Happy Friday, everyone! We talk a lot about the need for change in the way things are made. But, as I noted here, one of the things that’s valuable is to talk about the products (and companies) that do things right. That notion came to mind again when I saw this blog post from the firm 42t about one of their engineers who bought a pricey 4-slice Dualit Toaster ($380 at William Sonoma) with a broken timer for just a few dollars and set about repairing it. The repair proved quite simple: the replacement timer was easily obtainable for around $12 and replacing the broken part required him to simply remove 6 screws. The engineer, Rob Mueller, then proceeded to take the whole toaster apart and marvel at how well constructed it was: modular, with easily replaceable parts and simple to disassemble and reassemble. It got me wondering if any of you had similar “happy” repair stories like this to counteract the (countless) “glue, nuts and misery” repair stories. If you got ‘em, share ‘em below…please!
Dualit Toaster disassembly. Image courtesy of 42t.com
Kenmore 70 Series washing machine. My appliance repair guy has mentioned both times he's been here (fixing other appliances) that this was one of the best machines ever made, with parts readily available. we've had it 20 years and I'm game for going another 20.
I have several 'honor roll' repair stories but the one that leaps to mind is a 'communications' receiver made by Drake (an Ohio company that designed and made radios in Ohio in the 1950s-1990s). A capacitor went bad, and 1) it was easy to source one -- indeed I had one on the shelf already since it was a common value and 2) it involved removing one cover to both diagnose the problem and resolve it.
Component level repair is harder and harder these days but it REALLY is the most cost-effective way to go.
The radio is back on the desk and works as good as the day it was produced after the repair. Total cost was US$0.00 ... If I had needed to buy the capacitor it would have cost about US$4 or so but as I said, it was a 'common' value and on my shelf.
I would love to get into component level repair, but my understanding of electronic theory is super-rudimentary. Maybe one of these days I'll find the time and the right online courses to get there.
Careful with YouTube. For every good tutorial there are three garbage ones. The problem with unedited, and unvetted 'guides' is that they are unedited and unvetted! If you already have a good background you can easily sift through the chaff and find the 'wheat' but if you don't have the background (as Mr Yoder realizes!) then it is easy to be led astray.
Find a good textbook and start with that. THEN look to tutorials maybe starting with an electronics course before simply jumping into YouTube!
Cool question! My last three victories were: 1) A simplehuman garbage can with a broken foot pedal. The replacement part was more than I would have liked to have spent but the install was easy and the garbage can we got as a wedding present is ready for another nine years. 2) Replacing the beater bar (worn out bearings) on my Kirby Heritage vacuum cleaner took five minutes and made it good as new. 3) Was given a dual core unibody Macbook pro from 2009. A $17 SSD, fan cleaning and Linux Mint install and it is surprisingly responsive for a 13 year old machine. I wish all electronics were as repairable as the original unibody Macs.
Paul, if this chat is still open, I have something that is really well-made: an antique Estey Army Chaplain's Organ, the kind that is pumped with the feet, like pedaling a bicycle. Here's an ironic Repair Success Story. I lead a Song Circle for a club. The Sound System was down in the place we meet, so some members volunteered to dig out their electric keyboards and bring them to accompany the singing. Neither electric keyboard worked. I brought my century-old Estey from home, and it works just fine. This old harmonium has worked since WW 1, when my grandfather played one. It got new bellows recently. It's well-built and easy to repair. Thank God!
Here’s another one: SEARS Craftsman Garage Door Opener from the 1990s. https://twitter.com/lululombard/status/1523037693252231170?s=20&t=uU7H6PNWNwSYJHsY-BZuxg
Kenmore 70 Series washing machine. My appliance repair guy has mentioned both times he's been here (fixing other appliances) that this was one of the best machines ever made, with parts readily available. we've had it 20 years and I'm game for going another 20.
I have several 'honor roll' repair stories but the one that leaps to mind is a 'communications' receiver made by Drake (an Ohio company that designed and made radios in Ohio in the 1950s-1990s). A capacitor went bad, and 1) it was easy to source one -- indeed I had one on the shelf already since it was a common value and 2) it involved removing one cover to both diagnose the problem and resolve it.
Component level repair is harder and harder these days but it REALLY is the most cost-effective way to go.
The radio is back on the desk and works as good as the day it was produced after the repair. Total cost was US$0.00 ... If I had needed to buy the capacitor it would have cost about US$4 or so but as I said, it was a 'common' value and on my shelf.
I would love to get into component level repair, but my understanding of electronic theory is super-rudimentary. Maybe one of these days I'll find the time and the right online courses to get there.
Yeah, there are good tutorials on YouTube on doing board repairs - even microsoldering!
Careful with YouTube. For every good tutorial there are three garbage ones. The problem with unedited, and unvetted 'guides' is that they are unedited and unvetted! If you already have a good background you can easily sift through the chaff and find the 'wheat' but if you don't have the background (as Mr Yoder realizes!) then it is easy to be led astray.
Find a good textbook and start with that. THEN look to tutorials maybe starting with an electronics course before simply jumping into YouTube!
Cool question! My last three victories were: 1) A simplehuman garbage can with a broken foot pedal. The replacement part was more than I would have liked to have spent but the install was easy and the garbage can we got as a wedding present is ready for another nine years. 2) Replacing the beater bar (worn out bearings) on my Kirby Heritage vacuum cleaner took five minutes and made it good as new. 3) Was given a dual core unibody Macbook pro from 2009. A $17 SSD, fan cleaning and Linux Mint install and it is surprisingly responsive for a 13 year old machine. I wish all electronics were as repairable as the original unibody Macs.
#Superhero
Paul, if this chat is still open, I have something that is really well-made: an antique Estey Army Chaplain's Organ, the kind that is pumped with the feet, like pedaling a bicycle. Here's an ironic Repair Success Story. I lead a Song Circle for a club. The Sound System was down in the place we meet, so some members volunteered to dig out their electric keyboards and bring them to accompany the singing. Neither electric keyboard worked. I brought my century-old Estey from home, and it works just fine. This old harmonium has worked since WW 1, when my grandfather played one. It got new bellows recently. It's well-built and easy to repair. Thank God!
Nice one! Thanks for sharing, Cara! More on the portable army Chaplain’s “Field Organ” here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Estey_Organ_Company_Portable_Reed_Organ_Used_During_World_War_I_by_Charles_Atkinson_Bull_in_Service_of_the_YMCA.jpg