Sticky Stuff

This page covers sticky tapes and glues.

Summary

When things fall part there are various types of glue and sticky tape that you can use to stick them back together again, but different ones are good for different things. This page will help you choose the right one.

Safety

If in breaking, live electrics were (or might have been) exposed, then it can never be completely safe if stuck back together. If you decide to try (at your own risk) you should at least ensure that any glue is supported by strong tape wrapped completely around the item, with a good overlap.

Types of Glue

Superglue

Superglue will stick your fingers together instantly. You may find it rather embarrassing to have to go to A&E to get them unstuck.

Provided the surfaces to be mated fit together very closely, superglue will usually do a good job, but it's not so good at filling gaps. Buy it in small tubes and make sure you put the lid on tight as otherwise it will set solid.

Epoxy

Epoxy glue comes in 2 separate tubes. Squeeze the same amount from each tube and mix well. Be sure to put the right lid back on the right tube, or you'll never get them off again!

Epoxy glue sticks to most things, and although it's best if the mating surfaces fit well together, you can use it to fill gaps or build it up around a join to add strength.

Rapid epoxy sets in a few minutes and so is very useful, though it takes longer to achieve full strength.

Hot Melt

Hot melt glue comes in sticks which you have to feed into a glue gun. Cheap glue guns are available for just a few pounds. Apply the glue and join the parts together immediately. The glue will set in a few seconds as it cools but will take a little longer to gain full strength.

Hot melt glue remains flexible after it has set and so is good for repairing flexible things, like sticking the sole back on a shoe. Where a wire is soldered to a circuit board a blob of hot melt glue is very good for preventing the wire from flexing and breaking at the solder joint.

Sticky Tapes

PVC Tape

PVC insulating tape is good for wrapping around exposed wires and electrical connections, however, it should never be use as the sole protection in the case of mains (or higher) voltages. If two wires are simply twisted together, heat may be generated when a current flows and this could melt the tape. (Use solder or a crimped or screw-secured connection.)

PVC tape sticks reasonably well bit it's stretchy and not especially strong, so shouldn't be used simply for fixing.

Gaffer Tape and Duct Tape

These are very strong tapes used for holding things together. Gaffer tape has a fabric backing whereas duct tape uses some form of plastic, but otherwise they are similar and often confused.