Sugru has been around for quite a while but somehow I never seem to think about it when I’m in need of a quick fix around the house. That way I would have probably kept the bluetooth headphone wire that was laying around broken and deserted, damn!
What it is: also known as Formerol, it’s a patented multi-purpose non-slumping brand of silicone rubber that resembles modelling clay which upon exposure to air cures to a rubber-like texture (from Wiki)
Good to know about Sugru:
- It comes with a tight shelf and usage life. The package displays both the maximum shelf life as well as well as the expiration date (till when it can be used), but storing it in the fridge doubles this term
- It’s waterproof, strong, durable and flexible, however tests showed that it’s not quite as strong as glue and although it has the appearance of rubber, it’s not as flexible: it contracts well but doesn’t react as good when stretched
- Comes in 10 colors (which you can further blend in order to achieve the wanted tone) and comes in 5 gram packages
- After opening the package, Sugru can be kneaded and molded within 30 minutes. The final consistency is achieved after 24 hours. Important to know beforehand that the fine smooth finishing is not that easy to achieve and requires some skill, practice and sometimes extra tools and processing after curing
- Resists to temperatures between -60° and 180° C
- Resembles plastiline
- Sticks well to ceramics, wood, glass, metal, rubber and most plastics and fabrics
- After curing it can be sanded, cut, carved and even rubbed off. Exception is a porous surface, which makes it harder to remove from
- Although it’s generally a brilliant solve-it-all kind of product and apparently the only limit to it is imagination, some testers consider it’s better to play it safe and refrain from making safety/health related fixes
- The price is €8,99 for a 3-pack and €15,99 for an 8-pack
Sugru is the kind of invention that unleashes the imagination, and for those who can’t get enough of it and don’t have the budget to match their creative capabilities, there’s a cheap unofficial do-it-yourself recipe here, called Oogoo. The end result is said to be very similar if not equivalent to Sugru but some argue that the Oogoo doesn’t have the same malleability as the original.
On the other hand, if you’re so eager to Sugru everything, you must be already a kneading pro, right?
The Sugru website is a great source of creative ideas, here’s some more in the board below: