Hi DIY!

My headphones of many years recently broke. My first response was to attempt to glue them back together with super glue (ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate) however that didn't seem to hold. Not even a little bit.

I then did a bit of searching and found that Sony often use ABS plastic in headphone manufacture, so presumably these are ABS. I then read super glue should work okay on ABS, however there seemed to be no bonding happening at all.

Do any of you have any tips for the best kind of glue or epoxy to bond these plastic parts back together and get the music flowing again?

I plan on wrapping the joints in thread afterwards, for additional durability. But first I need to get them bonded.

Maybe try JB-Weld? Idk if super glue will hold up here.

Not sure i would use a plastic stapler/welder for something like this with small electronics but it is for plastic ... If you're careful it might work long term. Just be clean and accurate and don't leave pointy bits that could cut you. The staples need to be trimmed after and it would be best to melt more plastic over it probably.

Came here to say this. JB-Weld is really great stuff. I've fixed a lot of things with it.

This is a tough one, mainly cause of the strains experienced in that position. If you're daring, maybe try some acetone to "melt" and refuse the plastic. I don't think an adhesive is going to be much help unless you cake it in epoxy, and reinforce the stress point.

Try layering several times with super glue and tissue paper.

I would make some metal rods to insert in the holes left in the hollow plastic. Epoxy those in place on both sides to reinforce the joints which will have stress on them. I think that is the only chance you have of repairing broken plastic like this with little surface area to bond. You could look around and find some nails or something to cut up.

Great for:

• PVC
• ABS
• Rigid plastics

https://www.jbweld.co.uk/copy-of-marineweldsyr-25ml

This may be a winner, thanks!

I've done some awful things with various 2-part epoxies, maybe try one of those with a piece of dowel in the square holes? Not sure exactly what you have to work with there but that might give you a little extra support from inside while your glue of choice just has to keep the rod from slipping. Start with one a little larger than the holes and sand the sides flat until it fits with a little extra space, add glue, press together, let it cure.

For bonus points, you can scratch up the inside of the plastic with a rolled-up piece of coarse sandpaper or something to try and give the glue an extra foothold.

Unfortunately there's a wire running through one of the broken pieces so heat is probably a no-go because I don't want to melt the insulation. Thank you though!

Oh I've never heard of that method before! I'll keep it in my back pocket as a last resort if all else fails, thank you

Unfortunately there’s a wire running through one of the broken pieces so melting is probably a no-go because I don’t want to melt the insulation. Thank you though!

Great idea! I'll give that a go, thanks. Reinforcement rods, adhesive, and thread wrap around the outside should surely be enough

Jb weld was going to be my suggestion too. Good luck OP

Awful things?... Dare I ask?

I'll definitely try reinforcing with a dowel or metal rod though, thanks!

As others have said, copious amounts of super glue or epoxy. Pro tip for the super glue is to sprinkle baking soda on it to speed up the cure time.

Like the layering glue and tissue paper idea, I've never heard of this but a quick search shows you're not speaking gibberish. I'll remember that one for future repairs, thanks!

https://thistothat.com/

Glue guide!

Bookmarked! Thank you

Acetone can join ABS because it is a solevent for that particular plastic and will mix the two treated surfaces at the molecular level. It would be wise to add some additional material in the hollow area such as an epoxy putty (jb weld as suggested elsewhere), but it should create a stronger bond between the broken pieces.

The insulation on wires is not abs.

UV Glue will fix that no problems, and the glue will be stronger than the underlying plastic.

There's a wire running through one of the plastic pieces so I think acetone is probably a no-go because of the insulation. I'll keep that tip in mind for future repairs though that don't have that difficulty, thanks!

I didn't even know there was such a thing. Buying a UV lamp for a single repair when other options are available feels a bit antithetical to the Solarpunk ethos though, so I think I'll try normal glues first. But hey, if all else fails, at least I know there's a nuclear option as plan b. Thanks!

You can also cure UV glue in sunlight. It's a bit of a pain and can take longer, but it's an option.

Solarpunkglue. Hmm...

The problem with uv glue is it needs light to cure. So it can't be used to fill that broken area or inside the break itself. It can only coat the outside.

If it’s ABS (which most thugs are) try methyl ethyl ketone to melt it back together.

Just a dab of MEK will melt the plastic, but it evaporates/dissolves quickly. Once you apply it press the pies together firmly for a few minutes, then let it cure for a while after that. The bond should be as strong as it was from the factor. Then if you want apply some JB weld for extra strength.

There is a jb-weild specific for plastic that works well

Nothing that interesting, just enough to gain a reputation as somebody who can do solid in-the-field temporary fixes when a real specialist isn't available. One that comes to mind is a portable toilet that was delivered (clean and empty, thankfully) with a split in the side of the tank. Guessing they got a little too close to the trees on the way in and the driver wasn't paid enough to care. There was another one in good condition so this wasn't a critical issue but still an inconvenience.

