fix a split in a plastic water container?

[safronsue]

I have a large plastic water tub that has a split in it. horse stepped on it. is it possible to make it water tight again? how?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Any idea what kind of plastic it's made of? There are fillers and glues that will bind cracks in plastic or that will allow you to afix a patch, but some types of plastics won't work with some kinds of glue.

[safronsue]

Hi, don't know how to describe the type. thick and black. bought at builder's merchants.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

OK - so I guessing probably a polyethylene polymer, which generally means glues won't properly "weld" the crack closed as these polymers are pretty much inert to solvents unlike PVC, which glues very easily indeed.

You could try making a patch out of a similar grade plastic and sticking into place with duct tape, but this would probably leak eventually.

A better option would be to weld the split closed. You might be able to do this with a hot glue gun - you know the kind of thing that melts a plastic stick and you apply this like glue to fill the gap. Alternatively you could use a hot air gun and a piece of scrap polythene from an old bucket of similar to melt the gap closed.

[Carltonian Man]

A better option would be to weld the split closed. You might be able to do this with a hot glue gun - you know the kind of thing that melts a plastic stick and you apply this like glue to fill the gap. Alternatively you could use a hot air gun and a piece of scrap polythene from an old bucket of similar to melt the gap closed.

Could also try spot welding the split with a soldering iron, first creating ladder type bridges (for strength) across the damaged area then smoothing in to fill the split from behind.

[safronsue]

i don't possess a hot glue gun unfortunately. neighbour has welding stuff though so may have to rope him in and he will say why don't you buy another trough they are only 20 euros. ho hum. i do have a camping gas burner. hhmmm

[Thomzo]

Buy a new one for 20 euros and convert the split one into a wormery. Works for me and I have to spend a lot more than 20 euros on the new ones.

Zoe