19 votes

Ode to Baking Soda and Superglue

Some days ago I came back home to visit my parents during these holidays.

Yesterday evening, while we were watching a movie, nature called and I had to go to the bathroom. Because I'm a lazy bozo and it is closer to the living room, I did what no man should ever do - I used my parents' bathroom.

Stumbling in the dark in this unfamiliar place I had no right being in, I clumsily bumped on the towel rack (an old 80s coat hanger looking thing) and to my horror, managed to snap one of its plastic arms off.

Because it's a relic of its time, and perhaps because the bathroom is a sacred personal space which should never be altered if not for strictly necessary reasons, mom and pops were upset.

I felt like shit, an outcast whose madness lead an entire family to despair and misfortune while trying to save himself literally a handful of pitiful steps.

But a shining beacon of hope came from a fading memory, one which sounded utterly absurd, yet in times of desperation still came out as somehow plausible.

"Just use baking soda and Loctite forehead"; this had been uttered from a German friend of mine while he had been admiring the broken mess that is my duct taped ps4 controller some time ago. Was it a joke? Was it a serious suggestion? German humor is often lost in translation...

Still, I had to give it a go. I had to try something. And this morning an attempt was made.

I'm still feeling ecstatic. Never have I hever felt this good about a DIY tryout. I can confirm that baking soda is an incredible catalyst for super glue; the result while somewhat sloppy-looking is rock solid.

Pops couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his good ol' towel rack hanger thing stoically standing where it always did, in its rightful place, with no defects at all.

Thank you baking soda and super glue, you saved Christmas.

To all of you whose plastics need some fixing, remember this combo and give it a go - it will save you as well.

Any other similar hacks that you might want to share are very much appreciated.

TL;DR
Baking soda and regular superglue are incredible for fixing plastics.

Edit: forgot to put tags in post. Apologies.

4 comments

  1. [4]
    unknown user
    Link
    Hell yeah they are awesome. Here's A video by one of my favourite people on Youtube using this technique to fix old electronics.

    Hell yeah they are awesome. Here's A video by one of my favourite people on Youtube using this technique to fix old electronics.

    5 votes
    1. jwong
      Link Parent
      That’s a plastic game changer! I did not wake up planning to watch a 30 minute video on plastic reconstruction.

      That’s a plastic game changer! I did not wake up planning to watch a 30 minute video on plastic reconstruction.

      5 votes
    2. [2]
      DyslexicStoner240
      Link Parent
      What the heck, is this manual 3D printing? Great to know this is a possibility - now I've gotta dig in the old junk boxes to find something to try it on. Awesome vid btw, thanks.

      What the heck, is this manual 3D printing? Great to know this is a possibility - now I've gotta dig in the old junk boxes to find something to try it on.

      Awesome vid btw, thanks.

      3 votes
      1. WhyCause
        Link Parent
        There was a 3D printer (early 2000s, I believe) that used cornstarch and cyanoacrylate. I think it was a Z Corporation zMachine. It was slick; about the size of a photocopier.

        There was a 3D printer (early 2000s, I believe) that used cornstarch and cyanoacrylate. I think it was a Z Corporation zMachine. It was slick; about the size of a photocopier.

        4 votes