Repairing Polycarbonate

[alanf]

Hi,

I have an Ikelite housing with cracks that slowly leak around one of the controls (The on/off switch on a EOS350D). Sending back to Ikelite is not an option. Does anybody have any idea how I can repair polycarbonate?

As far as I can tell epoxy is not going to work. This housing will never go deep again, and I really don't care how it looks. I have another housing that has replaced this one but it would still be nice to have the old one good for something.

Any ideas appreciated!

Cheers,
AlanF

 

[lmorin]

No, epoxy won't work. You need to bond (not glue) the polycarbonate to itself. Look here. Google is your friend.

 

[DRsharky]

Hi,
I've got IKELITE housing as well that cracked. I tired almost everything possible and finally fixed it with simple plumbing ABS cement for plastic ABS pipe, you can buy at any hardware store, Home Depot etc. I used "Oatey ABS cement", premium grade yellow solvent. It's not transparent, but works.
I used Dremel tools to cut V - shape groove in the crack from the inside and filled with the cement. The next day I tested it in 130 ft and it's been holding like new.
Good luck and let me know how it worked for you
Happy diving

 

[mddolson]

Polycarbonate can be solvent cemented with methylene chloride.
It is available from chemical /solvent suppliers like Ashland Chemicals.

It is a nasty chemical, both poison & carcenogenic. Use in well ventilated area.
Make sure you're upstream in the air flow, do not contact with skin it's corrosive as well.
Just brush it onto the cracked areas, it will wick into the cracks.
Make sure all stress is relieved (remove screws clamps, rivets etc) before hand.
Any stress will increase cracks when solvent is applied.

Mike D

 

[alanf]

Thanks for the advice. I'm travelling at the moment but will be back home next month. I will try whats suggested and report back.

As for google being my friend I have searched a lot for this and really didn't get very far. Thanks for the link though its all becoming clearer.

Cheers,
Alanf

 

[Maddog59]

I know that it has been a long time since this thread was posted but I thought for all you boys and girls out there who can't afford a real housing (ie one made from Aluminium) that if you need to fix your Polycarbonate housings there is a solvent adhesive called Acrafix 192 by Evonik Industries which is made specifically for this purpose and you should be able to get it through most plastic supply houses!

Maddog 59:mooner:

Canon G10, Patima Housing, 2 x Inon Z240/4 Strobes Hard Wired (I like to do it the old way) my own wide angle dome port

 

[bvanant]

Acrifix is interesting stuff and is really made for bonding acrylic (not polycarbonate) but it may work ok for that purpose. Solvent bonding will also work, but be really careful with MeCl2. It is very bad for your liver.
Bill

 

[Maddog59]

Acrifix is interesting stuff and is really made for bonding acrylic (not polycarbonate) but it may work ok for that purpose. Solvent bonding will also work, but be really careful with MeCl2. It is very bad for your liver.
Bill

bvanant,
Acrifix is a solvent adhesive and as I have a tube of it sitting in front of me it says in the product brochure that it can be used on polycarbonate as well.



Maddog59

 

[Belmont]

[QUOTE I will try whats suggested and report back..:mooner:

Cheers,
Alanf[/QUOTE]

Meanwhile we are still waiting for a report from this 4 post wonder

 

[bvanant]

bvanant,
Acrifix is a solvent adhesive and as I have a tube of it sitting in front of me it says in the product brochure that it can be used on polycarbonate as well.



Maddog59

As far as I know (not very far) Acrifix 192 isn't a solvent in the methylene chloride sense but is methylmethacrylate monomer, some dissolved PMMA and some polymerization agent. My only worry would be about the adhesion between the polycarbonate and the PMMA in the Acrifix. Since you have tested it and it appears to work I would try it.
Bill