Nov. 07--Sugru is an intriguing substance -- the manufacturer calls it a self-setting rubber -- that bonds to almost anything and has seemingly unlimited applications.
Mold it into tiny bumpers on your phone (it absorbs jolts). Wrap it around a pot handle (it's heat resistant). Cover fraying cables (it's flexible and insulates). Patch a hole in your footwear (it's waterproof). Repair a cracked motorbike windshield (is there nothing it can't do?).
Sugru comes in a small packet. Cut one open and remove it, work it to make it flexible -- it feels like modeling clay -- then use it. It cures overnight into a tough silicone rubber.
There are cautions: Wipe your hands after using to remove residue, then wash thoroughly. Do not ingest. It's not a toy, etc.
We first tried Sugru on some pesky computer cables that had been strung willy-nilly around our cubicle. We used the contents from one packet to attach the loose cables to the underside of the countertop at four locations. They held in place immediately, and after curing were even more permanent.
Next we attached an AAA battery perpendicularly to the side of our computer monitor. Why? Why not? The Sugru again held the battery in place immediately and was even better after curing.
One more test: We turned a garden-variety cell phone into a hands-free model by making a phone mount on our dash. A glob here, a dab there, molded to hold the phone in place. Presto.
Check out the video (sugru.com/about) and be amazed. Or at least intrigued.
Sugru is available at sugru.com, priced at $12 for a three-pack or $22 for an eight-pack (plus shipping).
bhageman@tribune.com
