Maraca mysteriously goes silent

[s219]

So this is the great mystery of my morning. My 2 year old daughter has a set of maracas that she loves to shake when dancing and listening to music. The handle popped off one of them the other day, and she brought it to me and said "dada fix". So I took it out to my shop, and glued the wooden handle back to the plastic top part with a dab of GE silicone. This morning I go fetch it, and hand to her. She pulled on the handle, nodded, said "dada fix" and I thought I was golden. Then she shook it and it was silent! She gave me the most betrayed look I've ever seen!

If I beat the heck out of it against the palm of my hand, it will start to rattle, but then slowly goes silent again. Best I can figure is that somehow a static charge built up inside and is making the beads stick, but I have to admit, this is a mystery that is even challenging my rocket scientist brain. My workshop is only heated to 55F in winter, so I suppose temperature could be a factor, or perhaps curing silicone somehow created a charge. But I am baffled. I generally have a reputation among family/friends as the guy who can fix anything, but right now I'm on my daughter's naughty list.

Anyhow, I throw this out as an entertaining mystery from a baffled fix-it man. Any ideas, pass them on!

 

[davesl708]

My thoughts are it is not static but rather the silicone did not cure in the cold temps. The peas inside are sticking to the excess silicone.
Just a guess.
Good luck and make a trip to the store for a new one.

 

[s219]

My thoughts are it is not static but rather the silicone did not cure in the cold temps. The peas inside are sticking to the excess silicone.
Just a guess.
Good luck and make a trip to the store for a new one.

Well there is no way for the silicone to even get inside -- the top part with the beads is sealed, and the handle just glues into a little socket on the bottom. Like a dowel into a hole basically.

 

[oosik]

Take the maraca and rub it vigorously on something hairy. Your dog, a fur coat, a fur collar etc. As you indicate the beads inside may have a static charge - if so, the rubbing action should reverse this charge.

 

[zing]

No idea how to fix it, but if you do buy a new one, make sure you crack that old one open and tell us how it worked/how it broke. You have me curious.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Silicone needs to absorb water from the air to cure. So if it is in an airtight container it never cures. So if there's a crack or a pinhole and a little bit got in it would never cure.

 

[s219]

Take the maraca and rub it vigorously on something hairy. Your dog, a fur coat, a fur collar etc. As you indicate the beads inside may have a static charge - if so, the rubbing action should reverse this charge.

I'm going to try that tomorrow and see if it helps -- thanks! If that doesn't work, I will yank the handle off again, drill out the plug on the bottom, and see what's happening inside. Can always add a few BBs to get some rattle back, and then reassemble.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

The relationship between the broken handle, the fix with silicone adhesive and the failure of the maraca to function seems just too bizarre not to be related. Silicone has a mind of it's own; I took my truck in to a mechanic because the pan was leaking. He "fixed" it with silicone, which promptly got into the oil pump and ruined the bearings. I really have my doubts that there is a static electricity issue here, unless, here again, it was facilitated somehow by the silicone. I will be interested to see how this pans out.

 

[davrow]

I will be interested to see how this pans out.

Yep, I'm keeping my eyes glued to the screen.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Yep, I'm keeping my eyes glued to the screen.

:laughing: I'm not holding my breath though! :laughing: