Here is a report on using Plast-Aide that I found on the Yahoo VT Ascot Owners Group.
Plast-Aid Follow Up By Ascotdude
I said I would report back after I got through using the Plast-Aid remedy for my broken side panel so here I am...sorry for the novel, but the stuff is worth it!
I fully recommend this stuff for any plastic repairs and it deserves a spot in your home for lots of other possible projects... I had ZERO body work experience, and was able to do a suitable repair for my own purposes. Plast-Aid is extremely strong once dry, easy to work with, fully sandable and paintable. After I glued the pieces back together, it is just as strong (if not stronger) than it was before I broke it like an idiot. The only thing that will hold you back is the amount of patience/time you have to make your repair perfect.
I'll try to be as brief as possible, but a quick summary of my experience using Plast-Aid. Plast-Aid goes from glue to rock solid in 15 minutes, so the patch work was quick. Mixed the powder and liquid together, stage one is glue... after a few minutes it turns into more of putty consistency. I poured on a decent amount of the thick glue to the back of the panel, held it together with binder clips and by hand to make sure it dried in the right position. There is no turning back if you let it dry incorrectly. Once it was mostly dry, I mixed some more Plast-Aid up and waited until it turned into putty. I took another large amount and worked on about an inch wide strip onto the front side of the panel to cover the crack, as flat and smooth as possible. I let the panel dry overnight just to be safe and it was onto sanding.
Sanding was BY FAR the most time consuming part of the project. I wet sanded the plast-aid for several hours, and could've kept going if I was patient and wanted it absolutely perfect. I sanded it to the point of my personal satisfaction, not perfect but 'good enough'. Next was priming, painting and clear coat. I used Krylon spray products and it came out great. The Plast-Aid, once painted, matched perfectly to the rest of the side panel. I used matte black which hid the repair beautifully... in fact no one can see the Plast-Aid repair until I point it out in direct light.
As mentioned above, if you are a perfectionist, you can achieve a perfect repair... but it will demand some serious time wet sanding the new plastic. I was liberal on the amount of the product I used for my repair since it was my first time, but I could've been much more conservative in hindsight. That would've reduced my sanding time considerably.
Thanks for reading...if you have a plastic repair, or rigid repair of any kind, Plast-Aid is a good way to go. Worth every dime for $20, and fairly easy to use.
