After all of the interesting things I had read about Sugru Hacking Putty, I was very excited to have some of my very own. Because if there's one thing I love to do, it's fix things. I am a salvage-crazy fool. And I like the idea of being able to make improvements to stuff, too.
What is Sugru, you say?
The short answer is that it's a silicone-based, air-curing rubber. But it's unique properties make it super useful. It sticks to almost any surface, stays flexible when it cures, can withstand high and low temperatures, is waterproof and has a nice soft, grippy texture.
The Sugru web site is a great resource for ideas and information: http://sugru.com/us
I had a couple of projects lined up before I even ordered my Sugru so I knew I wanted to get a small packet of 6 black minipacks to try out.
My first project was a simple pot handle that had split, probably from the heat of the dishwasher, but the pot was still perfectly fine. It was going to come apart eventually if left to it's own devices, so I figured it was a good test of Sugru's abilities to fix and even improve on something.
I read the booklet that came with the package of Sugru. It's full of very helpful advice and suggestions. In fact, all of the packaging and marketing materials for this product are very appealing and have a sense of fun to them. It adds a lot to the product in terms of user experience. The booklet advised me that Sugru only stays good for 6 months so I should get hacking. And I did.
After washing my hands, I carefully opened the packet (mostly to take a nice picture) and kneaded the Sugru in between my fingers. It has a silicone rubber texture, pretty much exactly what I expected, but it will stick to your fingers a bit. I rolled out the Sugru into a long snakey cord. One tiny little packet goes a pretty long way. I coiled the cord of Sugru carefully around the pot handle where it was cracked, trying my best to get it even in thickness. Sugru blends into itself easily so I tore off bits and stuck them back into places to try to get as even a layer as I could. I used my thumbs to smooth the cord down and form it around the handle.
In the booklet it suggests using a bit of soapy water to get the Sugru smooth. That worked well for forming a slight ridge in the middle that I thought would add a bit of grip to the handle and make it even better than before it cracked. One packet was more than enough for this job and I even had a tiny piece left over.
Here are a couple of things I discovered. Short fingernails are better for modeling. I'm sure sculptors already know this, but I had a couple of DOH! moments and had to repair some scratches I made. Next time I will trim first. The Sugru will stick to your skin and stain a bit, but I was able to use a scrub brush and get it all off. The booklet warns that it can stain fabric. The booklet also suggests cleaning your hands with some tissue paper, but I foolishly neglected to prepare ahead.
After allowing the lid to air-cure for 24 hours I poked at it some and was quite satisfied with my handiwork. I'm very pleased with my fixed, and even improved, pot lid and it seems to be weathering the dishwasher quite well, thank you.
Buy some Sugru and lots of other fun stuff through Epic Objects. It's a whole site full of stuff you never knew you needed!
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