I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend broke her
backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are not all that large.
I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail lights)
and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I don't know how
successful they are with plastics, and I know that most have been weakened
due to medical concerns. The only good thing is there does not appear to be
any deformation of the plastic. It was a very clean break and the parts fit
closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with the
type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Joseph Meehan wrote:
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend
broke her backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are
not all that large. I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail
lights) and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I
don't know how successful they are with plastics, and I know that
most have been weakened due to medical concerns. The only good thing
is there does not appear to be any deformation of the plastic. It
was a very clean break and the parts fit closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with
the type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

I think your best bet would be epoxy (a quick setting one).
Cyanoacrylate *could* work but it generally softens plastics and it is
hard to keep pieces together closely until it grabs. Epoxy won't soften
it but you'll still have the problem of keeping the pieces aligned until
it sets. Once it sets, don't disturb for at least 12 hours. Once hard,
any squeeze out can be sanded off and the area polished.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

dadiOH wrote:
Joseph Meehan wrote:
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend
broke her backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are
not all that large. I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail
lights) and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I
don't know how successful they are with plastics, and I know that
most have been weakened due to medical concerns. The only good thing
is there does not appear to be any deformation of the plastic. It
was a very clean break and the parts fit closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with
the type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

I think your best bet would be epoxy (a quick setting one).
Cyanoacrylate *could* work but it generally softens plastics and it is
hard to keep pieces together closely until it grabs. Epoxy won't
soften it but you'll still have the problem of keeping the pieces
aligned until it sets. Once it sets, don't disturb for at least 12
hours. Once hard, any squeeze out can be sanded off and the area
polished.

I should also say that epoxy won't stick at all to some types of
plastics...don't know all it won't bond but polyethelene is one (I often
use that as a surface protector), the plastic that CoolWhip comes in is
another (I use those containers to mix epoxy and the dried epoxy just
pops out). OTOH, it sticks well to polycarbonate...got a bit on one of
my lenses. Best try a dab in some inconspicuous place and see if it
will pop off after drying.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Joseph Meehan wrote:
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend broke
her backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are not all
that large. I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail
lights) and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I
don't know how successful they are with plastics, and I know that
most have been weakened due to medical concerns. The only good thing
is there does not appear to be any deformation of the plastic. It
was a very clean break and the parts fit closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with
the type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

All the geeks I know use adhesive tape -- or a small Band-Aid.

Joseph Meehan wrote:
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend broke her
backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are not all that large.
I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail lights)
and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I don't know how
successful they are with plastics, and I know that most have been weakened
due to medical concerns. The only good thing is there does not appear to be
any deformation of the plastic. It was a very clean break and the parts fit
closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with the
type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

I never have good luck with stuff like that... since it's a clean brak,
either a thinner grade of superglue that would wick into the break (if
you can't get it at regular stores, try a plastic model type hobby
shop, or on the web, there are like 4 grades of superglue, The thinner
they are, the faster they set) or similarly, a solvent type glue (also
a hobby shop item) but either way, your luck will be much improved by
gluing a splint along the thing across the break; even better along
each side.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

z wrote in message
ups.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend broke her
backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are not all that
large.
I would like to at least try fixing them.

I have successfully used epoxy on some plastics (automotive tail
lights)
and I had thought of the "Super Glue" products, however I don't know how
successful they are with plastics, and I know that most have been
weakened
due to medical concerns. The only good thing is there does not appear
to be
any deformation of the plastic. It was a very clean break and the parts
fit
closely together.

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with the
type of plastic used in eyeglasses?
Where'd they break? Temple, earpiece? where the hinge is? Pat

JM-

Patrick has a good point, the location of the break will determine the
method & whether a fix is even possible.

At my Ace Hardware they have a two part "epoxy" that is specifically
menat for automotive plastics (mirror housings in particular)

Fixturing (holding the glasses in the correct position) until the
adhesive sets will be key to a successful repair.

I fixed a pair of my wife's designer sunglass (spring loaded hinge stud
pulled out of earpiece)

Fixturing was a pain but I got it to work........again using that
automotive "epoxy"

Lost the spring loaded behavior but they served for another six months
unitl they broke again eslewhere.................I told her "too bad,
they were "unfixable" this time.

cheers
Bob

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
.. .
I know the chances of a real fix are slim, but my girlfriend broke her
backup pair of glasses. The are made of plastic and are not all that
large. I would like to at least try fixing them.


Have you tried the place where they were purchased? Some offer a cheap fix.

Joseph Meehan writes:

Does anyone what to suggest what kind of product would work with the
type of plastic used in eyeglasses?

http://zennioptical.com/
http://www.optical4less.com/

I love these guys. They make your glasses in Hong Kong and mail them to
you. Good quality at prices not worth the trouble of repairing. No
connection to them myself; I'm just a satisfied customer.

If I were fixing your lenses, I would glue with CA or polyurethane on a
toothpick, and miniature drill and stitch at the ends of the break with 34
gauge stainless wire. The stitches would be ugly, but so's the glue line.

The stainless wire is my latest favorite fix-it trick. All of 6
thousandths thick (literally, 2 red bleep hairs), with 2 pounds of breaking
strength. You can reinforce a lot of geometry that no glue could possibly
hold.