Toy Repair

Toys get broken. Many tin be repaired. This Gear up-It Guide on toy repair tells how a toy works, what often goes wrong, how to place a toy problem, and what parts and tools yous will need to fix it. It then gives uncomplicated footstep-by-stride instructions for how to bond a broken plastic toy, how to re-power a battery-operated toy, how to repair a dissever woods cycle on a toy, how to replace a broken axle on a toy, how to repair a leak in a sport brawl, and how to stop a leaking valve in a ball.

How Does a Toy Work?

A toy, of grade, is an object for a kid (or some adults) to play with. A visit to whatever toy shop demonstrates the enormous variety of toys available for children. However, many of those toys have common elements and many can be repaired following a few uncomplicated principles. They curl, move, brand noises, or include numerous parts.

What Can Get Wrong with a Toy?

Plastic toys and plastic parts of toys break. Battery-powered toys lose their power. The nigh common problem with rolling toys is losing their wheels, axles, or handles. All kinds of inflated assurance deflate over time and occasionally leak. Some other Prepare-It Guide discusses stuffed toy repair.

How Can I Place a Toy Problem?

  • If a battery-powered toy won't run, the problem is oft with a bombardment or the battery charger (see beneath).

Prepare-It Tip

By far the biggest problem with battery-powered toys is that the batteries run down considering a switch was left on. Check underneath these toys to see if there are on-off switches that should be off, and remind the child to plow off the toy when he or she is done playing with it.

  • If a plastic toy or a plastic part of a toy breaks, you can bail it with adhesive (see below).
  • If a plastic toy part comes loose from a piece of wood or metal, drill holes through both surfaces and spike them with bolts or rivets.
  • If a wheeled toy loses a wood or metal bike, you can repair or supervene upon it (see below).
  • If a toy'southward axle is broken, you can replace it (see below).
  • If a ball deflates, re-inflate it with a manus pump. If the ball doesn't retain air, yous can repair and re-inflate it (run into below).
  • If a stuffed or other cloth toy is torn or has a seam come up undone, see the Stuffed Toy Repair, Doll Fix-It Guide and the sewing section of the Tools Set up-It Guide.

What Do I Need for Toy Repair?

Replacement parts are available from the manufacturer and aftermarket suppliers likewise every bit from local hardware stores and arts and crafts shops. The tools you will need to gear up various toys include these:

  • Screwdrivers
  • Pliers
  • Mallet
  • Hammer
  • Electric drill
  • Pump with inflating needle
  • Bolts and other fasteners
  • Sandpaper
  • Rubberband band, cord, or tape
  • Masking tape
  • Adhesives
  • Dowels
  • Steel rods

Set up-Information technology Tip

Keep a wide pick of glues and adhesives in your prepare-it toolbox for emergency repairs. If the containers are modest, as well go on the packaging because it will have instructions in a larger typeface than that appearing on the agglutinative container.

Toy Repair

Utilise adhesive to the broken toy post-obit recommendations on the adhesive characterization.

What Are the Steps to Toy Repair?

Bond a broken plastic toy:

  1. Lightly roughen both edges of the interruption with sandpaper and wipe off whatsoever dust.
  2. Apply adhesive (come across the Adhesives section of the Stationary Things Fix-It Guide to determine the best type of adhesive for the particular) to both surfaces to be joined.
  3. Clamp the pieces securely with an elastic band, string, or tape.
  4. Permit the repair dry thoroughly earlier releasing the clamp.

Toy Repair

Brand sure the battery terminals brand an electric connection with the toy'due south contacts.

Re-power a bombardment-operated toy:

  1. Test the batteries and replace as needed.
  2. Verify that the batteries are inserted all the way, touching the contacts. If the battery does not touch the contacts, use a screwdriver to gently pry up the contacts just enough to brand skillful contact.
  3. Cheque for corrosion on the terminals and clean them if needed.
  4. If the toy uses a rechargeable battery, examine the charger as well as the battery.

Repair a separate woods wheel on a toy:

  1. Drill holes in each piece of the cleaved wheel for the dowels.
  2. Add together wood mucilage to the dowels (for more on glue, see the Adhesives section of the Stationary Things Fix-It Guide).
  3. Clamp the wheel together with masking tape.

Replace a broken axle on a toy:

  1. With pliers, pry off the push nuts and unscrew the lock washers. Remove the wheels and flat washers, and then slide out the beam.
  2. Cut a new beam from a round steel rod. Install the beam, then slide apartment washers and wheels on the ends of the axle. Place lock washers over the wheels.
  3. Install a push nut over the ends of the axle and tap them into place with a hammer.

Repair a leak in a sport ball:

  1. Submerge the ball in a tub of h2o and rotate it slowly, looking for escaping air bubbling that identify a hole. Dry the expanse, then mark the leak with a piece of masking tape.
  2. Heat the bract of an old knife or screwdriver by moving it dorsum and forth over a flame. Rub the hot bract over the leaky area until the vinyl melts. Let the vinyl harden for at least v minutes.
  3. Re-inflate the brawl by pushing the inflator needle into the ball's valve pigsty. Use a mitt pump to inflate the ball to the recommended pressure level. Don't over-inflate. You too can utilise a bicycle tire tube patch kit to repair leaking sports balls. Go one at a bike store, sporting good shop, or large discount store and follow the instructions provided.

Stop a leaking valve in a ball:

  1. Clean the valve with a wet inflating needle inserted a few times to wash away clay and debris.
  2. If the problem persists, plug the valve past breaking off a toothpick in the pigsty.

Set-Information technology Tip

Tin't ready that toy? Don't throw it away! You may be able to use wheels, motors, axles, and other parts to fix future toy breaks.