Do fix broken stuff or buy again?

[Woodwork Journey Dean]

I posted a question about an Erbauer router that I’m trying to fix and it didn’t get any replies, and that’s just one of those things, but it did make me wonder if today’s throwaway society is rife within the Maker community as well.

For me I love to bring life back to stuff, not just vintage hand tools and cool machines from Wadkins. If something is broken I will try my hardest to fix it.
My old crappy Axminster saw now is better than it was out of the factory, my pillar drill came back from the dead. My bandsaw needed TLC and still needs tyres, and my drills and impact driver are still holding on for dear life amongst other things.

Maybe that’s because money is extremely tight, maybe I’m an old hippy, maybe I just have that kind of inquisitive mind.

What about you? Fix or bin when a tool breaks?

 

[okeydokey]

I always fix ... and try to make parts if its not possible to get a replacement. Sometimes reluctantly I buy new and to be honest occasionally when I do I'm pleasantly surprised that the new whatever is better than the original due to subtle design changes. Unless of course the new is made from an unknown and fragile metal made from kit kat wrappers in which case take the good bits from the new and get the old one working.
Just seen the broken graphite ring perhaps it's a bearing/thrust washer of some sort. Computer monitor leads sometimes had the lead wrapped around one of those, - perhaps its an anti interference device.

 

[fezman]

For me Dean, it depends… if the tool is of some value, money or because i like the tool, then definitely fix it if I can. I occasionally buy a cheap tool if its for a one off job and wouldnt look to fix these if/when they break. Anything in between, i’d probably have a go for a while, it then becomes a balance between time spent and the replacement cost. The latest of these was rewiring a hedge trimmer when i erm may have trimmed the cable and not the hedge. I had a similar problem with a Metabo sxe 450 ROS. The cable had split , so ended up taking it apart trimming the split cable and reassembling - well worth the effort as i love that sander.

 

[Bingy man]

For me it depends on the tool in question and its value - not specifically monetary value but what I use it for specifically and can it be easily replaced. There are many brands of power tools that are not worth the time and effort and cost to repair as a brand new replacement offers more value for money. No offence but that’s why I buy the best power tools I can as the opposite is now more likely- I’m more likely to be able to repair an expensive tool than just simply bin it and buy another . I currently have a makita a belt sander and a makita planer that are both over 25 years old each , both have had several replacement parts over those years . My small (rutlands ) shop vac packed up and I stripped it down and re soldered 2 dry joints on the pcb and it roared back into life .. I guess some can be saved others replaced.

 

[Orraloon]

If I can I fix but there are limits like do I have the skill and is the cost worth it. I would also be more inclined to try fixing a good quality tool than a tool that came from Aldi. I quite like the challenge of fixing things and most of my hand saws, chisels, and planes I picked up sometimes in a very sorry state and fixed up to working order. With power tools you can often google how to fix something then watch the youtube clips.
Regards
John

 

[squib]

I have to have a go, a sealed unit is a challenge not to be missed and a cheap power tool likewise, if you can't fix it what have you lost?
Btw my very old erbauer router, bought while on site away from home went up in a cloud of smoke and it was the speed controller.Now it doesn't have one is mounted on an old axi spindle type table with a crank handle drilled through one of the slides to raise and lower it, sounds like a banshee and needs new brushes every couple of years.....it must be about 20 years old and has run miles of beadings off.

 

[clogs]

all my life I've had to fix stuff for a living......not just tools.......
a few things I've learned.......
most repairs are due to money saving accountants and the morons who design stuff messing with stuff they dont understand....
Any firm worth it's salt should make designers actually use and take their stuff apart........
I've worked on million pound plus machines that just needed some practiacal common sence.....

white goods in the home, if they last 3 years without any maj trouble, after that they get replaced......
even expensive equipment the price of parts are kept artificially high.......
just 2 examples, I own a Honda generator thats like new but needs a new voltage staibilizer, if u can find one outside the USA it's 2/3 the value of a new machine....a Sthil chainsaw that needs a new coil pack, again more than 1/2 the value of a new machine.....