Wasn't too bad, I could just about span the full length from pinkie to thumb tip and there wasn't any missing material. More than I'd trust glue or tape alone to hold for long though. Drilled a series of holes in parallel lines on either side of the split and stitched it shut with paracord before painting over it with a 2-part epoxy as a strong liquid barrier. Don't remember what kind it was but it remained somewhat pliable when cured so I figured it wouldn't turn brittle and crack. It held for the duration of the job and didn't leak as far as anyone could tell (and if it had, the terrain would have made that obvious).

Not the most exciting story of heroism under pressure but I went from learning about a problem to finishing the fix in about 45 minutes with fading daylight.

There is a JB Weld UV glue product that comes with a UV LED attached:

https://www.jbweld.com/product/superweld-light-activated

It's a blend, not pure UV resin, that will harden quickly where the light hits it but will also slowly cure without UV exposure, so the inner parts of the joint will harden over time.

I use this and I've found that it is almost as good as standard 2-part epoxy in most cases, and easier to use.

That looks like toast.

3D printed replacement parts might work. If you have a maker space around you, you might be able to find someone to help you with the drafting/CAD.

I think you're cooked with adhesives and are going to have to modify them for a proper repair. If you keep at adhesives, make sure you're curing properly with temp, weight, time.

If you're trying to be true to the "solarpunk ethos," do you really think this is the last repair you'll ever do?

I, for one, have never regretted letting a 'one time' project be an excuse to get a new type of tool.

(Just don't get the disposable UV light another reply mentioned; that really is a bit wasteful. If you decide to go the UV glue route, get an inexpensive but proper standalone UV flashlight.)

Whatever you do, don't break that wire, it's nearly impossible to DIY repair.

I think a deft hand could do what OP suggests without damaging the speaker wire. This would be the metal reinforcement you need combined with epoxy. Just sink the staple in far enough to work. Maybe two per side. Not too deeply as to roast the wire.

Edit: Though if you do not own one, then that solution is out.

This is just called plastic welding and it's fantastic

I'll be honest, you're probably not going to be able to fix those to a degree that I'd trust. Some headphones are reparable and have replaceable parts, and that isn't one of them. I've had really good luck with Audio-Technica and Beyer Dynamic in that department, but most of their more sturdy and repairable headphones aren't very portable.

You can glue it, it won't work. When you've tried all of them, get a plastic staple gun and make it ugly, but fixed.

@punksnotdead@slrpnk.net I would suggest carbon fiber rods or aluminum, ferris metal could interfere with the bluetooth radio depending on their shape.

If the adhesive route fails, it looks like there are replacement parts available, but your mileage may vary when it comes to the source. Not seeing anything official, but ebay has a few hits: https://www.ebay.com/itm/204942975498

Might also try just calling Sony support, but iirc their support is fairly shit.

Loc-Tite Plastic Bonder has worked well for me in these situations, but sometimes it just doesn’t seem to take well; other times it holds better than the original plastic does. Worth a shot?

5 minute 2-part epoxy. Buy the individual packets rather than the bottles so ya dont get solidified wasted bottles.

I once witnessed an old-timer in the biz repair a copier gear with the super glue and baking soda. Wasn't supposed to be permanent but he forgot and the gear out lasted the copier contract.

General purpose tip for Gluing:

Isopropyl Alchohol in a spray mister will speed up Superglue bond time from minutes to seconds.

Mixing glues can be very useful. For example, I'll use Epoxy for the hollow insides but a drop of Superglue where pieces fit together to hold the pieces together while the Epoxy cures overnight. UV glue is fantastic for that because it cures instantly. But a drop of Superglue with a spritz of alcohol works good too.

I bought a cheap Temu plastic repair welder (melts in a little metall pin) - they actually work and the results are surprisingly strong.

physical reinforcement is a good suggestion lots are coming up with. If it's not too late, I'd recommend doing that with something that dissolves the ABS instead of an adhesive. ABS dissolves readily with a few solvents, like acetone. Get physical reinforcement in place, and IF you do not need any bulk filler, just use a solvent like acetone to literally melt and repolymerize the plastic back together. As long as there's no new gaps or new voids, the physical reinforcement should leave it stronger than the original. At least after all the solvent evaporates away.

If you need gap filler or bulk reinforcement, two part epoxies are definitely the way to go, though make sure to use something quite flexible or it'll just crack off the next time you drop them.

Might be able to find some wire in an electrical or automotive store. 20 guage is about a millimeter or less, 12 guage is between 2 and 3 mm. Do you have calipers to take a measurement?

Wire Coat Hanger might fit, will be harder so a better reinforcement.

Ouch, I used hot glue for mine but its not great at holding to the surface, I just had a massive surface to make use of and pretty much made a ring of glue around the break. Doesn't look like yours would work with that sadly.

So, probably don't go with hot glue.

Depends on the tool and its cost for me. If its something I can realistically see using again and is a reasonable price then sure.

Just think how relatively strong even thin paper mache is. That is typically made by kids with newspaper and PVA, but its got some strength to it.

Now think of a stronger glue, its not a bad idea.