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Broken downstem fix- Can I use sealant?


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Hello!

Yesterday as I was cleaning my glass base I pulled on the stem too hard, ended up dropping it, and breaking my downstem. Now normally I'd just buy another pipe entirely but this one has some sentimental value and wasn't exactly the cheapest thing. Buying another one isn't an option. I've decided to try and fix it first. So I came to a conclusion:

I could use an aluminium or copper tube and use waterproof silicone sealant around the base of the stem to create an airtight system.

Before I do it I was wondering if anyone has any similar experiences or if this is just a bad idea in general. Would the silicone be toxic? Does the stem reach high enough temperatures so that the silicone would melt? Any advice would be duly appreciated...

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Silicone...mmm....not sure.

where did break? If it was at the bottom of the stem, id say weld or braze it. otherwise I'd look for a food safe epoxy/glue.

If its father down and you have part of the downstem still attached, id get a slightly smaller tube to slide inside as a sort of internal splint.

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It's definitely the bottom of the stem, not the cleanest break either. I've tried using solder but my skills are lacking to say the least and it just turned out to be a mess in the end. Could I just bring it to a welder and he'd fix it for me? 

Thanks for the replies! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

My first hookah circa 2006 was a junk mitsuba.Ii constantly repaired breaks with jb weld putty from the auto parts store. Wasn't pretty but worked perfect and was rated safe at the Temps hookahs endure. I got an extra two years life out of that pipe thanks to jb weld / jb stick

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