Fixing metal to plastic

[tim(yet another new home)]

Try not to make this too complicated...

The door fell of my washing machine and I need to fix it. It's a rental, so chucking it and buying a new one is not an option. (and it's the fitted type as well).

The door consist of two plastic parts forming the inside and the outside of the door, with the glass and the fixings squashed in between. Alignment on the hinge relys upon these two parts being fixed together tightly. A replacement door is only available as a full set of parts costing over 100 quid! (with delivery)

It fell off, because two of the pillars that the screws fit into have broken off and it is no longer secure.

So, does anyone have any ideas how I form something that the screws can screw into, to hold the door together properly again? I don't think that glueing the pillars back on with super glue is going to be strong enough, but perhaps it is?

TIA

tim

[Colin Wilson]

Wouldn`t that be down the landlord to sort out then, rather than you ?

[Andy Hall]

Surely it's the landlord's issue to get it fixed?

[Phil L]

I think he means the washing machine's rented, although ICBW

[Phil L]

Why is it? - if you rent a house from the council, they don't come and redecorate every time you fancy a colour change...if he's rented the house with fixtures and fittings, it's up to him to pay for the upkeep of those fittings, he can't smash all the doors (a regular occurence in the rented sector) and ring the landlord to come out and replace them, unless he wan't evicting sharpish.

[Stephen Howard]

I doubt it will be - washing machine doors take a lot of punishment. Any chance of drilling through one or both of the plastic covers and using a neat bolt? Something with a round head wouldn't be too intrusive, a small coach-bolt perhaps.

In the meantime, keep your eye open at your local tip - if you spot a machine with the same door it'll probably cost you no more than a fiver.

Regards,

[The Medway Handyman]

Do you mean its a rented home or a rented machine? I have repaired stuff on washing machines & installed new ones in lots of rented properties - are you sure it's not down to the landlord?

[Andy Hall]

That depends on the agreement. Nobody suggested anything about deliberate damage.

OTOH, perhaps he means that the washing machine's a rental one. If that's the case, then the issue should be with the renting supplier, assuming that it's fair wear and tear.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Try CPC on 01772 654455. A new door without the glass (transferred from original door) for my Hotpoint was only £10.

[The Natural Philosopher]

You can TRY car body filler..it does sort of adhere to some plastics..but really its a new door time.

Almost nothing adheres to plastics properly..

[meow2222]

If the house is rented, its the landlords job to fix it. If the machine's rented, its the rental co's job to fix it, and you'd be mad to rent a washer or tv in anything other than exceptional circumstances these days.

If you try and fix it, either of the above can then reuse to repair it.

NT

[tim(yet another new home)]

It is if they don't claim that I was negligent in breaking it.

It's down on th inventory as in good condition.

tim

[tim(yet another new home)]

I can see that everyone's confused.

The flat is rented and the washing machine is supplied by the landlord.

But the item is down in the inventory as undamaged.

In fac,t it says slight mildrew on inner seal so I can't even claim that they didn't check.

So, my fiver says that the landlord will say that I broke it and send me the bill.

tim

[Owain]

At which point you will counterclaim that the landlord installed an appliance which was not in a safe condition and could have lead to severe injury if the door had opened during a hot wash.

Owain

[The Medway Handyman]

Quite right. Don't assume the position of victim automatically. The best form of defense is attack as Wellington said.

Berate the landlord about his putting your family at risk etc.

[Andy Hall]

Fine, but unless you did something like sitting on it or otherwise demonstrably breaking it, this is fair wear and tear.

I can appreciate that this is all well intentioned and you are trying to be a good tenant etc.; however, there's a fair chance tht you will make the situation worse and the attempted repair will come back and haunt you.

I think that it would be far better to simply tell the landlord that the thing has broken and ask for his agreement to a repair.

[Andy Hall]

I think that you are being unecessarily negative and assuming an adversarial position before yo have tested his reaction. You don't need to do that.

Simply tell his that the thing has failed and ask him to arrange repair.

If he then makes accusations that you broke it, then is the time to be adversarial.

[Matt]

JB Weld to form supports for the threads and a polyurethane adhesive like Sikaflex 221 or 291 to bond metal to plastic.

For the lazy you can get both on ebay.

[tim(yet another new home)]

The first thing is that agents have already proven themselves to be a right PITA.

And secondly, it is absolutely clear that the item has been broken due to misuse. So, as it is marked down on the inventory as unbroken, that misuse will fall to me, even though this wasn't the case.

tim

[Clive George]

So who did misuse it then?

cheers, clive