding machine. This can be either a gas or an electric machine.
- Plastic: You will need plastic if you want to weld it during the process of our project. The type of plastic that you use will depend on your material and the shape of the object that you are making. Basically, there are two types of plastic: rigid or flexible. You should choose a type according to what suits your needs better in this particular project.
- Hammer: In order for you to make your project, you will also need a hammer as a tool for shaping welded objects such as an axel or a pipe cover and so on.
- A gas mask: This is required for protection purposes during the process of welding plastic. You should always wear your gas mask when you are working with the oxy-gas, acetylene or any other kind of gases.
Welding Plastic: Steps To Follow
Step 1: Check Plastic Material
Check and make sure that your plastic is not too thin. This will make it hard to spin. You should always check the thickness of the plastic before you start to welding it. To check its thickness, you can use a ruler or a tape measure.
Step 2: Position the Material for Welding
Place the plastic on the table and heat it up to 400 degrees Celsius using a gas torch. Always place your hot plastic close to your welding machine so that you could easily get hold of it after you finish cutting and shaping it. Also, place some plastic between the flame and the edge of the table so that you could create a border for touching it during welding. Make sure that there are no gaps in this border as this will make your project difficult to weld.
Step 3: Start Welding
Now, you are ready to weld the plastic. Turn on your welding machine and start heating it up. Inhale through your gas mask when you are doing this step. The best way to secure the edge of the plastic is by placing it between two pieces of wood. This will make it easier to move and shape it easily during the process of welding plastic. When you have finished shaping the plastic, press down on it with a hammer in order to flatten its shape as well as pressing away air at its edge. Now, turn off the welding machine and remove your gas mask. Your project is ready for cutting and shaping it further with a saw or an axe so that you will be able to make a shape according to your wish.
Step 4: Cut and Shape the Material
Cut and shape your project as you wish. It is now time to start welding the plastic. Now, you have already made the first layer of the project. Continue doing the same until you reach to the last layer of welding plastic. You can now cut out your desired shape from the plastic as well as remove excess plastic material left on this step.
Step 5: Continue Welding
After cutting out your desired shape from the plastic, go ahead and weld it using a gas mask on your head if necessary. This is going to be much easier for you to do with a gas mask than without one because you will be able to breathe freely in this manner which will not be the case if you are doing the welding without a gas mask.
Step 6: Remove Gas Mask
After you have finished welding the plastic, remove your gas mask. This is now the time to weld the metal for cutting out the shape that you have made from it.
Step 7: Add New Plastic Layers
You can now add iron a new layer of your plastic to make it easier to weld. You will now be able to weld this layer using a gas mask on your head as well. You can also use a saw or an axe. Make sure that your saw is sharp as this will allow you to cut through plastic easily during this process of welding plastics. Remember that all of these steps are quite easy to follow.
Final Words About Welding Plastic:
Welding plastic is not a difficult task for you if you follow our instructions in this article. We have presented a simple and easy way of how to weld plastics. It is not surprising that many people are welding plastic despite the fact that there are some contraindications like it involves high temperatures and requires protective gears such as helmets and goggles. However, there are many reasons why welding plastic is necessary for anyone who works with plastic. This will allow you to make items made of plastic such as a pipe cover or an axel easier to create by yourself.
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