Plastic Pointers - Issue 22

New Wall Chart Makes it Easy to Select Refinishing Process

With the introduction of our new Prime Time catalyzed waterborne adhesion sealer in September 2005, we now have a product to address virtually every problem that body shops face when refinishing replacement plastic bumpers.

Prime Time is designed for the refinish of OEM primed bumpers. These bumpers usually have a slick black primer that is difficult to sand. Prime Time makes it easier to prepare these bumpers for paint because the surface only has to be scuffed with our 1020 Scuff Magic and a red scuff pad.

Prime Time also works very well on the raw polyurethane (PUR) bumpers that come from Toyota (example pre-2001 Camry). The only preparation step required is to scuff the surface with our 1020 Scuff Magic prep soap and a red scuff pad.

For the raw TPO (PP/EPDM, TEO) bumpers that often come from Toyota, Nissan, Kia, and Subaru, our tried-and-true Bumper & Cladding Coat Adhesion Primer is the ticket. With the Bumper & Cladding Coat, scuffing is optional. The surface needs only to be cleaned with our 1000 Super Clean plastic cleaner.

We’ve got the products, but you’ve got to know when to use them. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a bumper is raw TPO or if it has a primer. For example, usually GM bumpers have a slick black primer. But the made-in-Australia Pontiac GTO has a raw TPO bumper.

To help you decide which product is right for the job at hand, we have created a wall chart that you can hang on the wall in your mixing booth. At a glance the wall chart gives you bumper identification tips, surface prep procedures, and refinish procedures.

This easy-to-read wall chart measures 24” wide by 36” tall and it’s available free to you for the asking. If you’re a current user of our refinishing products, you’ll find the wall chart a valuable resource for bumper identification tips. And if you’re just thinking about using our products, the chart will show you how simple our procedures really are and hopefully convince you to try us out. Please call 800-633-3047 today and ask for your free wall chart!

Technical Bulletin: OEM Primed Bumpers Must Be Scuffed Prior to Application of Prime Time

When Prime Time was first released, the only preparation that was recommended was to clean the surface of the OEM primed bumper with 1000 Super Clean plastic cleaner. Due to the recent discovery of a single bumper that did not respond to this preparation technique, we must now recommend that all OEM primed bumpers be scuffed with our 1020 Scuff Magic prep soap and a red scuff pad.

Despite successfully testing the product over a two-year development period on many different OEM primed bumpers (several from each manufacturer), it was impossible to test the Prime Time on every single bumper in existence. In early January, we heard two reports of customers having problems with the Prime Time sticking to a Ford Crown Victoria bumper. We purchased this bumper and discovered that Prime Time did not stick adequately to the unscuffed primer.

Because there may be other bumpers with this type of primer out there that we have not tested, we decided to recommend that all bumpers be scuffed with 1020 Scuff Magic prep soap and a red Scotchbrite scuff pad (or equivalent). This would replace the requirement for 1000 Super Clean plastic cleaner, so there is still only one cleaning step required.

No Catalyzed Basecoats on Bumper & Cladding Adhesion Primer

Bumper & Cladding Coat Adhesion Primer is one of our most popular products due to its outstanding adhesion to raw TPO. Because it has a 1K formulation, some topcoats cannot be used over Bumper & Cladding Coat. For example, single-stage urethanes and 2K primer surfacers are not recommended.

We have discovered another incompatible type of topcoat: catalyzed basecoat systems. We have had a handful of problems in the field with catalyzed basecoats, particularly from Glasurit.

We are not sure of the reason why, but for some reason the catalyzed basecoat is peeling from the Bumper & Cladding Coat. The adhesion of the Bumper & Cladding Coat to the underlying TPO does not seem to be affected.

Here is our recommendation: If you want to take advantage of the adhesion benefits of Bumper & Cladding Coat Adhesion Primer, then do NOT use the catalyst in the basecoat. However, if you feel more strongly about the importance of the catalyst in the basecoat, then do NOT use Bumper & Cladding Coat Adhesion Primer.

Telling the Difference Between a Primed and a Raw TPO Bumper

Because OEM primed and raw TPO bumpers require different preparation steps, it is important to be able to tell them apart. This is sometimes difficult to do because many OEM primed bumpers are so smooth that they look like they’re raw. Here’s a brief lesson on how to tell an raw bumper from a primed one. For more complete information, call 800-633-3047 and request a free wall chart.

New Welder for the Do-It-Yourselfer!

We are proud to announce the availability of our new MicroWeld 100, a new welder designed for the do-it-yourselfer.

The MicroWeld 100 is the first airless plastic welder with an integral temperature control switch. Adjustable temperature settings allow for use of heat-sensitive rods like ABS and polyurethane.

We designed the MicroWeld 100 for do-it-yourselfers, agricultural, and industrial repair because the Mini-Weld Model 6 is often overkill for these more simple applications. For this reason, it comes with PVC and HDPE rod, which are not common automotive plastics.

For automotive use, the Mini-Weld Model 6 is the best choice, since it comes with our popular FiberFlex universal welding rod, which works very well on TPO bumpers. It also comes with nylon, which is essential for the repair of radiator tanks, intake manifolds, etc. The Model 6 is more fully featured, and for this reason, the Model 6 continues to be the most popular plastic welder in the automotive repair industry.

However, the MicroWeld 100 is a great option for those who can’t justify moving up to the Mini-Weld Model 6. It’s also a good choice for the budget-minded repairman.

For more information on the MicroWeld, please call us. Here’s a quick look at the specs:

New Book of Automotive Plastic Repair Available

Hot off the presses is our latest update of the classic “Book of Automotive Plastic Repair.” We’ve expanded the Book to 16 pages from 12 to make room for new information on hot air welding and our new bumper refinishing products like Prime Time and Bumper & Cladding Coat.

The Book takes you step-by-step through the entire repair process for virtually any type of plastic. First is a very complete plastic ID chart that gives you the ID symbols, common applications, and suggested repair methods.

The Book then describes in detail the three different types of airless welding processes, including FiberFlex universal rod. There’s a new section on hot air welding that lets you know about this high-speed repair technique that’s taking the bumper recycling market by storm.

Finally the Book describes our adhesive repair systems, especially focusing on our exclusive PlastiFix repair kit for rigid plastics. It concludes with a section about how to identify new replacement bumpers and the best product to refinish them with. Bonus sections include bumper tab and padded dash repair.

What would you expect to pay for such valuable, money-making information? $30? $100? No, the Book is absolutely FREE! We hope that by educating you about plastic repair that you’ll do it and buy your supplies from us!

Urethane Supply Celebrates 25th Anniversary

It’s hard to believe that 25 years have gone by since Jim Sparks invented the Mini-Weld airless plastic welder and pioneered the field of automotive plastic repair. Even though the field has grown and become more complex over the past quarter century, Urethane Supply is focused only on plastic repair and refinishing, so you can count on us to keep up to date with the latest changes.

Products Suggestions

1020
Scuff Magic Prep Soap

$ 18.55

1000-A
Super Clean (aerosol)

$ 12.95

BOOK
How To Repair Plastic Bodywork

$ 20.00