2 Console questions

[RC92234]

See the two little photos on the left in the pic.  There's a crack at about the halfway point in my full length console.  You can see it, but it actually goes up to roughly 1/2" short of the top.  How should I repair this?  Seems something along the lines of (perhaps) a fiberglass patch on the back side?

The large photo:  inside box of the console.  PO cut out a large piece of it -- no idea why -- but obviously you don't want stuff falling through and rattling around lost forever in the console's innards, so how should I repair this?  It's also plastic with a sorta fuzzy texture.  Not concerned about that but even though it's the inside of the console, I don't want it to look hastily repaired.

Thanks

 

[Sheriff41]

Here's my suggestions:

For the console box you could get a sheet of ABS plastic and shape a new bottom.  I'd go with a rectangle the size of the bottom and adhere it in place from the topside. 

On the console, fiberglass might work.  JB Weld makes some plastic weld that works good on several types of plastics.  Use some mesh or some of the ABS sheet to reinforce it on the underside.

Good luck and let us know how you end up doing your repairs.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Exactly what he said.   :goodpost:

 

[Don C]

You can also use ABS cement to fill in the gap. You might also be able to force some ABS cement into the crack from the back side. I would use ABS sheeting to reinforce it, no worries than about adhesion, the ABS sheet will weld to the console, which is also made of ABS.

 

[Stanglover]

Don has good suggestions that will work. However, there is another way and that is to use an 80 watt solder iron with a flattened tip. You could file the tip on the bottom side to flatten it, somewhat like a chisel, but not sharp. This is then used to stitch the the crack together from the back. You can probably buy a sheet of 1/8" ABS from Amazon. With this sheet, cut strips about 1/8" or less and use as the filler and weld the crack/repair from the BACK side. Take some time to practice this method. Personally, I use a Seley hot air welder, which is not cheap for a one time use, unless one has the funds to buy one. The downside of fixing these consoles is they are textured and that is very hard to replicate. However, I have had quite good success using a Dremel with a 1/8" carbide burr with a round tip and gently go over the repair to sort of texture it. Then I finish with SEM Trim Black paint. 

Another alternative is to look for a better console to start with.