Fixing broken electronics is easy – and it can save a repairable device from ending up in landfill.
Plastic can be moulded, shaped and extruded into almost any shape. But when it breaks, many of us are left wondering what to do. Often items end up in the bin, filling landfill and potentially polluting the ground. But many can be repaired.
One of the most useful tools you can have in your repair kit is putty. Unlike glues which can be messy and difficult to correctly apply, you can mould putty into different shapes. That allows you to repair objects such as handles, headphones and other things that don’t have easy-to-manage flat surfaces.
Plastic epoxy putty is a great solution for repairing broken devices. While it’s stored in airtight packaging, epoxy putty remains pliable so you can mould it into different shapes. After about 20 minutes it starts to harden and three hours later, it’s cured so you can start using it.
Once the putty is fully cured you can sand, drill and paint it, making your repair job almost invisible.
Start the repair job
Have you ever sat on a pair of headphones or other electronics? The heartwrenching ‘crack’, the panic that ensues when you notice the broken casing. But it’s a simple enough fix using epoxy putty.
1. Open the wrapping on the putty and pinch off as much as you’ll need.
2. Knead the putty and then mound it to the shape you’ll need.
3. Place the putty around the break, ensuring the repair is lined up nicely and firmly held in place. You’ll have about 20 minutes from when you take the putty out of the packaging to apply it.
4. The putty will take between two and three hours to cure, depending on the conditions.
Finishing the job
The great thing about epoxy putties is that they can be sanded back and painted, making the repair almost invisible. Using either some light sandpaper or a rotary tool, smooth out the putty, ensuring you don’t take it back too far, weakening the repair. Then you can paint the putty, matching it up so it can’t be seen unless you take a really close look.
Get creative
Plastic epoxy putty can be drilled or cut making it very versatile. We’ve even seen it used in costume creation to sculpt shapes. As it can be sanded and painted, it's a great option for creating small, bespoke objects.
Instead of throwing away broken plastic, look at repairing it. With some plastic epoxy putty and a little effort you can make a difference to the planet and your hip pocket.