You
may be truly amazed how may repairs can be made by simply fixing a hole, rip or
some minor damage. Sometimes you can make two broken objects into a whole
fusion of the two where no one will even notice there are a few missing pieces
after your careful ministrations.
You
are, no doubt, aware that many things around the home can be effectively
repaired with adhesives. You may also find yourself using adhesives to cover
and repair damage on objects you wish to resell. Be sure when selling anything
there isn’t a sharp edge anyone could hurt himself or herself on.
There
are such a variety of adhesives to choose from, you’ll need to spend some
quality time in your local hardware store to decide on the right one for your
job. There are a few particularly useful types:
Epoxy – the sort you want
does not come in a single tube – there will be two tubes, the contents of which
chemically react when mixed. The strength of the resulting chemical bond makes
epoxy good for load-bearing repairs. Be careful when mixing. Give yourself
plenty of ventilation (you really could pass out) and remember that anything
you touch, including yourself, will be stuck until something other than the
glue gives. More than one large appliance has gone to the junkyard at the end
of its life with a 30-year-old tube of epoxy stuck to it.
Silicone
– often comes in a large tube and is good for flexible joints or any repair
that requires some space be filled. It can be moulded and will remain tacky for
a few hours at least. You can mix certain colorants into the
silicone to create small batches of colour for repairs you won’t paint
afterwards. It will stick to just about anything at or near room temperature.
Note:
If a great deal of space must be filled you may consider using some Spray Foam
to fill the large gaps before finishing with the silicone to seal and sculpt.
JB Weld
- this miracle substance has been known to hold engine blocks together for a
decade at a time. While the regular stuff is useless on some plastics and other
non-metal objects, it will hold and fill for just about any metal with the sort
of bond you always knew was possible. This can be used on anything you probably
should weld or solder were it not already part of something flammable or you
don’t have the tools handy. Even chains can be put back together. Follow the
package directions carefully, as it is a type of metal epoxy.
CrazyGlue™ - does a good
job with chipped porcelain and plastic, but not much else. It will not fill in
cracks, so you’ll have to use it on an already tight fit like that you’ll
encounter only with a clean break. Because it is easily available and cheap,
people have a tendency to use this product inappropriately with less than
impressive results.
Good
Old White Glue – dissolves in water, so it’s not good for anything that may be
washed later. It is, however, very good for paper items. On other things, you
should consider it a temporary fix at best. As any number of children can
attest, it is at least non-toxic and mildly edible. The paste made from white
flour and water will work nearly as well in a pinch. Most organic
(mucilaginous) glues are in this category as well.
Note:
White glue does come in an aerosol can and is a great tool for mounting
2-dimensional art of all sorts.
Just
about any problem with a textile can be addressed somehow with creative sewing.
The character of the garment can be (and may need to be) quickly and
fundamentally altered in some cases. For instance, you may find yourself
removing some very dated appliqué and taking a few choice stitches to create an
entirely new item, suitable for another decade. Especially valuable to mend are
curtains and furniture. Recovering combined with refinishing can be especially
lucrative.
Since
the average person is a great deal larger today than 50 years ago, you may find
that older garments will only fit a small portion of the population. Finding
ways to let garments out will open up a much wider range of material you can
use. Use patches judiciously, as they generally look tacky.
Items
that are held together with string of any sort are prone to breakage over time.
Being able to use the proper knot competently is a valuable skill. Those
capable of knotting hammocks back together can make a killing in a college
town. There are countless stereos from the 70s languishing for a new length of
dental floss to move the tuning dial and a good knot. You can tie back together
all manner of nets, especially those used in sports equipment. Quilts that have
come undone can be put back together with knots.
If
you can tie knots, you can probably also repair other damaged knits with a
darning needle. Both types of tying represent advanced technique when done well,
but the basics can be picked up with a little effort. The same is true when
using a crochet hook or knitting needle to put woven or kitted textiles back
together.