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Repair guide

Repair a cracked case or a broken screw post

Old plastic gets brittle, and cracked tabs and posts are common. With the right glue and a little patience many breaks can be repaired invisibly or reinforced from the back.

Open the interactive checklist Tick off each step as you go. It saves in your browser.

Case · Medium · about 90 minutes. Try it, but check first. This will not fix every machine, so read the sources first.

You are in the right place if: The case is cracked, a screw post has snapped or a tab no longer holds.

Before you start

  • Use glues in ventilated space and avoid skin contact.
  • Do not over-tighten screws into a repaired post.

Board revisions and models

Plastic types differ and not every glue works on every case.

Parts you may need

Tools

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Step by step

  1. Clean the break Wipe both sides of the break with isopropyl alcohol and let them dry.
  2. Dry-fit the pieces Fit the broken parts together to check they line up.
  3. Choose the adhesive Pick a glue suited to the plastic. Test on a hidden spot first.
  4. Glue the break Apply a thin film and press the parts together, using tape or clamps to hold them.
  5. Reinforce from behind Add a patch of glued plastic or metal behind the crack where you can.
  6. Rebuild a broken screw post Glue a replacement post or build up the post with epoxy, then drill the pilot hole once cured.
  7. Let it cure fully Leave it for the glue's full cure time.
  8. Sand and fill Sand gently and fill small gaps.
  9. Refit gently Do not over-tighten screws.

Tips, tales and maybes

Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us.

  • Maybe (Low confidence). Test glue on a hidden area first, since some glues craze old plastics. General technique, no source.

Sources

We wrote this one from general technique and have no source to credit for it yet. Treat it as a starting point, and read or watch a guide for your exact model before you begin.

Boards and models vary, so check what is in front of you. A repair can involve hot tools, chemicals and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.

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