Make Do and Mend at its finest
Discussion
My grandparents had an electric clock. After years of dependable service, one day it stopped. Grandad had a look at it. My uncle popped in and had a look at it. It was broken. A new one was needed. My gran discovered that if it was turned on its side, it started working again. It stayed like that for years. Twenty past eight looked like twenty five to eleven but they were used to it.
It can go too far. An older neighbour I help out broke the leg off a table she likes to use in the morning.
When I got it in my garage, every joint was wobbly so I knocked it apart to glue up properly. Discovering that her lovely late husband used every combination of screws, brackets, glue and shims to repair it over the years. Including screwing through the table top into the legs and then filling and staining the holes.
What could have been a quick dowel and glue job is now a fun project. Some of the wood on the stretchers is rotten as well so that's being cut away and replaced.
When I got it in my garage, every joint was wobbly so I knocked it apart to glue up properly. Discovering that her lovely late husband used every combination of screws, brackets, glue and shims to repair it over the years. Including screwing through the table top into the legs and then filling and staining the holes.
What could have been a quick dowel and glue job is now a fun project. Some of the wood on the stretchers is rotten as well so that's being cut away and replaced.
I used to get “knackered” Dyson DC04s off freecycle, take them apart, clean the filters, put a new genuine belt on. They worked fine until something went permanently wrong. If I had a spare working one I’d give them to someone who needed one but might not be able to afford one. They usually gave me £10 though. If it broke again, they would donate it back to the “spare parts cause”
I did probably 20-ish.
The requirement/desire to throw stuff out for the sake of a quick rummage in the internals does my head in.
I did probably 20-ish.
The requirement/desire to throw stuff out for the sake of a quick rummage in the internals does my head in.
I always enjoy the challenge of fixing something when it goes wrong. Particularly when someone else wants to charge £500 to do it.
Most of the time all it costs is a £5 component, the odd skinned knuckle and a few well chosen swear words.
And I agree a good rummage in the internals can be a lot of fun....................
Most of the time all it costs is a £5 component, the odd skinned knuckle and a few well chosen swear words.
And I agree a good rummage in the internals can be a lot of fun....................
ARHarh said:
If that was proper make do and mend they would have taken it apart and turned the dial round 90 degrees, or if really cheap and easy they would have made a new paper dial and stuck it to the front 
I can still see them glance at the clock tilting their heads to the left. They sometimes did it simultaneously. Synchronised clock checking. I meant to say the clock was square. Dead trendy when they bought it. And that helped the only-works-on-its-side system no end.
As lads in the sixties we had different levels of mechanical ability. One lad saw us all taking cars to pieces with varying degrees of success and was inspired to rebuild the engine of his scooter when it died. Broken piston rings were discovered. Quick as anything the scooter was back together. We arrived as he was finishing up ready to start it. He kicked it over. Nothing. Not a sausage.
"Did you put new rings in?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"They're expensive and I couldn't see how to do it."
"So what did you do?"
"I fixed the old ones."
"What with?"
"Airfix glue."
Yeah, that didn't work.
"Did you put new rings in?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"They're expensive and I couldn't see how to do it."
"So what did you do?"
"I fixed the old ones."
"What with?"
"Airfix glue."
Yeah, that didn't work.
Kitchen pedal bin. The sort with the liner with a handle on the top. My wife was about to throw out a perfectly serviceable bin because taking the bag out of the liner, the bag always ripped. Reason being lifting the bag caused a vacuum in the bottom of the liner.
I got ungraded in physics, but a couple of seconds drilling a couple of holes around the base of the liner and away we go.
I was quite pleased with myself.
I got ungraded in physics, but a couple of seconds drilling a couple of holes around the base of the liner and away we go.
I was quite pleased with myself.
I love repairing things rather then throwing them away and replacing or paying someone else silly money to fix them
Most modern thing I fixed was the "new" (Just out of warranty) Siemens induction hob. Thought I was going to have to buy a new one as the touch sensitive controls stopped working.
Took it out, disconnected from mains, took covers off and the panel with all of the sensors and chips on looked expensive so I thought I was in for a £XXX.XX bill.
Searched the part number. The whole board was available from Siemens for £10 plus £15 postage.
A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
Very satisfying.
How anyone can make such a complex piece of electronics for that price I'll never know.
Most modern thing I fixed was the "new" (Just out of warranty) Siemens induction hob. Thought I was going to have to buy a new one as the touch sensitive controls stopped working.
Took it out, disconnected from mains, took covers off and the panel with all of the sensors and chips on looked expensive so I thought I was in for a £XXX.XX bill.
Searched the part number. The whole board was available from Siemens for £10 plus £15 postage.
A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
Very satisfying.
How anyone can make such a complex piece of electronics for that price I'll never know.
Whoozit said:
It can go too far. An older neighbour I help out broke the leg off a table she likes to use in the morning.
When I got it in my garage, every joint was wobbly so I knocked it apart to glue up properly. Discovering that her lovely late husband used every combination of screws, brackets, glue and shims to repair it over the years. Including screwing through the table top into the legs and then filling and staining the holes.
What could have been a quick dowel and glue job is now a fun project. Some of the wood on the stretchers is rotten as well so that's being cut away and replaced.
There's 'make do and mend' out of necessity, then there's 'make do and mend' out of wanton pauperism and sheer bloody mindedness, this probably falls into the latter camp.When I got it in my garage, every joint was wobbly so I knocked it apart to glue up properly. Discovering that her lovely late husband used every combination of screws, brackets, glue and shims to repair it over the years. Including screwing through the table top into the legs and then filling and staining the holes.
