What kind of glue or epoxy can I use to fix my scunsi steamer part?
Question:I have a scunsi steamer model ss1100 I believe. The part used to steam clothes is partly broken at the neck. Apparently the co. is now defunct so I must repair it. I don't know what kind of plastic the part(s) are made from except it is a hard black plastic with a recycling symbol on one of the parts. The box says it is ETL certified whatever that is. Also one of the parts was close to the stove one day and part of it melted so seems like the plastic melts relatively easily. I tried fixing it with Loctite Extreme Repair as recommended by Canadian Tire but it is a silicon and does not bond to plastic at all - bad advice! I called Loctite's industrial division who suggested an epoxy # 81120 however it's difficult as they don't know what type of plastic it is made from either. Also nearest distributor is at least 80km from my location. I want to try epoxy but I have no idea which one to use. The part will be exposed to both heat and water/steam. Can anyone help me fix this at all?
Answers:
Without knowing the type of plastic any answer is a guess. Probably no epoxy is going to do the job. You need to "weld" the pieces together. As an example -- PVC water lines and ABS sewer lines that are "glued" together are really welded -- the special glue used actually chemically "melts" the surfaces of the pipe and fitting together. When the connection is "dry" the two pieces have become one piece physically.
My guess is that the steamer body is probably ABS, PVC, or CPVC. Any hardware store will have a "universal" solvent glue (in a small can with a brush applicator) that is used to "weld" these three types of plastic plumbing pipe -- give it a try.
When doing the repair -- first check the alignment of the pieces --
the glue sets up fast so you have to be sure how it goes together. Wear surgical type gloves -- coat each surface well and hold together until set -- it will take at least 5 min of holding pressure before releasing and several hours to totally solidify. If you can devise a way to clamp together the pieces it would be best. Think of strapping tape as a clamp too.
The best epoxy in the world is J B Weld. Get the dark type, not the clear quick drying type. Many automotive parts houses carry it. The manufacturer claims you can fix car blocks with it, but that may be stretching it a bit.. It is great stuff, tho. It will take 4 hours to set up, but it will fix your steamer part permanently.
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