I give the repair jobs just an hour or 2 then bin em.....not worth the hastle......
besides where can u buy aftermarket parts if the dealer dont list em.....

I'm afraid other than changing cables etc we'll just have to get used to using the skip.....

I do have a few 1950/60" hand held machines that are rebuildable and still work but I now need muscles like Arnie to use em.....hahaha....

PS my oldest working machine is a 1939 Waskin RS lathe.....

AND STILL LOOKING for a turn of the century fancy band saw like these.......

or this

or even this

have a good weekend.....fixing junk.......

 

[furnace]

I volunteer at the local Repair Café. We receive all sorts of stuff across the bench and many are simple fixes that we can do on the spot. However, if it's more complicated many of us are happy to take items home to diagnose and mend - we all abhor waste and throwaway habits and try to do our bit to avoid waste. If you don't have the time/ability/motivation for DIY fixes, it might be worth trying your local Repair café.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I’m a fixer. I always fix things, unless it’s something I particularly don’t like then I treat it bad till it breaks and buy a better one.
I have a small lathe and mill so able to make small replacement metal parts. I also have a 3D printer for small plastic parts.

 

[hlvd]

Always try and fix if it’s possible and within my skill set.

 

[johnnyb]

all woodworkers have a huge quantity of tools. fact. I'm constantly fixing stuff. last week my replacement triton table router just stopped. I'd tried to fix the other one that stopped while replacing the bearing. so I knew what to check. turns out to be the switch(unsealed design) great I've got a donor machine where something else has gone....wrong switches the same but different sizes. anyway I ended up putting the switch in and taping the gaps then adding an old cooker switch on the outside. bodge bodge.
at least the new switch was rubber sealed.

 

[mwinfrance]

fix whenever possible.
stihl parts ..search farmertec china..good quality, cheap prices..ignition modules and all engine parts even complete engines, other parts too.

 

[Distinterior]

I always try to fix/ renovate wherever possible, both with regard to tools in my workshop and household items.

A case in point a few months ago......My wife's hairdryer packed up ( not a cheap & cheerful model...!) and she said she was just going to throw it away and buy another one ( it was only about 18 months old).
I took it apart, cleaned it all out and just remade an electrical connection as there was a break in the wire from the switch to the motor.
Simple fix ......Saved her spending over £100 on a new one.

 

[hlvd]

all woodworkers have a huge quantity of tools. fact. I'm constantly fixing stuff. last week my replacement triton table router just stopped. I'd tried to fix the other one that stopped while replacing the bearing. so I knew what to check. turns out to be the switch(unsealed design) great I've got a donor machine where something else has gone....wrong switches the same but different sizes. anyway I ended up putting the switch in and taping the gaps then adding an old cooker switch on the outside. bodge bodge.
at least the new switch was rubber sealed.

 

[mwinfrance]

"Saved her spending over £100 on a new one"
£100.00 for a hair drier ....Dyson ?

 

[Distinterior]

"Saved her spending over £100 on a new one"
£100.00 for a hair drier ....Dyson ?

No,...Not a Dyson.....IIRC, it was a "Nicky Clarke" hairdryer. ( Whoever the hell she is...??!)

Edit. I haven't personally had need of a hairdryer for more than 2 decades now....

 

[mwinfrance]

it was a "Nicky Clarke" hairdryer. ( Whoever the hell she is...??!)

Me neither..what sheltered lives we lead..possibly some "flapper" (sp ? ) from that instatokbook thing.

 

[hlvd]

No,...Not a Dyson.....IIRC, it was a "Nicky Clarke" hairdryer. ( Whoever the hell she is...??!)

Edit. I haven't personally had need of a hairdryer for more than 2 decades now....

He’s a famous male hairdresser.

 

[recipio]

I would always try and fix things myself ...........of course that often means buying another tool. I've had a few electrical things fixed like my pillar drill motor that burned out and didn't have much change out of £180. That's a powerful incentive to have a go at DIY.

 

[mwinfrance]

He’s a famous male hairdresser.

Well, as we say here..Je vais mourir moins bête !