[meteorite-list] Repairing broken meteorites

From: Steven Schoner <american_meteorite_survey_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:02 2004
Message-ID: <20021020160640.65164.qmail_at_web11407.mail.yahoo.com>

--- Dave Schultz <indy1996_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
> Had a little accident with one of my meteorites
> [broke in half] and was wondering if there was any
> way
> of trying to repair it. The break seems to be clean
> and is there any type of; I hate to say this: glue
> that could be used very carefully to bring the
> halves
> back together? Thanks, Dave.
>
>

Superglue, the freeflowing type works wonders.

If it is a slice, get wax paper, and lay it out on a
flat surface. Then take the two, or more pieces and
set them, then push them together, the way you want
them to fit. Now take the superglue and carefully
flow some into the crack, If the pieces are pressed
together beforehand it will be almost a hairline. Now
capillary action will allow the glue to fill the
crack. Push the piece tighter together to ensure
bonding, and because this was done on a flat surface
the crack should virtually vanish but seen only
because of the glue. Add a bit more to fill the
crack, press the pieces together a bit more, then
allow to sit for an hour or so.

Now you will have a superglue line along the crack
that is very visible. Get some pure acetone (you can
get this at any automotive supply) and use this with a
lint free cloth to remove the excess superglue. And
if the crack has well defined edges and is fresh, it
will virtually vanish.

If the pieces are from a whole specimen, put a
substantial amount of superglue on the center of the
break, then carefully put the pieces together, making
sure that they fit tightly. Now if the crack is still
visible, if you have some very fine dirt that matches
the dirt from which the piece was found, then
sprinkling it in the visible crack and rubbing with
the fingers while the glue is still liquid will make
the crack virtually vanish.


Steve Schoner
http://www.geocities.com/american_meteorite_survey
IMCA #4470



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Received on Sun 20 Oct 2002 12:06:40 PM PDT