Are you tired of throwing away a glass piece simply because the handle has broken off, or the chip in the rim is made it look poor? You don’t have to throw them out.

The worth will of course be somewhat lessened, and you may not use the piece as tableware, but they can be mended to remain part of your set, or in the case of a figurine, to be used and in most cases the fixed area can’t be seen.

In mending glassware or china, an exact fit is necessary. You will need time to adjust the pieces to make the fit precise before the goue sets up, which means that superglue and other instant bonds is not an option.

Clear bond epoxy is the most effective means to mend china or porcelain, as it is very strong, waterproof and provided a good filling for any gaps that remain.

Here is how to mend your broken china or porcelain:

1. Before you glue the piece clean it very well and assure that all the broken surfaces are dried.
2. Assemble them while dry and be certain that they fit well together.
3. Applying a very thin light coat of epoxy or resin along one side of the break with a small matchstick or a rubber spatula, join those pieces together. Remember that the less of the glue you use the better they will fit as glue itself takes up space.
4. Clamp the glued pieces using any means which may work and set it aside to dry.
5. The entire process may take several hours, as you will need to readjust the pieces and wipe away excess glue from the piece to assure proper alignment. When it has set up enough to hold, add another piece to the puzzle.
6. Glue those things which have many broken pieces together one or two pieces at a time, and when they have set up slightly, wipe away any excess resin or glue with a solvent to keep the piece clean.
7. Supporting the pieces as they dry will usually require some ingenuity to make certain they stays together long enough to dry in place. Very often you can use a putty or plasticine which will hold its shape and hold the pieces together long enough to dry. Masking tape is another method that can be used successfully to assure that the piece dries well and does not move. Plates or platters can use the support of rubber bands across them as they dry to assure they keep their shape.
8. Another method of clamping of sorts is to use hot wax, melting paraffin and pouring it around the broken piece so that it will harden and hold the pieces in place until the epoxy sets up fully.
9. When the glue is full set, remove the hardened wax and the piece will be repaired.

Using some good epoxy resin and a bit of ingenuity you can repair your own china and porcelain figurines.

As with any other craft, take care with the use of the glues, and if the piece that is in need of repair is a very high priced piece, do look into having it repaired permanently and professionally.