Tried to fix a broken toaster with superglue and it made things way worse

So my $15 toaster from Target stopped popping up last week, and I figured I'd just glue the little plastic latch back on (you know, the one that holds the lever down). I used a whole tube of Loctite, let it sit for 24 hours, and when I plugged it in the latch held fine but the toast started smoking and the metal casing got hot enough to burn my hand. Turns out the glue melted from the heat and dripped onto the heating coils, creating a little fire hazard. Has anyone else tried a quick fix on a small appliance and just cooked it even more?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantw3213d ago

Masticating caulk is the only thing that handles heat, I learned that after gluing my kettle spout back on.

christopher94313d ago

Yeah I used to think superglue could fix anything, but after melting a spatula handle onto my stove burner I learned the hard way that heat resistant glue is a must for anything near a heating element.

tara_patel13d ago

That whole "superglue fixes everything" thing is such a trap, @christopher943. I've noticed people apply the same logic to a lot of stuff. Like, someone uses duct tape for a broken chair leg and suddenly it's the answer to all home repairs. Next thing you know they're taping up a leaky pipe and wondering why it's a mess. It's the same with silicone caulk. People think it'll seal anything, but put it on something that gets hot or moves a lot and you've got a bigger problem. The trick is learning that each material has its one real job, not a thousand fake ones.