Plastic Eyeglass Repair
Plastic eyeglass frame breakages are one of the most common types of repairs we see. The term “plastic” when referring to eyeglass frames is typically a frame material called cellulose acetate or zyl. There are various other materials eyeglasses are manufactured with commonly called “plastic” such as Optyl, SPX, Nylon and other more obscure materials. Though often called “plastic” they are all very unique and have vastly different properties. For this discussion we will be focusing on acetate, though some of the repair techniques can overlap with the various plastics and even wood and horn frames.
Acetate is a great material for eyeglasses as it is very versatile and relatively easy to work with. It can be cut, sanded, drilled, polished and shaped. It comes in a vast array of colors and designs making it ideal for eyeglass designers and manufactures alike. It does however have its limitations and weaknesses. Acetate eyeglasses can be damaged by heat, they can be scratched, damaged by impact and they have a tendency to break when too much force is applied (dogs and cats like to chew on them as well).
The classic DIY repair attempt we see everyday is super glue. DO NOT USE SUPER GLUE!! It simply will not hold and makes a proper repair more difficult. The cleaner the break the better the repair will look. If the break is clean a repair on an opaque frame can be near impossible to find. Super glue must be completely cleaned off the glasses before the repair can proceed. It can also damage the lenses as it’s messy and most people can’t remove and reinstall the lenses.
Super Glue Mess!
This is what a typical DIY super glue repair attempt looks like
Using either industrial grade specialty adhesive or acetone, the breakage is tacked together and stabilized. Using heat a metal splint is then sunk into the breakage. This provides a far stronger connection than any adhesive alone. The acetate melts around the splint, embedding it internally.
Splint Installed
As you can see, the metal splint is melted directly into the frame
The legs of the splint are then cut off and the area is polished to clean up any oddities caused from the breakage. The cleaner the breakage the cleaner the repair. The splint is inserted in the least visible way possible. Each case is unique and each repair is done with the best visible outcome in mind.
After the legs of the splint are removed and the area is cleaned and polished the lenses are installed and the frame is useable once again. Don’t throw away a perfectly good frame because it’s broken, it can be fixed!
