It is really useful when you learn to not be afraid and open stuff up when it stops working.
I got a 200 dollar professional paper shredder, that didn’t work, for a couple of dollars. All it took was for me to fix a broken switch on the inside, and it was as good as new.
Hit garage sales and thrift stores. You can load up on tools, and bits and pieces of spare parts, for every little thing you will ever encounter.
Shhhhhhhhhhh.
What’re you trying to do?
I get most of my stuff from ignorant/stupid millenials who don’t know hoe to fix things.
My 2008 Samsung 40” LCD crapped out the other day. Choices were to buy another TV for $400.00 or solder $4.00 worth of capacitors into the power supply board.
You would have thought I turned water into wine from my wife’s reaction when the TV powered up.
Things like this always come down to how much you make. During times when I made less, I did a lot more of my own work around the house. Currently, most projects are just not worth the hassle, when I can easily shop around for good quotes from people eager to do work in this economy.
Nothing more satisfying than fixing something yourself.
Funny thing is, nowadays the younger crowd cannot fix things in the same way that apparently most cannot cook either and are forced to be pre-packaged everything.
Interesting ideas on Millennials getting out of the house and getting married before they’re too old for a family.
Like grandma for instance,
Mr. Fixit story.
I am very thankful that I am married to a man who from a small boy watching his dad repair TV’s, developed wondering how everything works! Most of his work is done at home with computers. So, when the neighbors or I need something it’s a shout upstairs...electrical, HVAC, plumbing, IT, car repair, tractor repair, painting, etc. Of course, each new venture means new tools, haa!
The next new thing will be animal processing as we plan to be the McDonald’s one day soon.
I am not so good with electronics or mechanicals, but I can sew, and salvage a good many items with that skill between repairs and alterations. And can create just what is needed in many instances.
I have reached the point in my career where it makes more financial sense to work more at my job and pay people to do my car/home/appliance repairs. I still prefer to do things myself, possibly to my detriment, because I like to know that if my income dries up I can still maintain my house and car.
I think I would feel much less secure if I lived as the article describes millennials.
My grandson thinks I’m magically endowed when it comes to repairs. If he breaks a toy he instantly announces that I can fix it.
Much of my talent comes from my own grandparents, who lived through the Great Depression. They survived on the “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” New England ethos.
The rest of my skill comes from 15 kinds of glue plus the right tools. A set of miniature screwdrivers is crucial to toy and electronic repair.
It will be worse for Generation Snowflake and here’s why:
1. Generation Snowflake (25 and under) have largely been brought up with a “single mom” who may have actively discouraged biodad’s influence on the children (Google: Dr. Craig Childress) If dad knows how to turn a wrench then mom saw to it that kids would never learn from terrible, eeevvviiiill, “harsh” dad.
2. For the past 30 years or so, trade schools have been dwindling as all the children were pushed toward colleges and universities; which in turn are run by liberal elites who never do any manual work for themselves. Such work is looked at as “demeaning.” (an attitude borrowed from the European Socialists)