Welding or gluing polyethylene, which I think is the plastic ALE would have used, has been researched and discussed for years on another, off-topic list I read (vanagon.com) in depth, as new products come out, and the consensus is that a cosmetic repair, if possible, will not be very functional, and a functional repair is not very possible. A quick Google check of "repair polyethylene" produced similar results. Once UV has done it's work, cracks will simply reoccur.
The most difficult and most functional technique has been welding with a polyethylene candle. For thin walls, a wide tip soldering iron has been suggested, or a small propane torch for thicker walls. Glues, epoxies, solvents, etc. do not make a functional repair of PE. Colors would make for a real challenge! Silicone caulk has been used, but I don't think it's food safe, or very good. However, I saw some amazing plastic repairs at a refrigerator repair firm years ago in Austin, Texas, but I don't know if such businesses still exist.
Bill Gibson Tempe, Arizona, USA, ...where it's still balmy and dry very late in the early summer this year, and easy riding if you avoid the traffic...and drink lots of water!
On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 1:10 PM, John Betmanis <johnb@oxford.net> wrote:
> Those symbols are from SPI, the plastics industry trade association (North
> America). Vintage Ale bottles are from Italy and from long before we had
> those symbols. All my Ale bottles say is "GUARANTEED ODOURLESS AND
> TASTELESS". No doubt today someone will say they cause cancer.
>
> I have a red one and a yellow one; they came in various colours. If you
> want to repair a cracked one, try "welding" it using a similar unsalvageable
> bottle and a soldering iron. However, I doubt if the repair will stand up to
> squeezing.
>
> --
> John Betmanis
> Woodstock, Ontario
> Canada
>
>
> On 24/05/2010 3:42 PM, David Kulcinski wrote:
>
>> There SHOULD be a symbol on the bottom of the bottle. The symbols can be
>> quite variable, with numbers, letters, or combinations. Here is a link that
>> gives a pretty good reference.
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>>
>> David Kulcinski
>> Orange, CA
>> USA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: George Hollenberg<ghollmd@gmail.com>
>> To: Classic Rendezvous<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>> Sent: Sun, May 23, 2010 8:12:17 PM
>> Subject: [CR] ALE Water Bottle Material
>>
>> Question#1: What material was used to manufacture ALE bottles? It's a
>> white
>> plastic-was it polypropylene?
>> Question#2: What can be used to glue this material?
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>
--
Bill Gibson
Tempe, Arizona, USA