How To Repair a Crack In An Acrylic Stem?

[cersono]

One of my not-so-often-used pipes unexpectedly got a crack in its Acrylic straight saddle fishtail stem. The crack is hair-wide, 2 inch long, it goes lenghthwise through the saddle part, never reaching the tenon or the bit. I tried to take a pic but the crack isn't visible on it anyway, so no point in posting it here.
Could you suggest a way to seal the crack?
Do I apply some epoxy resin on it from the inside of the stem or are there some other ways to repair the crack?
Thank you.

 

[WhiteCrown]

Here is my amateur advice (recommend wait for someone who has succeeded in this type of repair). I have experienced poor adhesion with epoxy on acrylic stem material, too smooth I think. Being fairly thick it would have a hard time penetrating a hairline crack. Perhaps apply super glue and wipe the excess immediately before it starts to dry, it should penetrate the crack and seal it I think. With super glue it may re-crack under strain, but should seal it up until you have to redo it. The only adhesive I have used on acrylic material with strong results is plastic cement, but it would damage the finish so you would have to re-polish the surface at a minimum I think.

Take this with a grain of salt, because the last time I tried to repair an acrylic stem, I ended up modifying a file I found in a CAD program and 3D printing an entire new one out of PLA plastic. I plan on sending it off for a new stem but the current one is working so well.

 

[peteguy]

Spit balling here but what about that glue they use for countertops. It is like water and seeps down into those cracks. Most people will say super glue but without a noticeable crack, I am not sure how you get the glue inside.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

First off, pictures would help. Is it black acrylic? CA (superglue) is itself acrylic, it will adhere just fine. But sometimes to seal a crack you have to make it bigger. Meaning you need to cut a V groove for the CA to fill and then sand/polish it back to flat and smooth.

The color of CA be manipulated but it’s fairly limited.

Normally the best fix for a screwed up stem is to replace said stem with a new one.

 

[mso489]

I'd give the best available advice a try, but be careful to preserve the stummel of the pipe and the cracked stem, if you decide to simply get a replacement, which is not expensive. This would give you the opportunity to consider a different color or a tapered stem and any change in stem length you might choose.

This would likely cost less than replacing the pipe with another if you could get something that you enjoy. I replaced the rapidly oxidizing stem on a freehand stamped "West Germany" that was gifted to me. I'd polish it and it would cloud up after one smoke. So I went from a P-lip style black stem to a fishtail tortoise shell, and the effect was a reformation. It spruced up the pipe decisively.

 

[cersono]

Thank you all for your tips! The V-shape groove for the Cyanacrilate glue to settle seems like a good option.

My first idea was replacing the stem altogether but all the replacement stems available to me are thicker than the stummel and I'm pretty sure that sanding down the replacement stem to the right diameter would make it ugly (I have no illusions regarding my plastic shaping skills lol).

 

[peteguy]

CA glue will work great. Nice to learn about the v groove. I am learning that ole rustie knows his bidness.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Spend $40 and get a new one made.

 

[cersono]

Spend $40

For a €15 pipe that looks a bit too much

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

For a €15 pipe that looks a bit too much

Understood, didn't know that. It's probably pitch it.

 

[cersono]

Yes, if it was an expensive pipe I would order a custom replacement stem. However, since it's a cheap one (although a good smoker and a unique design: a very elegant cherrywood-shaped maplewood) I'm more inclined to fix it myself. The stem seems to be made of very cheap Acrylic plastic, that's why it's cracked even though I haven't used the pipe for months.

 

[WhiteCrown]

Since it's a cheap pipe...If the glue doesn't work and you have a local library with 3D print services they should be able to print you one of these, probably in the color of your choice. PM me if you have any questions.

After I did my first one, I ended up making several more interesting churchwarden style stems for my cobs just fooling around. They certainly aren't better, but they work well if you fit them and they are practically free.

 

[cersono]

Thanks! Great job as I can see. I'd lovely follow your advise if a 3D Print Service was easily available to me here, in the Land of Infidels where I'm residing currently. It isn't, unfortunately.