# Solved: Physical case damadge on laptop. This is a tricky one.



## Nostzz (Sep 3, 2007)

I received an Acer Aspire 3620 laptop today. The guy said he wanted me to fix a broken part on the case, I thought it'd be no biggie. Then I got the thing and it looks like he dropped it on the back right corner and the entire corner broke into three pieces. On top of that, opening the cover of the laptop almost makes more of it break, sense the hinge is so close to the crack. I took it apart and it looks like when it was damaged it also snapped the metal arm that connects the screen to the base, that's why all the opening force goes to the plastic.

So I thought "super glue wont fix this". I went out and bought some Styrene & ABS solvent, the stuff that basically fuses the plastic back together. But it doesn't seem to work on whatever the laptop is made out of.

I can't weld the metal together (and I don't think soldering would do much). And I can't get the plastic to bond either. Any ideas aside from the $450.06 replacement screen?

P.S. Out of curiosity, does anyone know the type of material commonly used for laptop shells?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I fixed the same kind of issue on a laptop here with JB-Weld, it's still going strong after over a year. I just filled the void with the stuff and parked it in the corner for two days. The more contact with the separate parts the better.


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## name is guy (Feb 12, 2009)

fiber glass tape plastics repair kit


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## Glowrdr (Mar 25, 2009)

I would get ahold of Acer and find out how much just the shell of the PC would be. The $450 you quoted for the screen is more than likely either the entire lid assembly (ebay or 3rd party? not an OEM part), or the actual LCD screen itself. The part you are looking for is called the "plastics" of the PC. Although it very well may not be plastic, it's just a generic term for the shell of a laptop


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## Nostzz (Sep 3, 2007)

J-B Weld sounds like good stuff. I can use it on the metal and the plastic? What is this amazing stuff and why have I not known about it until now!!! 

Ordering a tube (or tubes?) right now.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I've used JB Weld on plastic and metal, it adheres to most surfaces. For best results, rough up the surfaces you want it to bond to.


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## Knotbored (Jun 5, 2004)

JB weld is terrific stuff and I have used it several times but only on metals. I used it to make gear teeth on a cement mixer I accidently ran into with a brush mower and wiped out three teeth. Those are under tremendous pressure but are holding up with only JB weld. Get it at any auto supply store.


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## Nostzz (Sep 3, 2007)

Alright I bought some and am preparing to apply it now. Will report back with results.


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## Nostzz (Sep 3, 2007)

The J-B Weld worked great! I used it on the metal and the plastic and everything held together great. Thanks again for the tip. I also used it on a bunch of other broken stuff I had lying around. Seems to work great on almost anything. I love this stuff!


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## name is guy (Feb 12, 2009)

cool ,i was waiting to see what would happen ,i have lots of stuff that needs fixing to ,guess you learn somthin every day.


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## Knotbored (Jun 5, 2004)

If you become a JBWeld believer then two more suggestions:
They sell a fiberglas mesh for finishing drywall seams-its woven-not like that angelhair fuzzy stuff. Use it saturated with JBWeld where you need strength on a large flat surface. Costs about $2 for a roll that will last you a lifetime.
Another hint-when you use a spatula or putty knife to spread the JBWeld smooth cover it with thin plastic sheet your wife uses in the microwave and use the tool over the top so it doesn't get all gooped up. Let is set then peel the sheet away-use a pencil eraser anywhere is sticks.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The laptop with JB-Weld is still hanging in fine here.


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## paisanol69 (Sep 7, 2005)

JohnWill said:


> The laptop with JB-Weld is still hanging in fine here.


wish that they sold JB Weld over here in Holland, I have really missed not having it around the house, ever since I moved over here!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You have the genesis of a new business, importing JB-Weld!


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## name is guy (Feb 12, 2009)

so lets just say i got this hard carbon steel knife that is cracked in half will this stuff keep it together with the same density and durability like it never happened if applied correctly? 

what if i make a shape in a mold to fill it with jb weld will this become as strong and as bendable as steel or will it need some kind of material to work correctly. 

can it be as flexible as steel when hardened so it doesn't crack when steel is bending or is it a just a strong bonding glue with out the same property's as the material it bonds to. 

i just think it's interesting that this stuff can bond to any thing with totally different property's plastic/metal and still be as strong but how strong. will it change it's hardness due to the hardness of the structure of the material?

im thinking because it's as hard or even harder than the material bonded to does not necessarily make it as strong as it's material in flexibility standards ,like glass it's much harder than steel believe it or not but it shatters because it has to much of one property.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

JB-Weld is very useful stuff, but not that useful. It's not carbon steel, it's a bonding agent. It works very well for the repair we're talking about here, but I wouldn't be using it to bond the wheels to my car.


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