Creative > How-To

Best adhesive when tabs break off Trim pieces?

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Chotii:
As I continue my process of upgrading and updating a Victorian Mansion, now 4 stories high, I have run into the problem of the tiny tabs that hold window and door trims getting broken off in removing them for painting. Yes, I can buy replacement pieces, which is an option.
But would be happier just using the pieces I have.

I have tried Glue Dots - they aren’t working like I hoped. Neither did Gorilla Glue Epoxy, perhaps because the textured painted surface is not epoxy friendly.

What can you advise? Hot glue? I don’t mind if it’s relatively permanent. Thanks!

GrahamB:
I use a good quality adhesive putty ('Blu-tac' here in the UK) -but avoid the sorts which dry out and go hard- to hold the brown window/door frames onto the Victorian Mansion walls when the tabs have got broken off. It's not totally adequate, but you might have some success with hot-melt glue.

I assume the bits that broke off are too small to join back on?
If you are joining bits of ABS plastic- that's the hard type most PM is made from- you can usually get something as strong as the original, providing the two pieces fit perfectly together (no missing bits or warping);
1. use a cyanoacrylate glue (aka superglue),
2. use a tiny amount because the narrower the glue line, the stronger the joint,
3. 'huff' onto the glue before joining the pieces, because cyanoacrylate hardens in the presence of water and there is some in the air you exhale,
4. hold the parts together for 20 seconds without repositioning
5. leave for a while to allow the hardening to complete

Macruran:
If it's the same as the plumbing ABS, they make special adhesive for that, that iirc actually melts the plastic together or something. It's designed just for ABS, so that might be something to look into.

Chotii:

--- Quote from: GrahamB on September 25, 2022, 09:13:42 ---I assume the bits that broke off are too small to join back on?


--- End quote ---

The biggest problem is that they are simply gone. :( they broke off and flew somewhere when I was removing the trim pieces. The house is currently on my back deck so the bits could quite literally have gone *anywhere*.

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