Where can I buy 1/8 inch ABS plastic for patching Royalex?

[boatbuster]

Looking for some thin sheets or scrap in Southeast, closer to Asheville NC the better. Thanks

[mshelton]

It's a haul but if you can't find another source, Peidmont Plastics in Richmond, VA sells ABS in sheets.

[dixie_boater]

I have both scrap and 1/8" sheet stock, smooth on one side and hair cell finish on the other. You'll find that most plastics distributors sell nothing smaller than 4' x 8' sheets. How much are you looking for? I could send you some scraps or a 1 ft. sq. piece if that's all you need.

I live in the metro Atlanta area so the mailing costs should be minor compared to buying a full sheet from a distributor in NC.

What are you gonna use it for?

Michael

[yarnellboat]

Approximately what does a 1/8th 4x8 sheet of ABS cost?

And, what are the advantages/disadvantages of Kydex compared to ABS?

I too I'm leaning towards plastic instead of Kevlar to re-inforce the cracking on the inside of my Royalex hull, maybe I'll make some bang plates with the leftovers.

Thanks, P.

[dixie_boater]

P.,

I pay around $40 US for a 4' x 8' sheet. It is available in 1/16", 3/32"and 1/8" thicknesses. I usually buy two sheets at a time as the distributor has a $50 minimum order amount.

Repair a hull with like materials and the repair will last much longer. I know kevlar/fiberglass is easier to repair a boat with than ABS is, but consider how long the repair lasts. Glass repairs are inflexible and either tend to crack around the edges or break apart. I have seen my ABS repairs last for a couple of years on some of my customers boats. ABS repairs are lighter than glass repairs too.

I have not priced Kydex. Didn't someone else post here that it was more flexible than ABS sheet? If it flexes better I might look into using it for a repair.

I pushed in both ends of my Caption last Sunday on Sect. IV I am going to be spending next weekend putting ABS plates on both ends. The boat will be good to go for several more trips when I'm finished with it.

Michael

[cheajack]

Commercial Plastics in Raleigh, NC has all three thicknesses of ABS in stock and accomodated me by selling me a 1/2 sheet "scrap" they had left over from a custom job of some sort. I have used it successfully in making patches, but failed dismally when I tried to make a bow plate. When heated in the oven at about 250 it got way too flimsy and rehardened faster than I had time to shape it. Then there was the issue of what to do with all those little triangle shaped creases created when conforming the flat ABS to the compound curves of the bow. The heat gun didn't seem to get enough of it hot at a time to make it easy to shape.

[MotorCityOC-1]

All I did was google 1/8 ABS + the name of my town. That gave me a few folks to start calling.

FYI, you probably don't need to find a wholesaler. The place I got my 1/2 sheet from (for $25) does mostly vacuum molding of small plastic ashtrays & stuff. They had 1/2 sheets in a few different colors left over from old jobs. Try the phone book. There's a fair chance that the nearest plastics place to you will have what you need.

[yarnellboat]

Any experiences with the difference between Kydex and ABS?

Or with 1/8 vs. anything thinner?

P.

[sbroam]

I had a similar experience to Jack's - I can easily patch a simple shape (i.e. wear patch under the pedestal) but complex curves around the bow or chine elude me. I tried boiling water, thinking that that would be one way to control the heat without burning the plastic. Still didn't work. I was hesitant to soak it in solvent (MEK?) as another had suggested, I didn't want sticky, toxic, flammable mess!

[Mikey B]

We work with ABS all the time. For smaller pieces, a convection oven to heat it works well. It will conform to curved shapes pretty well if heated appropriately. It does cool rather quickly. I suspect the creasing effect was because the piece wasn't evenly heated.
1/8" can be tricky.

[dixie_boater]

Forming ABS over a sharp stem or hard chine is very challenging. I heat my plastic at 295 deg. F in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes. Temperatures lower than that tend to soften the plastic just enough for it to bend, but not well enough to form around the most challenging edges. Experiment with a scrap to find the best temperature for your oven. Not all ovens heat the same as most cooks will tell you.

Make a paper pattern for the area you wish to cover with ABS. Check that the edges don't "bunch up", creating those little wedges or creases Jack mentioned. The only way I have succeeded in making a good fit on a bow or stern is by creating a good pattern. Take your time with this important step. Cut the plastic with your pattern and you're ready to heat it up.

This work is best done on a hot day so the plastic doesn't cool as quickly. Summer is the best time to form ABS plates. If the outside temp is less than 60 degrees F the plastic cools too quickly. I pre-heat the hull before applying the plastic to slow the cooling.

Get a helper when forming plastic. Have the helper stand by the boat, ready with protective gloves, so that when you arrive with the hot plastic plate (on a metal cookie sheet) the two of you can quickly position the plastic and clamp it firmly in place. Time is of the essence during for this step. My daughters are great plastic forming helpers. They have learned how to clamp the edges tightly once I position the hot plastic. Press and hold the plastic until it cools. Hold the edges down tightly. Welders gloves work the best as they insulate your hands against burns. Get a couple of pairs if you plan to do much ABS work.

Michael

[MotorCityOC-1]

I didn't have too much trouble putting a bow skid plate on my Phantom. 285F for 12 minutes as I recall. I did have three pairs of hands pressing it into place though (wear thick leather gloves). The ABS should be super floppy. Bring the boat as close to the oven as possible (duh). The nice thing about it is that unless you overcook the ABS, you get many tries with the same piece.

I did as I was told and scraped the pigment layer off the Royalex, and used ScotchWeld Urethane adhesive. No complaints.

[cheajack]

Aaaahh! I didn't have enough hands! And I didn't get the bow close enough to the oven (that was readily apparent) No offense to Dixie Boater, but I think I'll stick to glass and kevlar bow plates if the solution to my problem is more daughters.

[dixie_boater]

No offense taken Cheajack Just find some friends like Motor City did and you'll have plenty of hands. No need to have kids to do the job. I use mine because they are great helpers and available on short notice

[ClassFive Boats]

hello. You will be much better off using Kydex rather than ABS.. It has 10 times the impact strength of abs. It heat forms the same and is available through the same plastic suppliers