Spectacle repair advice

[magentus]

The arm has broken off my glasses. Anyone had similar happen and if so is there a good way to mend them? I can't go on like this because each time I move my head they fly off.

Here's the joint:

I'm grateful for any help or advice, funny but ultimately unhelpful comments, derailment etc.

[hiraethus]

Magentus, yesterday.

[gregozedobe]

The arm has broken off my glasses. Anyone had similar happen and if so is there a good way to mend them? I can't go on like this because each time I move my head they fly off.

I'm grateful for any help or advice, funny but ultimately unhelpful comments, derailment etc.

I keep all my old/broken glasses frames in the hope I might be able to use them as spares.  So far I think I have used about 3 screws to replace those that go missing (they are so small if they fall out the chances of finding them again is low).  But one day I may be able to use an arm.

In your case some thin strips of gorilla (duct) tape may serve as a temporary (and rather ugly) repair - better than having your glasses fly off our head, anyway.  If you want to make it stronger, bend a paper clip to an L shape and include that in the joint (just don't damage the wirecutters in your MT cutting the paper clip    )

[dks]

Epoxy glue should do the trick

[firiki]

You could try at an optician. They managed to repair mine.

[magentus]

(Image removed from quote.)
Magentus, yesterday.

That is uncomfortable viewing H. I look more like Jack Duckworth than I am comfortable with 

[magentus]

You could try at an optician. They managed to repair mine.

Well, it's a long way for me to travel, but if you give me your opticians address I'll give it a go.

[magentus]

Epoxy glue should do the trick

I've been wanting an excuse to buy some epoxy for a while, so maybe this is an opportunity. Thanks 

The arm has broken off my glasses. Anyone had similar happen and if so is there a good way to mend them? I can't go on like this because each time I move my head they fly off.

I'm grateful for any help or advice, funny but ultimately unhelpful comments, derailment etc.

I keep all my old/broken glasses frames in the hope I might be able to use them as spares.  So far I think I have used about 3 screws to replace those that go missing (they are so small if they fall out the chances of finding them again is low).  But one day I may be able to use an arm.

In your case some thin strips of gorilla (duct) tape may serve as a temporary (and rather ugly) repair - better than having your glasses fly off our head, anyway.  If you want to make it stronger, bend a paper clip to an L shape and include that in the joint (just don't damage the wirecutters in your MT cutting the paper clip    )

I was joking about them flying off my face, I have a spare pair (This is MTo after all) but thanks for the good advice.

[pfrsantos]

Squint.

[firiki]

You could try at an optician. They managed to repair mine.

Well, it's a long way for me to travel, but if you give me your opticians address I'll give it a go.

http://www.stavrou-optics.gr/stores Here you go. Bear in mind I was buying a new pair at the time so they were happy to oblige.

Now,

[pfrsantos]

You could try at an optician. They managed to repair mine.

Well, it's a long way for me to travel, but if you give me your opticians address I'll give it a go.

http://www.stavrou-optics.gr/stores Here you go. Bear in mind I was buying a new pair at the time so they were happy to oblige.

Now,

(Image removed from quote.)

Well, about time you got a pair, man...

 

[firiki]

You could try at an optician. They managed to repair mine.

Well, it's a long way for me to travel, but if you give me your opticians address I'll give it a go.

http://www.stavrou-optics.gr/stores Here you go. Bear in mind I was buying a new pair at the time so they were happy to oblige.

Now,

(Image removed from quote.)

Well, about time you got a pair, man...

 

Just to be clear, I meant a pair of eyeglasses.



Come on, now, just a wee bit more effort needed

[Fortytwo]

Do you depend on your glasses at all time or only for reading and such? I'm asking because if you're using them all the time it might be worth gluing them  in the open position. You have a much better chance to get a good bond. Not an alternative if you're going to have to fold them for transport.

Also, don't forget to roughen up the joints with some sandpaper or similar and mind that the chemicals in the glue might be highly aggressive to the plastic (usually acetate).

[Toolslinger]

I've used epoxy with mixed results on several pairs of glasses before. Clean and prep the surface well and if you can glue them in the open position you will have a stronger bond as mentioned above. Also, get a good epoxy. My first repair was with cheap stuff and it didn't last. Was more hassle removing the old epoxy to put the new on than to have bought and used the good stuff in the first place.

[magentus]

I've used epoxy with mixed results on several pairs of glasses before. Clean and prep the surface well and if you can glue them in the open position you will have a stronger bond as mentioned above. Also, get a good epoxy. My first repair was with cheap stuff and it didn't last. Was more hassle removing the old epoxy to put the new on than to have bought and used the good stuff in the first place.

Cheers- what brand would you recommend?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've sent the link to my cousin who deals with glasses for a living.  Hopefully she will have some good suggestions.  I don't wear glasses myself so I have few suggestions, and most of them have been covered above. 

