Super Glue and Baking Soda

bnz84

Well-Known Member
FCBO Gold Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
679
Reaction score
723
Location
Maryland
I'm sure most of you guys have seen or used this combo. What I find useful is everything cures instantly so you can fix, sand, drill, and paint all in 15 min if needed. Here is some work I did today. The center plastic section under my steering wheel was first and it had a few of the mount holes were broken and needed reinforcing. I did add some thin metal pieces to further solidify it. I would have made the front neater but I have some plans for recessed edge that never looked finished to me. The after pics included SEM paint
IMG_2014[1].JPG
IMG_2013[1].JPG
IMG_2026[1].JPG
IMG_2027[1].JPG
IMG_2028[1].JPG
 
I hav not tried this. I wonder if I can fix the back side of my air vent bezels that retains the cable? What is the secret to mixing it. Super glue and then coat with powder?
 
Then, since I was painting decided to fix the missing edge on the kick panel. 2 pieces of tape to form edges. Added baking soda then super blue. The glue did not soak all the way down so once I removed the tape I carefully added some drops to the sides. Then more BS. Then sanded and painted. Without a doubt it could have been better sanded and is a bit noticeable. But not an issue for me.
IMG_2016[1].JPG
IMG_2017[1].JPG
IMG_2018[1].JPG
IMG_2020[1].JPG
IMG_2021[1].JPG
IMG_2024[1].JPG
IMG_2025[1].JPG
 
Last edited:
Get the cheap super glue - the liquid stuff not the gel. You can start with either the BS or glue but as soon as 1 touches the other it gets solid and warm. You should do layers if possible because the glue has trouble soaking through the powder. It will harden on the top immediately. If I were filling a hole where i could not
get to the back side I would add glue first then sprinkle with BS . Keep layering. Its not real sophisticated and resign your self to fixing your results with sand paper. Or exacto. It makes a strong hard plastic like mtrl. Not powdery and week. I did not try to break it off to test the strength. I have tried other things with these mtrls and the bond is strong. The convenient thing is how fast and workable it all is. I just filled the mount holes completely and drilled thru them afterwards. Didn't crack the new work.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Acce...keywords=hot+stuff+glue&qid=1623676451&sr=8-4

I use this product. 3 different consistencies of glue and a spray that immediately hardens the glue. Much tougher than standard store bought cyanoacrylate.

And this brand is even better. I use it on my dinosaurs.
"Getting Started Kit" - PaleoBOND

I've used an array of materials for filler over the years. Baking soda works just fine. I've actually taken sanded plastic and filled the areas with actual pieces of flake plastic. Little to no painting if your careful.

@bnz84 Those repairs look great! I can tell you have done this before! Awesome job!

Just offering what I know. Hope it helps.
 
I've used Rapid Fix ( https://smile.amazon.com/RapidFix-R...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= ) and Plastex ( PLASTEX, PLASTIC REPAIR KITS, FIX CRACKS, REPAIR PLASTIC ) that works similarly, although I think the final product is not as brittle and easier to file and sand when hardened. More $$ though. It's worth a watch of the Plastex videos for how they cast parts and that can be applied to the baking soda/super glue method. The plastic molding stuff they supply is the same as this: https://smile.amazon.com/Hinodewash...ld=1&keywords=milliput&qid=1623676536&sr=8-45 and you use hot water to form the molding plastic.

I've also used Milliput epoxy putty a couple times to repair some plastic interior pieces with great results. I also used it with the Hinodewashi molding material (listed above) to mold/repair an old plastic slot car body, so while I haven't done that with any interior parts (yet) I'm sure that will work. Milliput can be bought at a good hobby shop or https://smile.amazon.com/Milliput-S...ild=1&keywords=milliput&qid=1623677379&sr=8-3 Look for some YouTube videos on Milliput. This is really great stuff and the trick is to wet your fingers to mold it to shape.
 
Great thread, should be a sticky(?) IMO..
 
There is a bunch of threads on utube about this combo. I tried some of the extreme examples like bonding 2 pieces of aluminum at a 90 deg angle. Even bonding aluminum flashing on its end. It does work way better than u would think but cant take much torque. There are a ton of things other than this option - jb kwik weld comes to mind plus other epoxies which ive used for this same kind of thing. And certainly dissolved plastics like plastex seems perfect. I actually have some ...somewhere. But the simplicity and availability of this combo is tempting. When I do some dash panel work I'm going to do a neater job. Also going to try mixing a bit of powdered RIT dye into the BS. Evidently the CA glue doesn't solidify on it own because of added acid. If you neutralize the acid with a base it solidifies. It doesnt have to be powder that does the neutralizing. If I could slow the curing just a bit and add color that would nice. Anyway this is not a miracle cure for anything, just another option to put in your toolbelt. The stuff that makes the 18 year olds think your a wizard!
 
