Anyone ever broken a plastic tab off anything before?

[87chevy.com]

Stupid question, but since your hear, I'll give share a neat trick I found out not to long ago. I actually just broke 2 tabs off of the little a/c vent on the driver side when removing the interior harness... I super glued the pieces back on, and thats not the neat trick... the neat trick is adding super glue to the back side where the crack was and lay on some baking soda.. in my case it was right where the tab starts (it makes a 90 degree bend)..

so for the skinny: I laid out some wax paper, made a small pile of baking soda and got my exacto knife out. Squeezed some super glue in the corner and sprinkled some baking soda on the super glue and tapped the part so the baking soda got all into the super glue. It instantly hardens! I did this process only 2 times on each broken tab and rock solid.

for kicks and giggles a I had a tootpick and coated it in super glue and rolled it in the left over baking soda and repeated once more.. that sucker was difficult to break in half!

Anyway, Im sure someones like psst, you didnt know that?? but somone will be like, damn.... and use it next time a plastic tab or something breaks..
Clint

[87chevy.com]

-repaired

[79Betty]

Awesome! Fixing my cluster tabs tomorrow!!

[TheBlueBomber]

Excuse me, your genius is showing.

[joe231]

Neat trick!!

Another trick, acetone can be used to repair ABS plastic.
Just put it on like glue and stick the pieces back together. The acetone melts the abs and evaporates quickly leaving the pieces welded together and as strong as new.
I know at least some of the grills are ABS, dunno what else is...

[87chevy.com]

Originally Posted by TheBlueBomber

Excuse me, your genius is showing.

I got it from youtube... was browsing for something... and like all things on youtube, one thing lead to another and this is similar to a product napa or advance sells.. also used this to repair my moms china made china cabinet.. the leg riped off during a move and unable to glue it on since there was a big chunk missing from the bottom... put tape on the finished side and started layering the super glue, baking soda in little stages till it was filled in. Drilled the hole, counter sunk the hole and repaired... that was the first time I used it and I was like damn.. needless to say next time I go grocery shoping Im going to pick up an extra box and bring it to work and put it in my tool box... damn BMW's are built with so many plastic panels and parts
clint

[Keith Seymore]

So...where's the science? (lol)

What's the baking soda do? Are you suggesting it becomes a "filler" (to aid in building up material) or are you saying the baking soda makes the super glue "harder" in some way?

How would this be different then adding plain super glue to the back of the break?

I seek to understand...

K

[bigd65]

Excellant !!!!!!

[8lugnutz]

Keith: Your "science"

From the site:

Accelerators

Besides water, cyanoacrylate polymerises also in presence of alcohol and basic compounds (including weak amines). The latter can be used to produce a superglue “kicker” – a compound which triggers quick polymerisation of the glue.

Baking soda is one well-known substance with this effect. If you apply a layer of superglue to a seam and gently pour baking soda over it, the glue will cure very quickly. It makes for most effective filler for smaller jobs, and the baking soda results in a slightly rough surface which is good for sanding. "

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 8lugnutz

Keith: Your "science"

Well done; thank you -

[Billy81]

Never heard of this little trick before, Thanks for sharing

[wilkin250r]

Originally Posted by joe231

Neat trick!!

Another trick, acetone can be used to repair ABS plastic.
Just put it on like glue and stick the pieces back together. The acetone melts the abs and evaporates quickly leaving the pieces welded together and as strong as new.
I know at least some of the grills are ABS, dunno what else is...

I use a similar trick with almost ANY type of plastic and Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK). Often what I will try to do is shave an inconspicuous spot to gather shavings, add a dab of MEK and make a paste/glue and use it to build up whatever weak area is broken.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by wilkin250r

I use a similar trick with almost ANY type of plastic and Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK). Often what I will try to do is shave an inconspicuous spot to gather shavings, add a dab of MEK and make a paste/glue and use it to build up whatever weak area is broken.

Good to know!

Thanks!

[MSL]

Thanks for the info,now i know how to fix the china plastic on the wifes car.lol

[C10wip]

Thanks, broke a tab on the instrument cluster last week so this is good.
The other neat thing was that you can color match it by using food coloring to tint the baking soda; let the baking soda dry and crumble up it up again and the repair will be that color.

[chevy_man5]

Awesome tip! You should add it to this "Cheap Tricks" thread!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=489394

[Bishops Trucks]

Nice info. Now I have to look for something to fix.

[motornut]

neat fix

[68Timber]

This would be a cool fix on grilles.

[Axle]

I need to remember this trick. Thanks!

Alex.

[olllie]

Great info, fiberglass with epoxy works well on larger parts as well, but its only as strong as the glue bond.. don't forget to scuff and clean your parts, soda works on guitar nuts too

[84chevyguyid]

Was browsing here to see what I could find on fixing broken tabs on the instrument cluster and came across this thread. Gave the super glue/baking soda procedure a try and by golly it worked pretty good. Fixed 2 tabs and they seem to be really solid. One thing thats nice about it is its almost instant and you are done.

[andrewmp6]

This looks like a good idea http://www.eastwood.com/ew-hot-stapl...ir-system.html

[special-K]

I bought this stuff at a rod run a guy was pushing that bonds any molecule. I asked if it would bond anything besides molecules? He smiled and said "no". But that's what I use. He cut a piece of rubber, then put the stuff on, wait maybe 30 seconds, then had me pull one end while he held the other. It just stretched and stretched. Then he cut the bonded section out and cut it in two length ways and you couldn't tell it had been cut, no seem, no residue, looked untouched. It's called Tech-Bond. He says Super Glue is old technology. So far it hasn't let me down

www.tech-bond.net

[LockDoc]

Good tip Clint.... I need to try that.

I bought a glue called "Fusion" at the state fair last fall. I needed to make an "O" ring type belt for my table top band saw so I went out to the shop and got a piece of 1/4" OD vacuum hose, cut it to the right length and used the "Fusion" adhesive to glue it together. Worked like a champ....

LockDoc