Last Updated on March 8, 2021 by Dave Farquhar
Gluing small plastic parts back together is a two-part challenge: First you have to find a suitable glue, and then you have to find a way to hold the pieces together while the glue cures.
Challenging need not be impossible though.
If you know what kind of plastic the part you’re trying to glue is made of, and can get a specialty glue for it, that’s your best bet. For example, if the part is polystyrene or a close relative, Testors Liquid Cement is extremely effective. If you don’t know what kind of plastic it is, Surehold Plastic Surgery is more likely to work than anything else.
The other thing you’re going to need is some polymer clay. In a pinch you could use Silly Putty as a substitute.
Press the larger part into the clay. Scrape away a bit of the clay right next to where the other part has to go. You want a clean glue joint.
Next, be ready to work fast. You’ll have to apply some glue to the other piece, then press it into the clay next to the other part. You’ll probably only have a few seconds to make sure everything lines up. You can practice without glue if you’d like.
Once you’ve applied the glue, let it set up overnight, or better yet, for 24 hours. After the time has passed, peel the clay off the part. If all went well, you’ll have a lasting repair.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.