strength... durability.... is it worth 79 for a new plastic welder or do the seems still act a bit brittle? or just stick with bondos , pvc glues, and other such items?

If you can use it and use it well, its well worth it. If not... Its still worth it.

sounds good i was going to purchase one tonight but was afraid of the weld spots being brittle. thanks again for the input

They can be brittle depending on the plastic and how hot you heat it. But if you are careful that shouldn't happen. It's trial and error, but it can be accomplished with scrap pieces if need be.

This is, of course, assuming this is the type of welder that uses heat to bond the pieces. I'm not aware of any other types, so forgive any possible ignorance on my part.

yes the plastic welder i was looking at was heat motivated with temperature adjustments.

I'd buy 5 of them just cause there so much fun.