Replacement parts for discontinued plastic components
When a plastic component is missing or no longer available, the rest of the equipment may still be worth keeping. Copy & Replace recreates replacement parts from the references and requirements agreed for each job.
A useful enquiry explains what the component belongs to, what it does and what has happened to it. Include the equipment make or model and any part markings you can find. Photographs of the matching equipment are helpful when the component is damaged or missing.
Use the best reference available
An original part gives a direct reference, even if it is worn or broken. Where detail is missing, Matthew can discuss whether the shape can be established from the remaining pieces, another matching part, drawings or measurements. Feasibility depends on the information available and the requirements of the job.
Recreate the details that matter
A button may need an internal locating feature; a cover may have ribs or tabs on its reverse; a bracket may have to clear a moving mechanism. Show these features in your photographs rather than only the visible front face. Working conditions are part of the discussion too.
Keep the ordering process clear
Start with an enquiry, then agree the proposed work and pricing. Design is usually quoted first, with a final manufacturing price after design. If the original is needed, arrange this with Matthew before sending it. You cover postage both ways unless it is separately included in your quote.
When the spare is no longer available
Recreation is worth discussing when the rest of the equipment remains useful but a specific plastic component is broken, missing or difficult to buy. Start by checking the equipment identity and what the part actually does. A standard available spare may still be the simplest solution. Where a custom replacement is needed, keep broken pieces and show both the component and its mating features. The available reference information and intended use determine whether a replacement can be designed.
From enquiry to your replacement
Send photos, the equipment details and the quantity needed.
Agree the proposed work and any design fee before design begins.
Send an original only after the arrangements are confirmed.
Approve the design and final manufacturing price, then pay before production.
The replacement is made, checked and dispatched as agreed.
Work you can see
Completed work
Fender amplifier buttons
Red amplifier buttons recreated from an original, compared in close-up and shown fitted to a Fender R.A.D. amp. Watch the replacement controls being operated.
Original and recreated long curved plastic covers, including their outer profiles, reverse ribs and locating features. Completed work for Jonathan Thompson.
You can still start an enquiry. Send photos, the equipment details you know and a description of where the part fits. A part number is useful but is not the only way to identify the component.
Can you help if the original is missing?
Send the references you have, including photos of the space or matching part. Matthew can discuss what further information is needed and whether the design can be established.
Do you supply across the UK?
Copy & Replace is based in Peterlee, County Durham and serves customers across the UK. Discuss posting arrangements before sending an original component.
How long does a replacement take?
Timing depends on the assessment, design and manufacturing work required. Explain any deadline in your enquiry and agree the arrangements with Matthew for the individual job.
The quote depends on the design work, the reference information available, the features that control the fit, the manufacturing requirements and the quantity. An unclear or incomplete reference can require more work to establish the design. Design is usually quoted first with an estimated manufacturing price; the final manufacturing price is confirmed after design, before production is approved and paid for.
Why can a small plastic part need a design fee?
A small button or clip can still have internal locating details, thin walls or fixing features that need to be measured and recreated. The cost is not just the amount of plastic. Where design work is needed, the fee is agreed before that work starts. Straightforward jobs may be quoted in full at the outset.
When is recreating a part worth considering?
It is worth discussing when a suitable standard spare is unavailable or difficult to source and the rest of the equipment remains useful. The decision depends on the work required, the intended use and the cost of other options. Send the equipment details and photographs so the proposed work and price can be considered before you decide.
Have a part you cannot source?
Send photos and a short description. Matthew will discuss the next steps.
