Advice on adhesives

[Scott Selby]

Hi --

Need your advice, please, on a fairly simple (I hope) question:  I want to reinstall the Standard Horizon depth gauge in the bulkhead between the cockpit and cabin (an enthusiastic crew member was grinding the cabin top winch and put his knee on it for leverage and guess what happened!).  What is the suggested adhesive to use?  I do not plan on replacing it, I do not know what type of plastic housing surrounds the gauge, and the temps right now in the PNW are between 50 and 40 (context for curing).

Pictures are attached.

Love the website and my compliments to all members who so generously share their knowledge.

My thanks and have a great holiday season.

Scott Selby
S/V Duck Soup
1986 Catalina 34

[Jim Hardesty]

I've not used this, saw something like it at Home Depot or Lowes.  Looks like the stuff my dentist uses.   Might be worth a try. 

http://www.buylazerbond.com/?gclid=COm3y-LSwMkCFUytNwodT18JMQ&gclsrc=ds

Really, looks like the plastic on your depth sounder is badly UV damaged.  Any fix may not last long.
Jim

[Phil Spicer]

 Scott, did the lip on the gauge get broken off or is the hole too large?

[Scott Selby]

No, the hole is the correct size and the outer flange, o-ring and rubber gasket are just fine.

[Ron Hill]

Scott : Exactly what are you trying to glue back together??  The lens? to the body?

[Scott Selby]

Hi -- The barrel of the gauge to the outer flange -- plastic to plastic.  That holds it in place.  Sorry, I should have been clearer!

[KWKloeber]

Scott,

I doubt that the case is any plastic that's can be glued with a solvent-based adhesive, but I would take the whole thing hone and experiment a little in inconspicuous areas with some styrene based glue and abs/pvc, etc cements.  You'll probably need to carefully epoxy it (which doesn't adhere well to most plastics.)  If that's the choice, roughen both surfaces well, and I think West makes an epoxy that's better for plastics.  I have used the stick  'foxy poxy' type, which adhered better to polyethylene (for a while).  JB Weld, Gorilla, and Loctite epoxy are also better on (some) plastics.  I've used PC-7 paste epoxy to bond pvc/metal, but not other plastics.  Flame treating plastics helps epoxy adhere better, but that may not be the best to do on that unit.  Call Horizon to find out what the cases were made of? might be a start.

kk

[Ron Hill]

Scott : Why not go to the Standard Horizon web site and get their telephone #.
 
I'm sure that SH customer service dept. can tell you the best material to glue those parts back together!!

A thought

[Scott Selby]

Thank you very much for the advice!  I'll give the company a call.