How to repair rubbermaid stock tank?

sidepasser · #1 04/09/05, 02:20 PM

Hi,

My horse stepped in a brand new 100 gallon stock tank (greyish colored one by Rubbermaid) and put a small crack in it.

How do I repair it? I have tried fiberglass repair kits and they do not work. I am now going to try epoxy for ASB plastic but it says it will not bond to polyethylene or polypropylene plastic so am not sure this stuff will work.

What else can I try, I don't want to buy a new one as this one is NEW..I've about had it with horses this week,

Sidepasser

ponyexpress · #2 04/09/05, 02:36 PM

If it is the actual Rubbermaid brand, doesn't it have a warranty?
Is it leaking? Some cracks don't...
Only two things I know to try and patch it. Chewed bubble gum worked for me for 10 years on a metal watering can. That polygrip stuff you use for false teeth might work.
My horses have never broken one, though they have demolished everything else!

Jena · #3 04/09/05, 05:14 PM

They have a 5 year warranty, take it back.

Jena

southerngurl · #4 04/09/05, 05:51 PM

Not sure about what will stick to what, but at Walmart, you can get the same non-toxic silicone that they use to glue fish tanks together. I've used it for many things.

goatlady · #5 04/09/05, 08:44 PM

You may laugh, but I use duct tape to seal cracks in the chicken waterer trays and the plastic goat automatic waterers. I put a layer inside and one outside and they last forever and don't leak a drop!

Manny · #6 04/09/05, 11:56 PM

A trick I've used on plastics is to dab on a bit of acetone nail polish remover. If the polish remover causes the surface of the plastic to get sticky then you can find a glue that will work but if the acetone just evaporates with no change to the plastic surface you are probably out of luck. For a glue to work on plastic it has to disolve the surface, if it doesn't then the glue or RTV or epoxy will just peel off. Probably best to exercise your warranty.

Highground · #7 04/10/05, 10:51 AM

Eternabond. Sold in rolls or small pieces at most travel trailer places. The roll is about $70.00 but this stuff will seal most anything.

holleegee · #8 04/10/05, 09:04 PM

This may sound crazy but I have patched metal stock tanks with bumper stickers. I don't know if it would work on a rubbermaid stock tank or not.

sidepasser · #9 04/11/05, 08:56 AM

Hi,

Thanks for the responses, although the tank is new I bought it several years ago from a feed store that was going out of business. I had stored this one in the barn until needed so don't think I can return it anywhere to get a refund (store is out of business). I am going to call Rubbermaid and see what they say...

oh and yep, the water just pours out that crack, so gotta get it fixed so I can use this "new" old tub...

sidepasser

twstanley · #10 04/11/05, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidepasser

Hi,

Thanks for the responses, although the tank is new I bought it several years ago from a feed store that was going out of business. I had stored this one in the barn until needed so don't think I can return it anywhere to get a refund (store is out of business). I am going to call Rubbermaid and see what they say...

oh and yep, the water just pours out that crack, so gotta get it fixed so I can use this "new" old tub...

sidepasser

Hmm, take a propane torch and melt the crack closed? Kind of brazing with plastic kind of thing....

Windy in Kansas · #11 04/11/05, 01:20 PM

I'm not doubting your word at all, but I am curious about the fiberglass attempt.
I figured that it would have worked. Did you use putty or resin and cloth? I suppose it is like the plastic items that you can mix on and use to spread the putty, a flex and it pops off.

2story · #12 04/11/05, 02:50 PM

[Plumbers Goop sold at walmart with the plumbing stuff, that is the best stuff i have seen on man made products

mikell · #13 04/11/05, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2story

[Plumbers Goop sold at walmart with the plumbing stuff, that is the best stuff i have seen on man made products

Took the words right out of my computer that stuff is evil stickey gooey. I love it. It's in the glue dept. at HD and Lowes.

mikell

plankman16 · #14 04/11/05, 09:44 PM

goop

Ed Norman · #15 04/12/05, 10:28 AM

Harbor Freight sells a little plastic welder for about $25 some times. I've seen them weld ag tanks at a coop. It may have to be the right kind of plastic.

Now for a hijack attempt. I have a little old fibreglas rowboat and the keel seeps and weeps. The outer skin has cracked off there from landing on shore, I guess. Would plumbers goop or Eternabond work for sealing that? Does the goop ever get hard? Does Eternabond?

sidepasser · #16 04/12/05, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

I'm not doubting your word at all, but I am curious about the fiberglass attempt.
I figured that it would have worked. Did you use putty or resin and cloth? I suppose it is like the plastic items that you can mix on and use to spread the putty, a flex and it pops off.

Hi,

I used the fiberglqss "cloth" and resin method after cleaning the inside of the tank and drying it. The fiberglass cloth would not adhere well to the tank so the leak is still leaking.

Is goop stuff safe inside the tank when horses drink? I would hate to poisen my horse trying to fix his water tank!!

Thanks
Sidepasser

FreeRanger · #17 11/21/08, 09:33 PM

BUMP!

Hey does anyone really know the answer to this question?

I need to know...I have a couple of tanks to patch...

Seeing how the Goop stuff is used for domestic plumbing, I think it should be safe to use. But does it last?

**Tiempo** · #18 11/21/08, 09:44 PM

Equilox?

PyroDon · #19 11/21/08, 09:50 PM

your not going to find a glue for polyethyline
to stop the crack you will need to drill a small hole at each end of the crack then get a plastic welder and fill the holes as well as the crack.
if you dont drill the holes hang it up the crack will continue even if welded .
If your dead set on trying to Glue/caulk it , scuff it up good with fine sand paper both inside and out , then apply a think patch of poly-urathane caulking.
or you can order an old town canoe repair kit and follow the instructions to the letter .
good luck

A redneck repair would be to cut a patch out of a plastic oil jug .
using a heat gun heat the cracked area until it softens (flashes) then lay the patch also softened over the area and while still applying heat roll it down .
(basically welding the patch in place .)

**clovis** · #20 11/21/08, 10:04 PM

Okay....this is going to sound crazy, but just follow me here.

I know from the screen printing and also the adhesive industry that plastics have to be 'flame treated' before they will accept many glues or inks.

It has something to do with changing the molecular structure on the surface, and once that is done, glues and inks will be able to bond to the surface.

Plastics that are flame treated will stay good for maybe a month if left sitting on the shelf. After that, they have to be flame treated again. But if you repair a tank right away after flame treating, the bond will hold indefinately.

Companies that deal with plastics every day know this, and flame treat any back stock.

My aunt owns a plastic cup business that screen prints logos onto the cups. They have an actual flame treating machine. When someone orders 1000 cups, they flame treat them, and they are ready to print.

How do I flame treat plastic at home? You can use a plumber's hand held propane tank with a torch tip. Just run the flame over the areas that will recieve adhesive. DO NOT MELT THE PLASTIC. The goal is to warm it up a bit, and it doesn't take long. Just a few seconds of running the flame over the spot will do the trick. Again, DO NOT MELT THE PLASTIC.

Make sure you take safety precautions of course.

I honestly believe that this is the secret to making your adhesive stick to the plastic.

Clove