SuperGlue a Helmet?

[Yokai]

So, my helmet ... Nice fliptop thing. With little rubber baffles at the join (from the back toward the front)... On the right side though, the baffle sticks out OVER the front half of the join... Would be nice to glue it down... BUT - can I use Superglue on the helmet? Or is it likely to be a $300 repair job (i.e. Fukitupnbuyanewone?)

Anyone? TIA

Yokai

[Gixxer 4 ever]

(i.e. Fukitupnbuyanewone?)



Yokai

Can't answer the first question but I like that part

[Lou Girardin]

No, superglue on composites or thermoplastics is not a good idea. But if you go ahead let us know how it works.

[Wenier]

ya should jus buy a new helmet it might save ya sometime

[Posh Tourer :P]

No, superglue on composites or thermoplastics is not a good idea.

Seconded - will likely dissolve the stuff it is made of - ask at an adhesives shop for advice on which glues will do the job properly

[erik]

I'm pretty sure the superglue will dissolve the foam shell that the helmet is made of. I know superglue dissolves polystyrene, and I guess it's a similar or the same type of stuff.
So yeah, what they all said: Don't use it!

[marty]

for the amount of superglue that you need to use, and the area that it sounds like you are using it, it shouldn't be a problem. it would be better to use a good contact glue like F3, but superglue/loctite 401 is fast and clean. the comp shop use loctite401 (commercial grade superglue) all the time, it doesn't damage fibreglass or carbon fibre. if the plastic is painted, then it will adhere to the paint only, superglue works basically by modifying (melting) the moluceles in each surface, and bonding them together - a little like welding steel really.

[Yokai]

So - I have used Selley's Supa Glue on the helmet. Just to let people know that it seems to have worked - hasn't melted anything, and has glued down the offending piece of soft plastic. So that's good

What I would not recommend is using it anywhere that is "structural" - don't fix helmets - buy new ones, unless the fix is something like "my vent opener came off" or "my label isn't on properly"

Cheers for all your help out there!

[vifferman]

So - I have used Selley's Supa Glue on the helmet. Just to let people know that it seems to have worked - hasn't melted anything, and has glued down the offending piece of soft plastic. So that's good

What I would not recommend is using it anywhere that is "structural" - don't fix helmets - buy new ones, unless the fix is something like "my vent opener came off" or "my label isn't on properly"

Can't see it being a problem, as it's just near the edge (from how you've described it).
Incidentally, I found out by chance that "Vinyl Repair Adhesive" (I think that's what it's called), which I think is a Selleys product (but not sure) is very useful. I'm not sure what it is, but I think it may be a methyl-ethyl ketone gel. Whatever; it succesfully adhered the tank pad on my VFR's tank, after nothing else worked, and I used to to fix several bits of cracked/broken fairing, car mirror surround, and lots of other things I tried it on. The fact that it worked OK on ABS plastic leads me to think it may be MEK-based. (The tube didn't say).

Generally, I stay away from Selleys products, as I've found that their silicon adhesives/sealants and wallboard adhesives are expensive and inferior compared to other 'professional' brands on the market. Perhaps they water them down or summat.