Heating plastics with a blow torch.

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tyler

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Well since I had so many stress marks in my plastics I decided to take everyone's advice and heat them with a blow torch to take the stress marks out. Here are the results.

Before
IMG_3022.jpg


After
IMG_3099.jpg


And I need to take that scott sticker off so I can heat the plastic above it.
 
holy crap that really works! i have many stress marks... does it make the plastic more brittle going throu a heat cycle like that? any warping or misshaping.. can you see the color going back to normal/>?
 
It looks like I'm buying a heat gun, my warrior has been rolled many times and the plastic in areas look like crap.
 
Im not sure if it makes the plastics more brittle, but i don't think it does, because i can still bend them or make them flex and it don't feel like the plastics are about to break at all. The is no warping at all, but when i was trying it out at first on a spot that only is seen when the seat is off, i did leave the torch in one spot a little to long and i did melt the plastics a little but not alot. Its actually pretty easy especially if I can do it. LOL
 
Yeah I would of been afraid of leaving it one place to. What exactly do you do? do you just heat it up and let the plastic do the work it self. I got a couple of scratches and I have access to to some plastic applicators that you use to apply graphics with.
 
Did you use a propane torch or a heat gun? I know you have to be careful with the heatguns also because the place i work has 2 of them and I have seen someone light their cigarette with it.
 
Where the stress mark is just run the torch over it kinda fast then if its not completely gone do it again.
 
The best way to do it is with a heat gun on a low setting, keeping it back from the plastic about 6 inches, and keep it moving over the area. if you keep it it one spot it will melt, burn, or warp it. As you heat the plastic enough you will see the stress marks blend back in. As long as you're careful to not overheat it you shouldn't have any problems with damaging it or making it brittle. I do not recommend using a torch or anything else with a flame, makes it a hell of a lot easier to burn or melt it, and it doesn't spread the heat over a large area like the heat gun will.

Just be careful about leaving the heat in an area too long or taking it too far. If you smell it burning or see it start to warp at all that's a sign that you've gone too long. You probably won't be able to remove every trace of the stress marks but you should be able to get it at least as good as tyler's looks. Once it gets to the point that it looks like it's not improving stop right there, it won't take long from that point before it melts.
 
And another thing I did is after I did it once I let it cool and did it again.
 
Yeah, I was surprised too. Did it recently to the YZ and its looks much better. I think ill go over them again.
 
Well ladies i think yall need to see this i am really surprised!

Before torch cleaning and stickers.

Warrior11-1.jpg


After torch cleaning and stickers.

IMG_3147.jpg


And i couldn't get all the stress marks out with the torch around the stickers because it would start burning the stickers so i did the best i could with out having to take the stickers off.
 
well i have to say im impressed , on that after pic , do u have the plastics shined up with somethin or is that just the result from heating it up?
 
^^ me to mine are dull and have stress marks all over them from the previos owner rolling it alot. if it help the dullness im so doing it.
 
Tyler, did you try heating it underneath where the stickers are so you don't burn them? Should work just as good as heating them from above while saving the stickers.
 
Dang I cant believe I didnt think of that! ill try it tonight prolly. But first I will have to clean the under side of the fenders they are still really muddy lol
 
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