Properly repairing ABS plastic dashes

10 years ago the instrument bezel pad for my '93 F150 was aged enough that literally any time I took it apart it cracked somewhere.

Now? Now when I try and clamp some parts together to glue them it cracks.  Its to the point that I can't even repair them anymore

I know chemically that the plasticizers  are evaporating, so to ultimately fix this I'd need to replace those and I don't know that you can.

I'm wondering about painting the ABS with acetone to remelt the surfaces?  I don't think it will help ultimately though.

The alternative is to just buy a new dash bezel, but if I go that route I am ultimately going to need to replace the entire dash, and thats around $500-1000 for all new pieces last I checked

Could you print your own in ABS?

Stampie said:

Could you print your own in ABS?

Sure, if I had a model for it.  Beyond my capabilities right now.

Make some ABS paste by mixing ABS powder and acetone, use drywall repair mesh tape for structure. Not suitable for the exterior but you can strengthen on the inside. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Been doing that for years for various projects.  Maybe as long as a decade.  It strengthens the immediate area, but it doesn't help the other areas.  I could spread it across all of the inside, but I don't know if that would help long term

Do you have a pic for reference?

You can do a combo of Keith's suggestion and Stampie's.  Print some ABS reinforcements approximately the dimensions needed, fill & bond the rest with the ABS paste.

In reply to ProDarwin :

I've been doing that. I usually use 3D prints that fail in the first ~10 layers of printing.  Rigid enough to hold, but thin enough to be shaped with some light heat.

I think I'm not explaining myself well.  The comments so far are along the lines of repairing George Washington's axe.  I'm not dealing with an axe, or even the Ship of Theseus.  I'm dealing with a house that is burning down while termites eat it as it rots away.  At some point in the relatively near future I won't have a dash to repair as it will all be repairs and I will have lost the original structure.   

I'm trying to mitigate that as much as humanly possible, and from what I know of plastics it isnt really possible. Short term bandaid solutions will work, which is what I'm doing, but I would like to take this out next time and not have it crack anywhere, y'know?  I've debated filling the back with epoxy, but it still has to fit to the rest of the dash.  Maybe junkyard half a dash to mount it to while it cures?

Here are some pics of the current repairs. Stage 2ish, going to have to let these dry before I move on to the curved portions.  The top completely cracked in half, and that was just from picking it up at the wrong angle.  The bottom (second pic) was a hairline crack I could see light through so I slathered some goop on to lessen any impact it might have.

In reply to Mr_Asa :

I would wallpaper the crap out of the back of that thing with reinforcing mesh and abs. 

Alternately, reproductions are on eBay for about $50. 
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-92-97-Ford-Bronco-F-150-F-250-F-350-Instrument-Cluster-Dash-Panel-Bezel-/114352444757?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Keith Tanner said:

Alternately, reproductions are on eBay for about $50. 
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-92-97-Ford-Bronco-F-150-F-250-F-350-Instrument-Cluster-Dash-Panel-Bezel-/114352444757?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Unfortunately I think this is the ultimate route I will take, I've just been burned by so many crappy eBay pieces that I'm already not looking forward to it.  I was hoping LMC or Natl Parts Depot would have them for a reasonable price but they are over twice that price from what I've seen, which is its own red flag for the eBay parts right there.

I think I will wallpaper it all.  Its not like I can make it worse.  Maybe one day I'll just go with nicely formed sheet metal like a 60s truck.  Then I can install proper cup holders.

I wouldn't be surprised if the LMC/NPD parts and eBay ones come from the same source. 
 

How about buying one to use to make a mold, returning it, then making one from fiberglas or CF?

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

I wouldn't be surprised if the LMC/NPD parts and eBay ones come from the same source. 

This. 

I would order the eBay piece. If you get it and it doesn't fit or if you don't like it just return it (the listing says free returns). 

The eBay piece only has to be better than one that's been patched over and over for a decade :)

I have a plastic welder that I got in a tools for rent swap with an old tenant. I have never used it but it says it's great for repairing plastic dashes.

I will agree that yours seems at the end of it's service life.