1- Glue them
2- Tape them
3- Contact the place you bought them and see if there's any warranty on them
4- Buy a new pair if you have a few hundred quid laying around you aren't doing anything else with.....

Def

[Alan K.]

Had exactly the same break a couple of weeks ago.  Fixed with Gorilla Super Glue, which unlike most variations of super glue is a gel, so it gives you a little more time to manipulate the parts before it sets and it doesn't flow where you don't want it.  After the glue dried I wrapped a couple of layers of electrical tape for additional support and because my frames are black it's hardly even noticeable.  In fact, since I'm looking at them now I've noticed that the tape is only on the arm and not on the hinge, so it's doing nothing for me and I'm going to take it off.

[magentus]

I've sent the link to my cousin who deals with glasses for a living.  Hopefully she will have some good suggestions.  I don't wear glasses myself so I have few suggestions, and most of them have been covered above. 

1- Glue them
2- Tape them
3- Contact the place you bought them and see if there's any warranty on them
4- Buy a new pair if you have a few hundred quid laying around you aren't doing anything else with.....

Def

a. Thanks for sending the link to your cousin.
b. If I had a few hundred quid lying around I would have spent it on a Vic XLT or at least a Swisschamp plus an Izula II, not stupid glasses that I can't see without.

[magentus]

Had exactly the same break a couple of weeks ago.  Fixed with Gorilla Super Glue, which unlike most variations of super glue is a gel, so it gives you a little more time to manipulate the parts before it sets and it doesn't flow where you don't want it.  After the glue dried I wrapped a couple of layers of electrical tape for additional support and because my frames are black it's hardly even noticeable.  In fact, since I'm looking at them now I've noticed that the tape is only on the arm and not on the hinge, so it's doing nothing for me and I'm going to take it off.

Gorilla Super glue it is then!
A. It has been shown to work
B. It is available quite cheaply
C. It is so Super they had to include it in the name
D. Gorillas are frickin' cool (nearly as cool as Orangutans but not quite (because not orange)).

So in short, unless there is an Orangutan Super Glue out there I will get some Gorilla Super Glue. Thanks Al-Kizzle 

[Alan K.]

It felt a little wiggly without the tape so I left the tape on.  I am happy to report that the glue is still holding though, and I expect I'll get at least a couple more months out of these glasses.

[Toolslinger]

I've used epoxy with mixed results on several pairs of glasses before. Clean and prep the surface well and if you can glue them in the open position you will have a stronger bond as mentioned above. Also, get a good epoxy. My first repair was with cheap stuff and it didn't last. Was more hassle removing the old epoxy to put the new on than to have bought and used the good stuff in the first place.

Cheers- what brand would you recommend?

JB Weld or Gorilla brand.

There are a number of different formulations, but the one I had most success with works on metal and plastic, sets in 5min, cures in 2hrs and has a very high bond strength. Bonus was that it dried "clear" (mostly).

Not sure what's available in your neck of the woods, but there should be something that fits the bill.

Good luck.

[Whoey]

Given that both the frame and am is black I suppose electrical tape is a good solution to strengthen the epoxy/superglue bit I have similar frames but fortunately not had them break on me.

Being from an electronics background it also occurred to me that heat shrink tubing might also be a good solution to hold it together,  but it's essentially the same as electrical tape.

When a similar thing happened to my wife's glasses one of the options we looked at was buying the same or similar frame and swapping the entire arm(s) which was far less than entirely new glasses

[Grant Lamontagne]

Unfortunately my cousin doesn't seem to have any good solutions.

Def

[magentus]

Unfortunately my cousin doesn't seem to have any good solutions.

Def

Thanks for trying. Apparently firiki's optician can sort me out gratis.

[dks]

Opticians just want you to buy a new pair - not repair it 

[SteveC]

For that type of repair I think gel superglue would be the way to go.

[Sparky415]

You could try,
Take them to pieces and clean/de-grease
Make a pair of ‘splints' from a paperclip
Glue the splints and bits together with a little super glue (this will dry quickly and hold the parts)
Then A;
After it has dried you cover the joint with araldite
Or B;
You could then cover the joint with fine copper wire then araldite

 

[magentus]

You could try,
Take them to pieces and clean/de-grease
Make a pair of ‘splints' from a paperclip
Glue the splints and bits together with a little super glue (this will dry quickly and hold the parts)
Then A;
After it has dried you cover the joint with araldite
Or B;
You could then cover the joint with fine copper wire then araldite

 

And to finish I will attach a mini maglite to the arm for stealth Spec Op Specs

[Sparky415]

PS; I meant wrap the copper wire around and around the splint like an old fashioned fishing rod, 

Obviously incorporating a Maglight 

[Roc]

Gorilla glue. Same thing happened to me. Optician can't repair a broken spring. Mines held for a year. I only wear my glasses at home otherwise I'd buy another pair. Im also cheap.