Repairing broken plastic spacers on Macintosh SE

[Mirokai]

Hello folks,

I just  acquired my first pre 2000 Macintosh (Macintosh SE FDHD) and noticed a nasty problem with the case. Two plastic spacers connecting the metal cage to the front casing are broken off. It looks like the owner used the wrong type of screws at some point or dropped it.





So I tried to figure out the exact type of plastic apple used for the case to come up with a method of glueing them back on but didn't find anything useful. Does anyone know the type of plastic or even how to fix this?

 

[Dog Cow]

So I tried to figure out the exact type of plastic apple used for the case to come up with a method of glueing them back on but didn't find anything useful. Does anyone know the type of plastic or even how to fix this?

It's ABS plastic. Use epoxy.

 

[jgk]

I've used this stuff (https://www.jbweld.com/collections/all) in the past, for similar issues on a laptop lid, and it's worked great. You could also rough up the surface around the break, on the bezel, and flood some of the epoxy around the post, to add a bit of extra strength to the bond.

 

[Mirokai]

Thank you very much. I will try epoxy!

 

[techknight]

I've used this stuff (https://www.jbweld.com/collections/all) in the past, for similar issues on a laptop lid, and it's worked great. You could also rough up the surface around the break, on the bezel, and flood some of the epoxy around the post, to add a bit of extra strength to the bond.

Which particular one by chance? There are many. 

 

[jgk]

This is the one I used:

https://www.jbweld.com/collections/all/products/j-b-weld-twin-tube

 

[techknight]

Ahh ok, so the original stuff and not the "plastic weld" stuff they offer. 

So many options and not a clear cut answer from companies like that, as I see alot of product "overlap"

Anyways, Need something for powerbook hinges, and i am sure everyone else does as well. 

 

[jgk]

If I remember right, I originally needed it for the metal frame that held the LCD panel in the laptop lid of an old Dell, so, I bought the version that worked with metal. Since then, though, I've used it on many different surfaces, including plastic. Worked great, every time.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Don't rough up the surfaces where they meet. Get ABS cement from your local big box to get a proper chemically welded bond that's perfectly aligned as it's more a threaded socket than mere spacer. Rough up the outside surfaces of the spacer and case surrounding it and then reinforce with JBweld or other epoxy.

https://www.oatey.com/2370680/Product/Oatey-ABS-Medium-Bodied-Black-Cement

You can probably get the medium clear online if you don't like black. NEVER use acetone on ABS. Proper ABScement a solution, the major part of which is MEK and a small percetage is acetone.

There's a lot of bad info out there on YouBoobTube. :

 

[PB145B]

NEVER use acetone on ABS.

I agree! I’ve seen so many people say to use acetone to fix broken ABS, but I tried it on some junk PowerBook plastics once with disastrous results.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Our resident research chemist chimed in to agree last time I made this statement about using proper ABS cements and that acetone alone is not a suitable agent. Ingredients can be found in the SDS sheet of the product I linked.