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A partial visual history of Sugru
- TWAndrews 13y agoWow, this looks like really cool stuff.
- 69_years_and 13y agoIt is, got quite a few packs a year or so ago, down to my last one. Will be ordering more.
- advertising 13y agoExtremely inspiring while in the weeds of my own "10 year (hopefully) overnight success". I also really like the presentation format. Thanks for sharing.
- dhalp 13y agoTake note of the small section regarding fixing a disabled girls wheelchair. Its wonderful.
- hayksaakian 13y agois there a forum or somewhere where i can figure out if my use case would work before i buy some? my headphone cables always mess up around the part where they plug into a device. The wire is too bendy and the plastic part is too thick -- what ends up happening is the thin wires inside the cable bend against the plastic, and crack/break forcing me to hold the cable in awkward positions to get stereo audio. could this actually fix it?
- jrockway 13y agoWhy don't you just cut off the old connector and solder on a new one?
- NickNameNick 13y agoDepending on the headphones, that may not be practical. the wires can be ludicusly fine on some of them. I've tried and failed more than once. Plus the 2-part snap together plugs are so much bulkier than the originals.
- jrockway 13y agoSoldering small things is pretty easy. I can solder 0603 surface-mount devices without magnification, and I have below-average vision and drink way too much caffeine. More importantly, I think it's the correct solution to this problem. If moving the wire around results in the sound cutting off, you don't have a good connection. Holding the wire against the connector mechanically is a fine short-term solution, but it's just going to break again, no matter how much epoxy you use. (Though a thinner 2-part epoxy might have better results than Suguru. Clamp the work in a position where you know the wires make good contact, pour epoxy into the gap, or a mold you make out of paper or something, and then wait for it to cure.) Soldering on a new connector will ensure that you have a good mechanical and electrical connection. Add some suguru for extra strain relief, if you must, and you probably won't be repairing the headphones again. I'll also suggest just throwing the headphones away and spending $10 on a new pair, unless these are like $2000 custom molded for your ears, or something.
- DanBC 13y agoLots of small headphones use enamel-insulated wires, and scraping that off the ridiculously fine wires is fiddly. Surface mount devices tend to have pads. The surface tension of the solder pulls the component into alignment. But I agree with you - repairing stuff is a fun hobby and can be done. > I'll also suggest just throwing the headphones away I really wish there was an easy way to recycle this kind of thing. Surely in bulk quantities the copper and gold makes it worthwhile?
- jrockway 13y agoI get the enamel off by running the wire through molten solder until it's melted off, then adding a bit more solder to tin the wire. As for the e-waste, here's the most relevant video response I can find: http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/f2jcqw/futurama-e-waste-delivery http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/f2jcqw/futurama-e-w...
- cfn 13y agoIf you google for sugru and headphones you will find loads of examples and I remember seeing a solution for you exact problem problem somewhere in the sugru's website... I for one used it to fix a pair of broken Bose headphones years ago and they are still going strong.
- nodata 13y agoHave a look through here: http://sugru.com/gallery http://sugru.com/gallery
- buro9 13y agoI've used Sugru on a few things, and yes it would fix the problem you have. There are bits of Sugru on some Lenovo chargers where the cable pulls from the charging unit. This is precisely what you're describing and I've moulded it to still have some give (tapers away from the plastic charging unit). And some bits on Brompton (cycle) pedals to add weight so that the pedals swing to a better starting position. A walk around my house will reveal little bits all over, each doing a small thing and sparing me from the cost and waste of replacing larger things. It works really well and the only complaint I would have is that it can be ugly. But more than anything that is your choice about which colour to pick and how you shape it before it sets. I now use a tool to shape it (back of a teaspoon, etc) so that my finger impressions don't live forever and make it look kinda amateur. Works well, would definitely work on the kind of small fix you need.
- danjwilson 13y agoIf you're worried about finger impressions, dip your fingers in soapy water before moulding.
- buro9 13y agoThanks, great tip. I'll do that in future.
- jonnybgood 13y agoIt was all in the marketing. There really isn't anything special about the actual product and it's nothing new, but man did they make it "feel gorgeous". This is definitely something to learn from.
- nodata 13y agoSugru introduced the idea to a different group of people that they could fix/"hack" physical stuff to make it work better, or to improve it. it's nothing new Can you name a few of the other products then? I've honestly never heard of them. Same temperature range, bonding properties, etc?
- goldenkey 13y agoThere's a million types of putties for various uses. They're usually not marketed largely because of their niche industrial use. Silicone isn't the only material either. Antique restorers will be more knowledgable about this kind of stuff than most people as different putties are used for different materials (bronze,copper,brass,wood,etc.)
- neilk 13y agoI'm not an expert, but I found a lot just by Googling for "repair putty -sugru" or "epoxy putty -sugru". There's even a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoxy_putty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoxy_putty However, this only highlights the product innovation that Sugru seems to be bringing here. All the products I could find were binary; there was a mixing step. Most are designed for use by professionals, and you might need gloves to work with them. Most are more specific in their use case, like particular putties for marine repair or ceramics or wood or what have you. Sugru seems to work right out of the packet. The product seems designed to cure to a hardness that is a little bit structural but still rubbery, with a surface that people find pleasant to handle. When it comes to chemical compounds, it is pretty rare to invent something wholly new. (Just as it is in software, I might add.) Crafting the right product for the right applications, envisioning a completely new market and actually reaching those customers - that's what makes all the difference.
- lemming 13y agoWhat a fantastic story. That's a startup I can get excited about.
- arjn 13y agoI like Sugru. Have used it for several things including padding and grips on my compact digital camera. My only complaint is that it has a short-ish shelf life though from what I understand, it can be extended by refrigeration. Its also somewhat costly (if you consider the amount you get).
- danjwilson 13y ago[I work at Sugru] Yup, it lasts 2.5 times longer in the fridge!
- gcb0 13y agowhat about the cost? :)
- singular 13y agoI know I'm going to get downvoted to hell but... Are these the beginnings of a new silicone valley?
- danjwilson 13y agoIf you like the story, Jane's talk at 99U is also worth a watch: http://vimeo.com/72040407 http://vimeo.com/72040407
- Peroni 13y agoHer talk at Hacker News London is also well worth a watch https://vimeo.com/37306611 https://vimeo.com/37306611
- crazygringo 13y agoI've used Sugru for one thing, applying a thin layer around the fraying part of my Macbook Air power cable. Wrapping it in white electrical tape never worked long-term, as the tape would eventually slide and get nasty. But the white Sugru has worked perfectly for more than a year now, without any disintegration, loss of flexibility, discoloration, or additional fraying. So at least for protecting thin cables, it works great. PS: I wore rubber dishwashing gloves to apply it and smooth it, so it wouldn't wind up with fingerprints embedded in the texture along the whole way.
- gcb0 13y agonothing like paying premium for a product because "it is designed better" and then having to redesign it :) id have used color sugru, but then all my power cords have proper stress relieve...
- qwerta 13y agoThere is stuff with similar properties. Silicone or resin applied in layers. Also soldering plastic (good ventilation!) or wax. But Sugru seems like very easy to work with.
- jtreminio 13y agoI've used Sugru for only one thing, and it has worked perfectly: apply a thin layer of it over the edges on my MBP where my wrists touch, so I don't feel like it's trying to open my veins.