Headset Hack: How to Fix a Broken Headband for $5
Disaster!
Snap!
You look down and your heart sinks. In your left hand is one of the earcups of your headset. The rest of the headset lies in your right hand. You attempt to carefully put the broken headset down with further messing it up.
If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering how the hell to fix this. I don’t just have $40 dollars lying around to up and buy a new headset. Not only that, but I’ve grown to really like how this particular headset feels. I love how the ear cups morph to my ears. I don’t want to break in a new headset.
So, like me and slightly distraught, you take to the internet and you magically stumble upon this article! You’re intrigued but skeptical, how can I fix something that I buy for $40 for about $5? Enter, an older fabricators’ trick!
Solution
If you have baking soda and super glue around the house, and it’s likely that you do, then this will cost you no money!
Essentially, this fix boils down to three steps:
Clean and Smooth
If possible, you should clean up the plastic on both sides of where the headband snapped. If you happen to have some sandpaper around, it wouldn’t hurt to smooth out the jagged edges either. Not only does sanding make the surface safer to work with, but also adds more surface area.
Adhere Like Normal
After you’ve prepared the surface, then you should apply a small amount of super glue on both of the broken pieces and then reunite them. If possible, you should add some sort of clamping mechanism at this point to hold the headband together while you prep for the last step.
Add Baking Soda
Now that the broken bits are back together, you should sprinkle some baking soda in the gaps between the two broken pieces. Be sure to do this on the front and back of the broken headband where you’ve glued it back together. At this point, you should see a white, resin looking thing begin to form.
Result
Below you’ll see a photo of my headset 6 months after this repair. It’s still kicking strong and I haven’t had any technical issues with the headset or microphone. It also doesn’t feel flimsy in the slightest. It feels almost as strong as the original headset pre-breakage tragedy.
Word of Warning
Fun fact, this trick works because the baking soda acts as a catalyst. As a consequence, the adhesion process gets sped up. The increased rate of reaction also means that a decent amount of heat gets generated. Please be cautious with your application. Because of the heat generated you should also be extra careful to avoid the tiny wires inside the headset, less you risk frying them.
Secondly, if you’re as clumsy as me, you should have some strong acetone (nail polish remover) around. If you manage to get some of the compound on your hands then the acetone will help get most of it off before it can potentially damage your skin.
This reaction moves quickly. You should have everything in place and be ready to commit once you put the glue onto the broken headband. I had to do a couple of rounds of application to ensure the bond was strong and the material set properly. I was able to use it again after a couple of hours but would advise waiting a full day if possible.
Hopefully, you found this quick hack helpful! Now when your child/younger sibling breaks you headset you don’t need to buy a new one, just fix it with common household items!
