ABS Plastic and Door Panels

The PVC will staple but they didn't seem to stay in that well. I think the main reason I went with PVC was it was cheaper than ABS. I think either is a good choice.

 

I had a friend pick up a couple sheets of 1/8" ABS yesterday from my supplier. It still is around $40 for a 4x8 sheet. He also bought a can of their ABS adhesive and I must say it works a lot better than the stuff you get at your local hardware stores. It would actually melt the two pieces together. Best to ruff the areas to be glued with scotch pads or steel wool first.

 

Interstate Plastics in Boise. 2201 S Centurion Place in the Cole/ Overland area near Costco.

 

Been using that ABS for years. Great for everthing. DO NOT USE ON THE TOP OF THE CAR AS A BASE FOR THE NEW TOP INSERT. don't ask me how I know. Trust me on this one......

 

As I stated in another post, I made a living out of molding ABS for a number of years. I used to make my own glue. I cut a lot of pieces on the table saw,take the shaving that piled up under the saw and put some in a jar and add acetone, let it set for a day and add more of either if it was to thick or to thin. I use those red ketchup bottles as a dispenser. It was a lot cheaper than buying the ABS glue they sell at the store. That shit will stick to just about anything accept the type of plastic that the dispencer was made from. My .02

 

Seems like ABS glue from a plumbing supply would work well. Has anyone used it?

 

If any of you need a cheaper alt. Try styrene...I think we get 4x8 sheets at work for 8-10 bucks....More brittle than abs,but should not be a problem when it comes to door panels.

I used kydex on my door panels...little less britle than abs..ofcourse price goes up again!!!
I got mine free (cover sheet) at work..Just about everytime we order plastic they use a cover sheet top and bottom...Usually just messed up color..My car could not tell the plastic was yellow and white swirl!

If you find a distro ask if they have these sheets....

As far as the spray glue goes...it's OK depending on where you live..It didn't take but one season here for it to give up...That was one layer on each surface,letting completely dry and adding a second.

When I did it the second time around I used
http://www.happcontrols.com/cleaning_maintenance/29106800.htm

You can probably search local and find it cheaper...Always remember to scuff up your surface..at the very least the back side of the panel you will wrap the material around!


As far as bonding plastics goes....try araldite or plexus two part epoxy's...We use them at work...WAY stronger than the plastic!!! You will break it way before the seam if you do it right.

 

Thanks for the info, I'm just planning to start on my interior.

 

Standard PVC plumbing cements work fine on ABS. Gary

 

ABS doesn't hold up at all in the desert heat.

 

Just what does it do in desert heat? I use an industrial heat gun to form it and you have to really put the heat to it to get it to the point of freely forming. Take the heat away and within seconds it is back to its original hard form.

 

I tried it but wasn't impressed with its bonding. I use glue that was sold at my local plastic supplier. It is called Weld-On #2354. It will form a hot weld and melt the two pieces together. One pint can for about $8. Best to scuff the surface with scotch brite then clean before gluing.

 

Where do you get the snaps?

 

I get mine from an upholstery supplier I deal with but have also ordered them by the box from Dot Fasteners Direct.

http://www.smartcart.com/scovill/catalog/

 

Hey guys, just sort of watchin from afar, have you ever considered a good Bedliner? In the offroad community, we've used it for just about everything. I have to say, it can make some amazing interiors if you do it right. You can spray it onto anything, and it can be rough, matte, or gloss. Also tintable to any color. Theres a rod around here that has just the floors done in it, and its nice. My tracker is 100% interior exterior lined.

I also have ABS door panels over the bedliner. The make a nice look when used together!

 

For the Nor Cal and PNW folks: http://www.tapplastics.com/

 

I've used ABS on several interior jobs and love it, its cheap and easy to form with a heat gun. I use the christmas tree push-in plastic fastners to hold the panels on but depending on the foam density you can see a dimple. I have also used Rod Doors but they used velcro and the panels are alot thicker an the door, also I thought they were out of business. I just use formica contact cement and never had a problem with it sticking. I like the snap idea because of the thinness of the snap on the material side.

 

this thread is real nice and helpful. thanks a million guys. i will be getting into this project come summer time. thanks a million.

 

Any photos?

 

Snaps...
they are on eBay, search: line 20 snaps or line 24 snaps.
Around $20.-$25. per hundred for cheaper ones. Throw out the button tops.
Remember to look for the flat bottom ones. The dome one may bulge material (I have an extra 100 of those...) Grrrr. Thin foam might help for domed ones. Might be best to ask seller, they may be using a stock image.

 

I just made a column cover-up for my 32 using what I think was ABS. Got it from Home Depot. 1/8 thick, smooth on one side and rough on the other. It was white but took Krylon well. Think it came from the flooring section. Seems like it was around $15 for a 4 X 8 sheet.

 

Out of business. At least that is what their website indicates......

 

I did all my panels also from ABS. They use it for billboards here, so the material is available through advertising agencys too

 

hmm, sounds like it might be something to try in my carson top for a headliner??

 

Just finished installing the rear panel, kick panels and one door panel. Door panels were done in ABS and had no problems gluing to it. Check it out. I love this stuff. The snaps worked OK but I decided to add a few panel clips just to make sure. Glad I did.

 

Here is a couple shots of my finished door panels in my coupe made of ABS. The arm rest were made from good old wood. Although the top cap is ABS formed.

 

I bought mine from usplastics.com. I live in the boonies so the ups man is my friend.

 

I don't know what that white stuff is called but it's not 'classic' ABS, which is the black stuff they make some larger irrigation pipe with. That white stuff seems to get brittle easily and crack, so be careful, maybe spray on some reinforcing of some sort?

 

I believe the white is Komatex but ABS can also be bought in white locally.

 

What other options are good to use other than the snaps for ABS panels? A few of mine just don't seem to have the holding power with the snaps. It's attaching to wood, not metal.