How to repair bodywork cracks...

[turtle(2)]

I found a VERY effective way to repair a crack on a lexan body.

This will make it stronger than it was before!

To do it i used a kind of fibreglass web (availible in all good hardware stores) which comes in a roll much like gaffa tape. You cut off how much you need and lay it over the crack before using some contact adhesive (any all purpose adhesive) try not to get stuff that may melt the lexan (test it first) then smear glue over the webbing stuff. Leave for 24hours and there you go!

Hope this helps!

[BiggusDitchus]

Nice tip, but real good stuff for repairing lexan bodyshells is available at most modelshops called Fender Mender all you need to do is add a bit around damage then add a little piece of off cut lexan over the top then add bit more fender mender, when it sets it is strong and a little flexible. (I think in US it is known as shoeglue)

[bholio]

I have 2 bodies which were repaired by the previous owner with a fiberglass mesh. The fixes are failing becuase the fiberglass is glued to the paint, and the paint is coming off, leaving the pattern of the fiberglass behind. A real mess.

Of course any fix to lexan is going to be attached to the paint, so the more flexible the repair, the better.

[Jozza(2)]

I've just used FenderMender + Fibreglass, but it melted the paint, stripped it like a good 'un and now you can see the mesh through the body :-(

I wondered about putting some Nitro laqcuer on the next time though, I figure this might be resistant to the Fender Mender.

I will let you all know if it works! Otherwise, it's back to the colour co-ordinated ducktape []

J

[nismospeed]

i put sticky tape on the back of the crack, and am just going to put a decal over it....on a lexan body that is

[Twmaster]

The stuff BiggusDitchus referred to is called ShoeGoo here in the states great stuff! I have used it with good result on laquer painted shells. Some of the Parma 'fascolor' paints will disolve in the glue or water or alcohol or.....

[Jozza(2)]

You can buy ShooGoo in a LHS near me [] But it costs a fortune, would probably be cheaper to import it from the States!

I did notice that it's a petrol based glue, which means that it could have the same issue as FenderMender where it dissolves the paint, but I haven't tried it yet so can't comment on that. I know that ShooGoo is the one mentioned in most US publications and magazines though, and I've never seen any mention of it stripping paint, so might give it a try.

If you live near Chelmsford, you can get ShooGoo from the model shop there, but it's £3.20 for a small tube....

[malcolm]

I've used Fender Mender on many bodies over the last few years and never had it melt the paint. I mostly use Pactra, Tamiya and Fastcolour paints. Perhaps the problem is with the paint, not the Fender Mender.

[Jozza(2)]

I agree Malcolm, I must admit I was surprised for it to melt the paint, as I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere and I would have expected it to have been. Can't think what could be the prob though, I used Tamiya paint on the body and also some Humbrol polycarb paint, and it melted both of them equally. Could it be something to do with the way I did the paint? Don't think so, as it was a good paintjob I think.. Also, it was a week after I'd painted the body so it should have been dry!

I'm going to try it again on a scrap plastic bottle and see what happens.

[WillyChang]

We use ShoeGoo (yes its a solvent adhesive) over both

Tamiya bottle PC paints as well as Tamiya TS spraypaints.

ShoeGoo has never melted these paints?

Fascolor is not even waterproof, it can be completely stripped

just by washing the body under the tap. But strangly just a

light backing coat of Tamiya TS paint will protect it 100%.

[Jozza(2)]

I found the ShoeGoo/Fender Mender problem was using the brush supplied with the tin, if I use a softer brush to apply it, it doesn't take the paint off. The brush in the tin lid is made of such stiff bristles that it scrapes the paint away. I think the Fender Mender softens the paint, but if it's applied gently it doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Top Force Racer]

Besides the fiberglass web tape, there is aluminum web tape that works wells also. Still preventive medicine is the way to go. After your paint job has dried, stick layers of fiber tape at the areas that will take the most abuse. Apply a couple of coats of shoo goo, allowing time for each coat to dry. You can also apply strips of scrap Lexan with shoo goo at the flimsier places of the body. Finish it of with more shoo goo on top and/or reinforce it with fiber tape. Cheap and easy