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    title: "Stay safe"
    text: "When talking about safety, we are only referring to precautions about working specifically with plastic, as it’s our thing. Working with machines like the table saw requires a certain level of expertise, so please take all the precautions related with how the machines work.\n\nAs we are melting plastic, bad fumes can be released. In order to work safer, make sure to use a gas mask with ABEK filters to prevent inhaling possibly toxic fumes. Special attention on plastics like PS and PVC. Also when handling with heated elements we recommend to wear working gloves.\n\nRecommended safety equipment:\n- ABEK mask\n- gloves\n"
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    images:
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        type: "image/jpeg"
        fullPath: "uploads/howtosV1/g6PRFxidfQkjjTTw8d6x/how-to-cut-weld-plastic-8.jpg"
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    text: "Welding is a process in which we join two parts together by applying heat and adding a filler of the same material in between the parts.\nIn order to do this we are using a hot gun with a specific nozzle that helps us to spread the melted material on the surfaces which we want to weld. This nozzle will concentrate the heat on the welding line and will guide the stick in the process. "
    title: "Gather your tools for welding"
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    title: "Prepare the edges "
    text: "In order to maximise the welding surface, we make a chamfer along the sides of both pieces. For that you can use a manual milling machine or a hand router with a V shape tool.\nBy making a chamfer we are increasing the surface that will be melted together with the welding line and therefore we’ll create a stronger weld."
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    caption: "Cutting a plastic sheet into welding sticks"
    text: "We will need a plastic stick to weld the pieces together. It’s very important that the welding material comes from the same source as your pieces, otherwise the weld might not be homogeneous.\n\nThe stick can be made in many ways, it can be extruded or it can be cut out of a sheet, like it is shown here. The important part is that it’s as consistent as possible and also fits inside the welding tool. Generally something between 2-4mm should work."
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    title: "Make a welding stick"
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    text: "Set the temperature of the heat gun significantly higher than the melting temperature of the plastic you are welding.\nIn this case we are welding HDPE with a temperature around 100ºC above the melting point, since we want to quickly melt both the surface and the stick."
    title: "Prepare the heat gun"
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  - _animationKey: "unique93xlum"
    title: "Clamp the pieces"
    text: "During the process we will apply pressure, so we need to clamp the pieces together tightly in order to avoid undesired movements while welding.  "
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  - text: "Wait until the heat gun reaches the desired temperature, then put the heat gun welding nozzle right over the groove. Gently press the stick through the nozzle and follow the groove slowly but steady. In order to achieve a uniform welding we need to give the heat gun enough time to melt both the stick and the surfaces."
    title: "Weld"
    _animationKey: "uniquekxdzhm"
    images:
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  - title: "Done"
    images:
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        size: 19395
        downloadUrl: "https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/onearmyworld.appspot.com/o/uploads%2FhowtosV1%2Fg6PRFxidfQkjjTTw8d6x%2Fhow-to-cut-weld-plastic-6.jpg?alt=media&token=45a287d7-c9d0-4114-b51c-b450ebf61ad4"
        updated: "2019-08-19T10:42:12.770Z"
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    text: "If the welding has been done correctly both pieces should be fused together with the added material. A good way to see the result is by cutting through the piece and checking the consistency on the welded area."
    _animationKey: "uniquec1mx4c"
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title: "Weld plastic: Heat gun"
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difficulty_level: "Medium"
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tags:
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_modified: "2024-01-30T15:51:42.197Z"
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  _modified: "2022-09-18T08:51:47.196Z"
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description: "With the heat gun you can weld two pieces of the same plastic type together.\nHere you’ll find some tips for this technique."
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    description: "Precious Plastic exists to reduce plastic waste.\nSometimes we do it through boosting recycling. Sometimes through new biodegradable materials. Some other time by adopting zero waste lifestyles. Whatever works.\n\nOur solutions see people as the key element to fix the plastic mess.\nPrecious Plastic approaches count on people to bring about the necessary change.\nSmall steps, multiplied by millions. That's where we can win our battle.\n\nPrecious Plastic is a combination of people, machines, platforms and knowledge\nto create an alternative global recycling system."
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