Plastic window trim repair

[francisg]

Over the years the thin ABS plastic used in our vintage aircraft are often cracked, deformed or broken. I was facing these problem and new plastic was not an option, the boss told me No...

It is possible to straighten out all of this plasic using a a hair drier or a heat gun to massage the hot plastic back into shape. Once that is done fixing the cracks and or break becomes a lot easier. I used mid-strength black ABS pipe adhesive, available at any hardware store. This product will fuse with the original plastic and can be built up wherever its needed. It can also be reinforced with fiberglass tape. A little bondo and some sanding and a coat of primer and paint will do wonders to a tired interior with broken plastic, with very little weight penalty.... 

[Ragsf15e]

30 minutes ago, francisg said:

Over the years the thin ABS plastic used in our vintage aircraft are often cracked, deformed or broken. I was facing these problem and new plastic was not an option, the boss told me No...

It is possible to straighten out all of this plasic using a a hair drier or a heat gun to massage the hot plastic back into shape. Once that is done fixing the cracks and or break becomes a lot easier. I used mid-strength black ABS pipe adhesive, available at any hardware store. This product will fuse with the original plastic and can be built up wherever its needed. It can also be reinforced with fiberglass tape. A little bondo and some sanding and a coat of primer and paint will do wonders to a tired interior with broken plastic, with very little weight penalty.... 

pictures would be awesome!  Did you keep the annoying little screws or upgrade to the 3m super velcro solution?  Even nutplates for the screws would be an upgrade!  My plastic is generally ok, but my screws are all looses and random sizes.

[PT20J]

54 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

pictures would be awesome!  Did you keep the annoying little screws or upgrade to the 3m super velcro solution?  Even nutplates for the screws would be an upgrade!  My plastic is generally ok, but my screws are all looses and random sizes.

I kept the screws. The small ones are #4 sheet metal screws and I replaced the loose ones with #6. On some locations, Mooney screwed two pieces of plastic together and there’s not enough material there for the screws to hold. In those locations, I duct taped Tinnermans to the back of the plastic.

Be careful with the heat gun as the temperature where it softens is not that much below the melting point.

ABS glue from the hardware store and a couple layers of glass cloth fixes cracks and reinforces screw holes and still allows the plastic to flex. If you really need to heavily reinforce something you can get some ABS sheet and glue it to the back. This works great for reinforcing the holes where the upholstered side trim clips onto the panels. 

Skip

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

I kept the screws. The small ones are #4 sheet metal screws and I replaced the loose ones with #6. On some locations, Mooney screwed two pieces of plastic together and there’s not enough material there for the screws to hold. In those locations, I duct taped Tinnermans to the back of the plastic.

Be careful with the heat gun as the temperature where it softens is not that much below the melting point.

ABS glue from the hardware store and a couple layers of glass cloth fixes cracks and reinforces screw holes and still allows the plastic to flex. If you really need to heavily reinforce something you can get some ABS sheet and glue it to the back. This works great for reinforcing the holes where the upholstered side trim clips onto the panels. 

Skip

Probably half my screws are up to #6 and many are loose.  I’m going to have to start getting creative with tinnermans or find another way.  
My biggest issue is actually the plastic piece that wraps around the lower console between the pilot/copilot feet.  The vent louvers are cracked and the piece itself has been caught / pulled back a few times getting caught on feet worming in/out - abs repair would work on that.  The problem is, that piece seems unusually difficult to remove.  I tried and gave up once (not to fix it, but I dropped a screw behind it).  It’s got the flap and trim indicator and it appears to have screws/bolts that go through into the nose wheel well requiring a partner to get out.

[LANCECASPER]

One of the best interior upgrades is to have Hector at Aero Comfort take all of the yellowed cracked Royalite (ABS) interior panels and repair them and cover them in very thin ultraleather. It feels like a new airplane when you're done installing them back in there. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0fb3o9yw3i35x7c/IMG_7438.JPG.8c2a255c320579413d7f6cbbea841003.JPG?dl=0

If you zoom in real close you see the attention to detail where all of the seams are stitched.

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, LANCECASPER said:

One of the best interior upgrades is to have Hector at Aero Comfort take all of the yellowed cracked Royalite (ABS) interior panels and repair them and cover them in very thin ultraleather. It feels like a new airplane when you're done installing them back in there. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0fb3o9yw3i35x7c/IMG_7438.JPG.8c2a255c320579413d7f6cbbea841003.JPG?dl=0

If you zoom in real close you see the attention to detail where all of the seams are stitched.

Another advantage of this is that I would think it would protect the panels from further UV damage.

 

[DCarlton]

13 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Probably half my screws are up to #6 and many are loose.  I’m going to have to start getting creative with tinnermans or find another way.  
My biggest issue is actually the plastic piece that wraps around the lower console between the pilot/copilot feet.  The vent louvers are cracked and the piece itself has been caught / pulled back a few times getting caught on feet worming in/out - abs repair would work on that.  The problem is, that piece seems unusually difficult to remove.  I tried and gave up once (not to fix it, but I dropped a screw behind it).  It’s got the flap and trim indicator and it appears to have screws/bolts that go through into the nose wheel well requiring a partner to get out.

Exactly.  I've redone my entire interior except for the lower console between the feet.  Every time I get out of the pilots seat my feet catch on the edge and peel it back more.  Might try to remove it again during the next annual.  

[francisg]

As a cerified CB i was able to mend totally broken off window trim pieces by building up the thickness of the black ABS pipe glue and light weight fiberglass, it also filled some oversized schew holes on the back side (ie. hidden side) and with very little bit of Bondo make the pieces smooth and easy to paint I will take pictures...

[BobbyH]

21 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

One of the best interior upgrades is to have Hector at Aero Comfort take all of the yellowed cracked Royalite (ABS) interior panels and repair them and cover them in very thin ultraleather. It feels like a new airplane when you're done installing them back in there. 

FWIW I've use a lot of Ultraleather in the past and it is wonderful to work with, tough yet easy to sew or stretch to bond to surfaces.  The only negative I have with the material is that it is intolerant of hot sunshine.  Won't be bothered when you are flying but don't leave it in the sun for long periods.  In only takes a couple years on the ramp and it will start to deteriorate where the sun shines on it.  It can cover a lot of imperfections of the Royalite panels.  I also recommend spraying it with a good UV protection like 303 Aerospace Protectant or similar.  It is nice material, beautiful and expensive but its Achilles heel is the sun.  

[Bryan G]

I went with Bruce Jaeger’s technique, ordered his kit for $149. Came with the tan rubber edge trim and 100 #6 tan screws. I was able to fix all the cracks, remove all the old window curtains and remove all the extra screw holes. 
 

https://www.jaegeraviation.com/ckfinder/userfiles/files/DIY-Plastic-Repair-Kit-2021.pdf

 

Here is one of my back windows, I repaired it and later upgraded to a single piece rear window. Used the same technique to join the two pieces and make the one piece plastic window trim.

[M20F-1968]

On 7/8/2022 at 11:56 AM, DCarlton said:

Exactly.  I've redone my entire interior except for the lower console between the feet.  Every time I get out of the pilots seat my feet catch on the edge and peel it back more.  Might try to remove it again during the next annual.  

I made this replacement part as a hand lay-up fiberglass part.  

[KB4]

This stuff comes with a piece you can melt and use as form for concave or angled plastic repairs.  Get all plastics painted by aircraft painter after repairs.  Zoom on baggage trim u can see where screw holes were filled in
 

 

[Fly Boomer]

9 minutes ago, KB4 said:

Zoom on baggage trim u can see where screw holes were filled in

This is excellent!