iPod Case

When I first got my iPod about 4 years ago, I almost never used it because I was afraid of damaging it. It wasn't until I found a sturdy case for it that I felt comfortable taking it out and using it. I found this burly thing from OtterBox that is completely submersible and will protect my iPod from a good drop or what have you. Now I have it on every time I leave the house, so it gets a lot of use. It's important for it to be waterproof because I hook it on my belt sticking out exposed to rain and snow.

This post is about a repair job I did a little while ago so I don't have any pictures in progress. Here is the back of the case and the removable belt clip that cracked.

In red, I outlined where the crack occurred, although you can see the repair on the other side.

My first attempts at repair were with super glue. I just glued the seam and clamped it. Those repairs were brittle and didn't hold up very long. I realized that I would need a more resilient solution. Goop is a strong glue that cures firm but still slightly pliable, so my next attempts were just with some Goop. The Goop repair held a little longer, but ultimately came apart too. Finally I decided that I would need to reinforce the crack with another material in addition to gluing the two pieces together. I bent a small section of coat hanger to exactly contour the outside curve of the top of the clip near the crack. Then I glued it on with Goop. That repair has been doing very nicely for about 3 months now, so I will consider it a success.

P.S. I tagged this post 'bikes' because the iPod has become an essential part of my riding experience. More to come on that subject and how Colorado state law views it.