Welding HDPE and LDPE sheets...

admin

Hello everyone,I am working on a project requiring to weld a 2" polyetylene plank 2 lbs density to a 1/16" hdpe sheet.The best process is apparently using hot air welding. Last détail...The plank is around 22" width...Does anyone knows what would be the best tools to achieve this kind of project with a quality weld ?Do you need to heat both surface to weld them or heating only the Hdpe surface would be enough ?Thanks a lot to anyone who could give me some advice or ideas to help in this hard part of my project!
Reply:I have welded enough HDPE to know I still need a lot of practice. I used a sealy hot air welder, state of the art as the time. The secret, if there is one,is pure air, or even better, nitrogen. Filler has to be exactly the same as what you are welding.You go against your instincts s a welder and you barely get it hot enough for the filler rod to squish in.  The filler is still very visible. It took me a week to assemble a project that should have been a day.  I have seen guys who are good at it. Water tanks for fire engines are made that way and the weld is as strong as the parent material.  Pierce makes 3500 gallon water tenders with welded HDPE that handle surge and fatigue.  So bottom line is i will be watching this thread because I too, have a lot to learn on it.
Reply:Old PE does not like to be rewelded,   the place I got my PE rod said they had better luck using LDPE TO weld HDPE that was old.   I was fixing amphibious ATV bodies from the 70'sSent from my SCH-I545 using TapatalkTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Thanks for the detailsActually I think I forgot to tell you that this is about welding polyethylene Foam  (around 5cm thick) with HDPE (1 to 2mm thick)...I heard that some people use heat lamination, but did not figure yet what kind of laminator or heating element is good for the job...
Reply:Now you lost me.... Never heard if the stuff.