Tinkering

[okidoke]

When something you own stops working properly, do you just throw it out or do you try seeing if you can fix it?

I’m no technician in any form, but just today I decided to pull apart the air pump that aerates the fish tank because it was barely producing a bubble. Disassembled it, cleaned it up a bit, reassembled it and bingo - was more blowing bubbles than a mob of dolphins.

I’ve repaired a broken food processor, non-heating clothes dryer, electric frypan, fans, all sorts of things, even completely restored an old busted rusted lawn mower I bought at a recycle yard. I do look up tutorials where possible.

It’s greatly satisfying to fix something that most people would just throw out.

 

[Sci-Fi]

Depends on what it is and if I have time or the ambition to try and fix something. I am usually curious as to why something stopped working when it was fine before. But today a lot of stuff is made so it will eventually stop working so that you have to replace it. If nothing ever broke and you could always get it fixed no one would buy anything new and all these companies would go out of business. Where I work we get people bringing in old pieces of equipment and want to get it running again, it will send one of the mechanics into a rant, especially if they are driving a newer vehicle or he knows they have money but won't replace their old junk. Some people have a sentimental attachment to things and don't want to throw it out so they will try to keep it running.

 

[okidoke]

Depends on what it is and if I have time or the ambition to try and fix something. I am usually curious as to why something stopped working when it was fine before. But today a lot of stuff is made so it will eventually stop working so that you have to replace it. If nothing ever broke and you could always get it fixed no one would buy anything new and all these companies would go out of business. Where I work we get people bringing in old pieces of equipment and want to get it running again, it will send one of the mechanics into a rant, especially if they are driving a newer vehicle or he knows they have money but won't replace their old junk. Some people have a sentimental attachment to things and don't want to throw it out so they will try to keep it running.

Well planned obsolescence has been a thing for a while now, and too much these days is made poorly, but I like to at least have a look at why it may not be working. Nothing to lose and keeps me occupied.

 

[user 188685]

Depends on what it is and if I have time or the ambition to try and fix something. I am usually curious as to why something stopped working when it was fine before. But today a lot of stuff is made so it will eventually stop working so that you have to replace it. If nothing ever broke and you could always get it fixed no one would buy anything new and all these companies would go out of business. Where I work we get people bringing in old pieces of equipment and want to get it running again, it will send one of the mechanics into a rant, especially if they are driving a newer vehicle or he knows they have money but won't replace their old junk. Some people have a sentimental attachment to things and don't want to throw it out so they will try to keep it running.

Very true

 

[NoxApex(N/A)]

I'm a tinkerer by nature.
Even in my hobbies as a kid, I found a creative outlet with it.
Video games I would play I would intentionally try to do abstract things in.
I'm just weird.

 

[randomguy]

I tinker with my guitars all the bloody time. I can get one set up perfectly, play it for hours one night, then wake up the next day expecting it to be perfect and it sounds, well, not like I remember, dead and lifeless. So, I tinker some more.

 

[Abstamyous]

I smack it, unplug and plug back in and then let it sit for weeks until I decide to take it apart or get rid of it.

 

[randomguy]

I smack it, unplug and plug back in and then let it sit for weeks until I decide to take it apart or get rid of it.

Do we have to guess what it is?, my guess is a wee bit rude

 

[Abstamyous]

Do we have to guess what it is?, my guess is a wee bit rude

Nah, those things I replace promptly

 

[user 139760]

Depends. I don't have loads of time or patience for it, plus being in a big city means I can often usually replace something quick and easy.
If it's something that harmed my soul and gave me occasional feelings of committing ritual suicide though, like my first Xbox 360?
I pulled the **** thing apart and killed it with a hammer outside. If I'd had a rocket, I would have tossed it into orbit just to watch it burn on re-entry lol.

 

[okidoke]

I tinker with my guitars all the bloody time. I can get one set up perfectly, play it for hours one night, then wake up the next day expecting it to be perfect and it sounds, well, not like I remember, dead and lifeless. So, I tinker some more.

Ah yes, that happens for various reasons, including being affected by alcohol at the time of tinkering lol.

 

[TropicalStarfish]

I finally fixed a pair of old 2.1 stereo computer speakers. Technically they are half fixed. The right speaker still doesn't work. However, they seem to be at least usable so far. This marks my first and only successful identification and rectification of a couple cracked solder joints. I've had these speakers for over 20 some years now.

Yay me!

There is no acceptable excuse for planned obsolescence.

 

[okidoke]

I finally fixed a pair of old 2.1 stereo computer speakers. Technically they are half fixed. The right speaker still doesn't work. However, they seem to be at least usable so far. This marks my first and only successful identification and rectification of a couple cracked solder joints. I've had these speakers for over 20 some years now.

Yay me!

There is no acceptable excuse for planned obsolescence.

Excellent. I have a Pioneer stereo that has a buzz that I just can’t solve. Great stereo with powerful speakers that wouldn’t distort at high volume that we bought in the 90’s, but now it’s got this buzz

 

[TropicalStarfish]

Excellent. I have a Pioneer stereo that has a buzz that I just can’t solve. Great stereo with powerful speakers that wouldn’t distort at high volume that we bought in the 90’s, but now it’s got this buzz

Maybe some one who isn't fun to drink with might know how to fix it..

heh.. heh..

 

[okidoke]

Maybe some one who isn't fun to drink with might know how to fix it..

heh.. heh..

There used to be a few of electronic repair shops around locally, but they’ve all closed down. They couldn’t compete with people just throwing out their stuff and buying replacements.

 

[NoxApex(N/A)]

I tinker with my guitars all the bloody time. I can get one set up perfectly, play it for hours one night, then wake up the next day expecting it to be perfect and it sounds, well, not like I remember, dead and lifeless. So, I tinker some more.

 

[user 190481]

My vacuum cleaner wasn't sucking up like it usually does a few days ago.
So, me and my trusty screwdriver undid a lot of screws, took all to bits and found the block.

Thing is after assembling it all I had two screws left, no idea where those should have gone. Anyway, all works great again.

 

[TheSkaFish]

I don't consider myself very good at problem-solving in general.
I'm always worried about screwing up, breaking something, and/or making it even worse, and requiring an expensive fix. I'm always worried about doing something to make things worse when I should have just left it well enough alone.

However, sometimes when the need is dire, I surprise myself.

A couple years ago I was able to fix a couple of unresponsive laptops, by learning to re-install Windows 10 from a thumb drive. I was just following steps I found online, but I had to research it myself first, and then I had to go through the steps to something I'd never done before. And sure enough, it worked, and I feel like if I had to, I could do it again.

 

[okidoke]

I don't consider myself very good at problem-solving in general.
I'm always worried about screwing up, breaking something, and/or making it even worse, and requiring an expensive fix. I'm always worried about doing something to make things worse when I should have just left it well enough alone.

Well usually the thing I try fixing is going to get binned if I don’t try, so I don’t feel like I’ve got anything to lose. I like to pull stuff apart and just look at what’s there. Sometimes it’s obvious and sometimes it’s a matter of eliminating the problem choices.

I remember having to arrest a young boy for stealing property years ago. He was a bit autistic but was brilliant at repairing and making old things work again. He just learned by pulling stuff apart all the time and seeing what made them tick.

 

[okidoke]

the mower I totally stripped down and rebuilt.