What could have been a quick dowel and glue job is now a fun project. Some of the wood on the stretchers is rotten as well so that's being cut away and replaced.
Tyre Tread said:
Searched the part number. The whole board was available from Siemens for £10 plus £15 postage.
A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
I did the same with a then five year old kitchen flatscreen TV. The startup was getting longer, interwebs suggested the power board was on the way out. Whip the back off and yes, there is a swollen capacitor (not that I know my electronic arse from my elbow). Second hand ebay board was around £30 IIRC. Plug it in, and the TV is still going strong six years later. A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
Same with a Henry hoover. I've had each of the boost and power switches go and replaced the motor brushes a couple of times. Super easy fixes, the inside of a Henry is however a messy job!
Tyre Tread said:
I love repairing things rather then throwing them away and replacing or paying someone else silly money to fix them
Most modern thing I fixed was the "new" (Just out of warranty) Siemens induction hob. Thought I was going to have to buy a new one as the touch sensitive controls stopped working.
Took it out, disconnected from mains, took covers off and the panel with all of the sensors and chips on looked expensive so I thought I was in for a £XXX.XX bill.
Searched the part number. The whole board was available from Siemens for £10 plus £15 postage.
A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
Very satisfying.
How anyone can make such a complex piece of electronics for that price I'll never know.
It is quite satisfying. Have done loads of bits over the years.Most modern thing I fixed was the "new" (Just out of warranty) Siemens induction hob. Thought I was going to have to buy a new one as the touch sensitive controls stopped working.
Took it out, disconnected from mains, took covers off and the panel with all of the sensors and chips on looked expensive so I thought I was in for a £XXX.XX bill.
Searched the part number. The whole board was available from Siemens for £10 plus £15 postage.
A few days later, new one installed (plugged in a couple of dozen "tamper proof " screws and away we went.
Very satisfying.
How anyone can make such a complex piece of electronics for that price I'll never know.
Best was a full sized Bosch induction hob that had had the glass broken in transit, replacement glass was easy enough to do.
Less than £300 total for an £800 (at least) new item.
I love fixing thing, it's really satisfying when you can fix something for a fraction of the original cost.
The tailgate switch failed on my Freelander2 and IIRC it was over £50 for a new unit.
A quick search on various forums and of course YouTube and I'd discovered the actual micro switch is £4.50 (deliverd to my door) on eBay.
An hour or two later it was working perfectly!
In some ways I guess its like sticking 2 fingers up to the manufacturer, especially knowing how they like to charge like a wounded rhino.
The tailgate switch failed on my Freelander2 and IIRC it was over £50 for a new unit.
A quick search on various forums and of course YouTube and I'd discovered the actual micro switch is £4.50 (deliverd to my door) on eBay.
An hour or two later it was working perfectly!
In some ways I guess its like sticking 2 fingers up to the manufacturer, especially knowing how they like to charge like a wounded rhino.
The exhaust on my van snapped in half recently, surprisingly it's made no noticeable difference to the sound whatsoever.
Having recently moved I have no workshop like I used to so I got some baling twine out of the barn and tied the back half up so it lines up with the front half. MOT is not until next Feb so it'll do until then.
Living as I do out in the sticks in a slightly run down old farmhouse I could fill this thread with my own make do and mends and the ones I see around on a daily basis.
Having recently moved I have no workshop like I used to so I got some baling twine out of the barn and tied the back half up so it lines up with the front half. MOT is not until next Feb so it'll do until then.
Living as I do out in the sticks in a slightly run down old farmhouse I could fill this thread with my own make do and mends and the ones I see around on a daily basis.
Back in the day…80s a mate was really into his hi-fi things and spent good money. Unfortunately somehow his dog got hold of an output cable from his CD player and he couldn’t get it to work again out of one channel. He bought a new player and I offered to take the damaged one of his hands. He didn’t want anything for it.
Took the cover off, a dab of solder. Worked fine. Lasted me several years.
Took the cover off, a dab of solder. Worked fine. Lasted me several years.
TorqueDirty said:
I always enjoy the challenge of fixing something when it goes wrong. Particularly when someone else wants to charge £500 to do it.
Most of the time all it costs is a £5 component, the odd skinned knuckle and a few well chosen swear words.
And I agree a good rummage in the internals can be a lot of fun....................
A few weeks back there was a £550 (when new) Siemens washing machine on freegle. Was only only circa 2-3yrs old.Most of the time all it costs is a £5 component, the odd skinned knuckle and a few well chosen swear words.
And I agree a good rummage in the internals can be a lot of fun....................
Bearings had failed, otherwise was fine. Still had all the stickers on the front.
The bearings were only about £18 but to get to them meant a complete strip down and rebuild of the entire machine.
I was going to go and get it but my wife reminded me that we already had a perfectly operational washing machine and this is how hoarding starts....
Whoozit said:
I did the same with a then five year old kitchen flatscreen TV. The startup was getting longer, interwebs suggested the power board was on the way out. Whip the back off and yes, there is a swollen capacitor (not that I know my electronic arse from my elbow). Second hand ebay board was around £30 IIRC. Plug it in, and the TV is still going strong six years later.
Same with a Henry hoover. I've had each of the boost and power switches go and replaced the motor brushes a couple of times. Super easy fixes, the inside of a Henry is however a messy job!
Same with a Henry hoover. I've had each of the boost and power switches go and replaced the motor brushes a couple of times. Super easy fixes, the inside of a Henry is however a messy job!
Similar job with my daughters TV, 3 Maplin capacitors later (sub £1) it was working again, she replaced it last year about 10 years after I repaired it.
Sometimes you don't get thanks, sowing machine stopped working and a 50p resistor fixed it. She really wanted a new sowing machine.
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