Calling plastic gurus...

[Steve Maskery]

Hi all
I have a Kenwood blender attachment for my mixer. Love that mixer itself, rarely use the blender. It's out of warranty.
I've just come to use it and the handle part is coming away from the main part of the jug. The jug is acrylic, no idea what the handle is made of.
The machine still works, but the handle is an integral part of the micro switch mechanism that allows the machine to switch on, so I don't want to knacker it completely.
I think that the two parts are just glued together. What glue can I use to make a good repair please. I don't think that there are any missing bits of plastic, it's just the joint that has failed.

 

[marcros]

I would go with epoxy as a default solution to most gluing tasks. A CA would probably do it too, worst that happens is it fails and leaves you as you are now.

 

[Rorschach]

Be good if you could find out what kind of plastic the handle it, it is probably marked somewhere inside, I am guessing though it is still partly attached?

Something like this would be my first call on unknown plastics.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/50132-Off-...t=&hvlocphy=9045311&hvtargid=pla-792861223673

 

[lurker]

Every bloke ought to have a small bottle of zap a gap CA.
Far better than any other CA on the market.
Not saying a CA will work mind.
I would try that first and pound shop clear epoxy second.

 

[RichardG]

Are you sure it was stuck and not a clip arrangement? Often these sort of things are just snapped together?

If you can try a blob of epoxy/glue on each piece and let it go off, then try and remove it, this will give you a good idea how well it sticks to each plastic type.

 

[flying haggis]

i would try something like this
https://www.toolstation.com/pvc-pipe-solvent-cement/p70177as the plastic is likely to be ABS

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you all.
I rang Kenwood, and while the Nice Young Man was as helpful as he could be, he couldn't tell me whether it was clipped or not. He thought not, and there is no evidence of it, either. He could only tell me that a replacement was available. Acrylic, not glass, so I'm pretty sure that this one is acrylic too.
I'll try the cement, I've recently bought some.
Thank you all.

 

[NikNak]

If you can try a blob of epoxy/glue on each piece and let it go off, then try and remove it, this will give you a good idea how well it sticks to each plastic type.

Having worked with epoxies for 20+ years this is a very good shout... except dont put the test blob where the break is, just incase it is a good bond and you then cant put glue where you actually want it....


https://www.amazon.co.uk/50132-Off-...t=&hvlocphy=9045311&hvtargid=pla-792861223673
Another good shout, except try your local £store first, making sure its good for plastics obviously...

i would try something like this
https://www.toolstation.com/pvc-pipe-solvent-cement/p70177as the plastic is likely to be ABS

This is also a good shout....


You can also get CA glues that come with a little bottle of powder for gap filling purposes. And i'll wager £100 there will be a tiny gap somewhere and CA doesn't like gaps.

 

[ScaredyCat]

I would go with epoxy as a default solution to most gluing tasks. A CA would probably do it too, worst that happens is it fails and leaves you as you are now.

..but covered in banana smoothie.

 

[Spectric]

Hi

All you need is either plastic modelers glue or plumbers solvent weld as Flomasta Pipe Weld Cement 250ml

Be careful in use and apply along edges, it will bond the two parts together but dont get it over the rest as it will not come off and will make a mess. Common use is in joining waste pipes and the like.

 

[profchris]

I'd suggest not using cheap CA - I've glued ceramics with the pound shop stuff and it tends to fail in the washing up! Don't know if expensive CA is better.

 

[RichardG]

..but covered in banana smoothie.

Or you could “be in the soup”, literally!

 

[Richard_C]

From memory with these things the lid pushes down a plastic link which in turn pushes a switch inside the motor body, that way you don't liquidize your fingers by running it with the lid off.

Its a nice wide grey plastic handle moulding, I would be tempted to glue as others have suggested or hold in place with temporary sticky tape then drill the wide bit each side of the actuator link somewhere near the top (above normal water level) and fit either stainless steel self tappers or a small stainless setscrew, washer and nut. It won't look elegant, but it won't look terrible and will last you a few more years*.

The assembly method they use in the factory is all about cost and time so they will glue or weld in some way, mending it doesn't have the same cost/time issue so you can 'do different' as long as its safe.

Espares are pretty good with such things, blender goblet prices from about £10 to about £25. If yours is at the bottom end of the range it might be barely more than the cost of posh glue.

* our drop down oven door was suffering from weakened springs, closed but didn't close tight so lots of hot air lost. New set was £££ so I did a temporary fix with a small bracket and a 'turnbuckle' from an old red washing machine connector tap. That'll do until I sort it I thought. That was in about 2011 ....

 

[Lons]

Hi Steve
The likelihood is that the handle is ABS and the jug is much more likely to be styrene rather than acrylic. A solvent type adhesive won't work properly with different types and you can't weld it so I'd agree with those who suggested a 2 part epoxy as CA might well fail assuming you wash the thing occasionally.

There are ways we used to determine which plastic groups the materials are but most are by heating with a flame, observing the smoke and burning smell, not advisable but that was back in the old days, It would be frowned upon now I guess.

I needed to do something similar with our halogen cooker thingy a couple of weeks ago as my missus keeps breaking the locking mechanism and I'm sick of replacing it.

 

[Droogs]

I'd suggest not using cheap CA - I've glued ceramics with the pound shop stuff and it tends to fail in the washing up! Don't know if expensive CA is better.

Don't use so much fairy liqquid. CA was originally designed to be easily removable with soap and water. The idea being you're a GI step on a pungi stick open up your foot glue it back together and keep the nasties out until you get to the hospital they wash and clean it. Voila it opens up for them to then sort it all out. clever stuff

 

[Dibs-h]

Whilst it might not look pretty - a couple of large stainless jubilee clips maybe?

 

[Racers]

Don't use so much fairy liqquid. CA was originally designed to be easily removable with soap and water. The idea being you're a GI step on a pungi stick open up your foot glue it back together and keep the nasties out until you get to the hospital they wash and clean it. Voila it opens up for them to then sort it all out. clever stuff

Ca was developed to cast clear gun sights but they couldn’t get them out of the moulds and the idea was shelved only to be reassessed years later as a glue.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate
Pete

 

[emlclcy]

could try plasma cleaning it first

 

[Steve Maskery]

I used the cement that I bought for my bandsaw DX job and never used. Seems to have worked a treat. We'll see how it stands up to use.
Thank you for all the tips.
S

 

[emlclcy]

its not as daft as it may sound, i used an isotherm plasma cutter to plasma treat various materials. hold the cutting torch about 5" away from the part and keeping the torch moving strike the arc. Do it over paper and you will find it barley chars. if you take 2 pieces of PTFE, plasma treat in this way then glue using 'super glue' you have a very strong bond. A plasma torch has 2 modes, arc current and cut current so in free air it is arc mode. bit scary to do but it works