ph5172 Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 My flymo (second hand) died the other day, I could hear the motor spinning but nothing else. Took it apart and replaced the snapped belt (after drilling out a few screws that were welded in do to being exposed to the grass on the deck) £4.40 and job done in an hour (well less than a week waiting for the belt) some of the guys I work with couldn’t understand why I didn’t bin the machine and just buy new (the nearest equivalent was £100 on offer) I am late 30s and by the sound of it appear to be the last of the generations that attempt to fix rather than just bin and buy. My theory is, if it’s knackered already what’s the worse you can do. Anyone else notice this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 It's always better to at least try a repair and it gives you some satisfaction if it work's. But we live in a throw away society and a lot of people just can't be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph5172 Posted June 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, B725 said: It's always better to at least try a repair and it gives you some satisfaction if it work's. But we live in a throw away society and a lot of people just can't be bothered. I was most made up (mainly because I had saved myself £100 as well) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 hello, having an engineering back ground i have fixed up many items for friends/family/neighbours, etc, made all sorts as well, go carts/trailers/bike trailer/ farm machinery. wrought iron work, a small arc welders handy to, if its fixable why buy new, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 Friends tend to bring me their broken cars, bikes, machines etc and I make it clear that I will gladly have a go, but it has to be understood that things can and do go wrong. I love resurrecting things that people have given up hope on. I have said before, I regarded myself as a bodging expert until I joined Pigeonwatch, then I realised I was only a mere apprentice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy1950 Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 I will try and repair most things. The one area I do shy away from now is electronics. Too clumsy for the micro circuitry these days, though I did build a RC aircraft radio and receiver, plus servos in my youth, but as with all things, it has moved on and left me behind. Best with the hammer and screwdriver now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 The HDMI ports on my TV stopped working so I took it apart and baked the circuit board in the oven for a bit - actually fixed it, for a few months at least. They went again and I haven't baked it again yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen-H Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 I'm 27 I fix as much stuff as I can or where possible make my own parts /adapt old ones & regularly keep old bits from broken things as spares in the future & I'm always on the look out for off cuts of wood , metal or Pvc piping . Just made a load of hoop frames to hang netting over to keep the pigeons off the cabbages on my mother's allotment plot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 Google and YouTube can save you a fortune if you set your mind to it ... plus the satisfaction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 I'm terrible for fixing things and making things , I'll spend £50.00 and waste two days , making something that I could have bought for a tenner 😅. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClemFandango Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 5 hours ago, ph5172 said: My flymo (second hand) died the other day, I could hear the motor spinning but nothing else. Took it apart and replaced the snapped belt (after drilling out a few screws that were welded in do to being exposed to the grass on the deck) £4.40 and job done in an hour (well less than a week waiting for the belt) some of the guys I work with couldn’t understand why I didn’t bin the machine and just buy new (the nearest equivalent was £100 on offer) I am late 30s and by the sound of it appear to be the last of the generations that attempt to fix rather than just bin and buy. My theory is, if it’s knackered already what’s the worse you can do. Anyone else notice this? I'm 34. I'd always repair rather than replace. But you are right. The guys I work with are similar to yours. I sometimes take their "broken" stuff off their hands. Fix it and either keep it or sell it. I have a nearly new husky chainsaw that a bloke I work with was taking down the tip because it wouldn't cut. He'd never greased the clutch and the chain break had seized on. I just gave it a good dose of WD40 and a new clutch and it's never failed since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 3 hours ago, spandit said: The HDMI ports on my TV stopped working so I took it apart and baked the circuit board in the oven for a bit - actually fixed it, for a few months at least. They went again and I haven't baked it again yet I bet it's an LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 8 minutes ago, bornfree said: I bet it's an LG Yes it is, are they notorious for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 1 minute ago, spandit said: Yes it is, are they notorious for it? Yes. And the circuit boards are not available for most models over 6-7 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, bornfree said: Yes. And the circuit boards are not available for most models over 6-7 years old. Don't know what to do with the telly - can't even use it as a monitor as that would need the HDMI ports too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 34 minutes ago, spandit said: Don't know what to do with the telly - can't even use it as a monitor as that would need the HDMI ports too... I moved my lg into another room so if the wife wants to watch Emmerdale I can go in there and watch something else. It works fine on an aerial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 Depends on what it is, as to if I'll try and fix it. Cheap as chips and easy to replace but will probably break beyond repair just getting into, I won't bother. Though sometimes I'll take it apart to see what broke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_ox Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 Yes I try and fix most things first. I’m 31 been a mechanical engineer for nearly 15 years so it’s second nature. Most recently changed brushes in washing machine, mrs wanted to buy a new one but £5 later I had it up and running and saved £££s. Samsung TV capacitors replaced on an old flatscreen, still going strong 10 years later! Wife’s GHD hair straighteners failed, replaced some thermal switch and got them going again. However you’re right the amount of items thrown away because people believe an item has one life. Saying that things aren’t built like they used to be, and an intentional life of an item is more than likely engineered into a product now days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 12 hours ago, spandit said: Don't know what to do with the telly - can't even use it as a monitor as that would need the HDMI ports too... hello, time for telly heaven 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 It's the electronics in items that can trip you up our washing machine had a circuit board failure at £250 new machine £200 from ao no brainer really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 I’m 28 and fix as much as I can. However I do usually shy away from the circuitry type of thing. Latest fix was the hoover (just a snapped belt) but the mrs was about to spend £300 on some shark hoover thing. Other fixes the last few months were a rotivator (new gaskets and plug) also a water pump for the central heating system on the canal boat (new bushes). It’s more the satisfaction of fixing something for me than the coat side of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 Had a similar thing a few weeks ago with a Vax carpet cleaner ... 260 quid for a new one, fixed for 13.95. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) If it's something well made and years old I will try and fix it. As it will last much longer than a new replacement would. Stuff these days is rubbish and engineered to fail. Edited June 9, 2019 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 I upset my mother by fixing her oven, she had her heart set on a new one. However my old man just asked me to help him fix it, he didn’t mention that mother wanted a new one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted June 9, 2019 Report Share Posted June 9, 2019 Every thing i saw that was broken at home and at work i intended to fix in my cave, it got to a point that i couldn't see what was in my cave that i was going to fix due to the mount of stuff in there. So , i cleared a load of tat out thinking I'd rather spend my life outside of my cave living my life rather than inside my cave wasting my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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