There is a bunch of threads on utube about this combo. I tried some of the extreme examples like bonding 2 pieces of aluminum at a 90 deg angle. Even bonding aluminum flashing on its end. It does work way better than u would think but cant take much torque. There are a ton of things other than this option - jb kwik weld comes to mind plus other epoxies which ive used for this same kind of thing. And certainly dissolved plastics like plastex seems perfect. I actually have some ...somewhere. But the simplicity and availability of this combo is tempting. When I do some dash panel work I'm going to do a neater job. Also going to try mixing a bit of powdered RIT dye into the BS. Evidently the CA glue doesn't solidify on it own because of added acid. If you neutralize the acid with a base it solidifies. It doesnt have to be powder that does the neutralizing. If I could slow the curing just a bit and add color that would nice. Anyway this is not a miracle cure for anything, just another option to put in your toolbelt. The stuff that makes the 18 year olds think your a wizard!
I've also used the thicker super glue with accelerator on a couple things. The results will fill a gap or crack and can be sanded.

What is really great to do is to coat one part with the super glue and then spray the other part with the accelerator. Put them together and it's almost instant, tight bonding. I made a small acrylic box the other day with that method and I think you could run over it with a car and the joints would stay together.

https://smile.amazon.com/Bob-Smith-...d=1&keywords=insta+cure&qid=1623680352&sr=8-3

Another thing that a well stocked hobby shop should have.
 
I use JB Weld for the same purpose. Embedding some thin metal inthere is a good reinforcement.
 
At first I thought you were making a joking analogy to our C-bodies, but then I read the product description and you actually did mean DINOSAURS! :D

I'm an amateur paleontologist. This tooth is about 40 pieces. It's from the upper judith river formation. It's a very close relative to T-rex. It lived about 74-80 m.y.a. whereas the T-rex lived about 72-65 m.y.a. This tooth is an Alberosaurus. Named after Alberta Canada due to discoveries close to Alberta.

Sorry, not trying to hi-jack. But I never get to talk about dinosaurs!

20210614_191157.jpg


20210614_191205.jpg
 
I have trilobites from hill behind a gas station at college. Also shells from Calvert Cliffs in MD.
 
Sweet! I try to find some kind of fossil everywhere I go. You have some awesome fossils near you.
 
Be careful doing that ****!!!! That smoke is a cyanide gas and will do more than jack you up if not careful!!! I used to use that stuff all the time when I had a franchise. Good Luck
I did add some thin metal pieces to further solidify it.

You would've been better of using either a piece of Kleenex, T.P, or even a paper towel for reinforcement. Just a light layer of powder and soak the paper good with glue and let it cure! Nice repair!
 
Next I'm going to do an inside (and outside a little) corner of a bucket seat plastic seat track cover. As you said something with more of a mesh would preferable then a strip of anything. Very much like fiberglass work. I have some thin metal screen, thicker speaker grill, and even some cloth or landscape fabric. I know I could use other things but I'm on a roll. I may do some testing as this piece will see more "action" which is why its broken in the first place. The good news is that nobody sees the back so I can do what I want. Maybe punt and use PC-7 or JB. I'll test first. I'll take pics.
 
I pulled out the bucket seat trim and found a number of problems on the drivers side. The PO had tried to fix some issues with window screen and melted (heat not solvent) ABS. The seat corner failed but the seat stud was OK but weak. I just reinforced the stud with glue and BS. This time I mixed the BS with RIT powdered dye to make it black. Problem is the dye is granules, not powder so even with the back of a spoon just made it grey. Not an issue but not what I wanted. I did try adding just a drop or 2 of water to the mixture and it turned black. But would need some time to dry out a bit. I wanted to move on so used the speckled mixture. The last pic is unpainted but finished enough. It is is rock hard but not brittle. Took 10 min. I don't like the dye specs but it didnt hurt it.
IMG_2064[1].JPG
IMG_2065[1].JPG
IMG_2066[1].JPG
IMG_2073[1].JPG
IMG_2074[1].JPG
IMG_2075[1].JPG
IMG_2077[1].JPG
 
Back
Top