I hate the way the world has become a society in love with throwing things away. If it doesn’t work the first choice is the trash can. If it’s just not as fancy and full featured its trash can bound. At what point did the spark to tinker dwindle. What will happen when the systems of support fail and the option of buying the newer, bigger and better don’t exists?
I did not grow up with tons of money so the upgrade obsession did not affect me until I was out on my own. I got pulled into the have to have the shiny new toy habit for a bit. I finally wised up and managed to do so with no debt. I saw the stupidity of buying the new phone, fastest computer and i-whatever. I returned to my roots of fixing it up and making it last.
Last year my George foreman grill just stopped working one day. My first response was to start working through some troubleshooting on it. When plugged up there was no heat and the power light wasn’t on. I tried another outlet to see if there was power getting to it. No luck on a new working electrical outlet. At this time I checked the power cord for damage. It had none visible damage so I moved on to opening it up. Once inside I saw the problem. Through the slot in the top to turn the heat sector water had got in and caused a short. The wires were quick connects and one end was unconnected and burned. I had a broken vacuum that I was keeping around for parts and it had a spare connector on it. So for no money and a few minutes my Foreman Grill was back working and has worked perfectly since then. Had I thrown it out I would have been easily out $30. I have many things I’d rather spend money on than replacing broken items that can be fixed.
I strongly believe that the tradition of fixing and keeping things working will make a comeback in the decades to come. As times become tough keeping things working and not replacing them will take priority. Start to tinker now. If your going to throw something away anyway take it apart and try to figure out why its not working and if you can fix it. Trust me you will love the pride of know you fixed something and you wallet will thank you.
Do you have the tinkering spirit? Do you fix your appliances and cars? Let me know what you’ve fixed in the comments
Start tinkering is right!
Thank you for a timely article.
Make sure you have the tools to tinker with….. and know how to use them. There’s the soldering iron, that coil of flux core solder, Brazing torch with brazing (welding rods)small specific tools split ring pliers,clamps, Diagonal cutters, center punch, etc. for gadgets , wiring and general tinkering.
It’s damned hard to repair a toaster with a Magazine from an AR15. It would be prudent to try to obtain as much needed tools and supplies now while they are still available. How about a supply of ‘spring wire and learn to make your own springs, or a small vise, rubber or wooden mallet for a gentle nudge. My favorite is a little storage box of washers, small machine screws, nuts and bolts…. Where will these things come from when the SHTF. My wife was very mechanical and she used to say, “Get me a bigger hammer and I’ll fix it”. But sometimes (most times) a little finesse and the right tool is just the ticket to repair a a broken item. We all need to learn too, to scavenge and cannibalize other mechanical devices to make those repairs as you did with your Vacuum cleaner/ Foreman Grill fix. Also, we all need to have a small tool box close at hand with specific repair tools for that ever present ‘fix it’ project.
I too am fed up with the seemingly planned obsolescence of material things today. Times are changing and we will all need to go back to repairing the little necessities of life and not just throw them away, or learn to go with out. The time is coming, (sooner than we think) of that depleted supply chain at our corner hardware or even the big box store on the other side of town when there will be no more replacements.
“I’m sorry sir, that part is on back order” will become an unpleasant refrain.
TinMan
I agree, if you can fix it, you don’t have to replace it – at my house that saves me 20 minutes explaining to my bride why there is another ups package at the door…