What glue should I use to fix a broken USB port cover on a Canon G7X?

Question

Someone tried to open the USB port cover on my Canon G7X from the wrong side, and partially separated the two pieces:

I also made a short videos that better show the properties of the materials:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db4me3s7Nx8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpE-UxsIdHw

I would like to glue it back together, but what kind of glue should I use? One part is flexible and rubber like (though I think it's plastic, not actual rubber), the other part is very rigid. I feel like I only have one shot to get this right, so I don't want to guess and end up using the wrong kind of glue that won't hold.

Answer 1

I ended up using Loctite Super Glue Plastic Bonding system, which is a cyanoacrylate superglue with an "activator" that allows it to bond to any plastic, including polypropylene and polyethylene. I scuffed up the surfaces a little with sandpaper beforehand. I then followed all the instructions, and allowed it to cure for 24 hours before touching it. It seems to be holding well.

One small issue is the cover stays seated, but it doesn't seem to sit as tightly as it used to. I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't have glued all the way to the attaching strap or something.

I used that product because I don't know what kinds of plastic this cover is made from, so I wanted to use a glue that would work on any plastic, and a lot of them say they won't work with polypropylene and polyethylene.

I ran some tests beforehand with some bits of a polypropylene food container. Two pieces glued together stood up well to an over-aggressive version of the kind of flicking motion needed to open this cover. I also did a similar test with a plastic hose o-ring glued to polypropylene, which worked well. I considered that a worse-case scenario, and since it worked, I went with it.

I looked into epoxy, but the only one I found that would work on all plastics including polypropylene and polyethylene required a heat pre-treatment with a blowtorch. I obviously could not do that with my camera.

Answer 2

If one side of the break is rigid your best bet is probably epoxy. It sticks to most things but is brittle. If both sides are flexible I would start with rubber cement for its flexibility. If it doesn't work it is not the end of the world because it is easy to remove so you can try something else. In either case you should clean the surfaces to be bonded as best you can.

Answer 3

A polyurethane adhesive will work, however, it's hard to find PU adhesives since they are normally used in industrial settings, not home.

An alternative is something like Flex Seal that comes in a can (not the silicone based stuff). I've repaired many things with this including rubber boots.

Silicone adhesive can also be used. If you have the non-acetic acid version available, that would be best as the acetic acid fumes can cause corrosion.

Use rubbing alcohol to clean the surfaces and make sure the alcohol is fully evaporated before gluing. Rubbing alcohol will inhibit curing of some adhesives.

The hard part is pressing the two pieces together. Perhaps a clothes pin with two stiff squares (sheet metal, heavy cardboard, ...) to spread the load.

Answer 4

I would, as @Ross Millikan suggested, use epoxy. You can get it on Amazon in different sizes (depending on how often you need that stuff) and it will stick anything you can think of. It's best to read the instructions before applying the glue and the hardener. In addition, too much epoxy at once can develop some heat. This should be taken into account.

Good luck with the repair!