Your recent repair? 2013 - 2020

[twolfy]

"I spent 2 hours to restring the dial cord in a vintage Technics stereo receiver. It was my 1st job of this kind. The problem was not in the cord stringing, but in the reassembly of the reduction gear of the variable capacitor gang, which had to be taken off in order to resolder a toothed gear onto the capacitor shaft."

NW-Bound
Thanks for reminding me of and old Transoceanic radio where I need to repair the cord dial also. Freezing outside so will make a good indoor project. First i need to dig it out of my freezing garage.

 

[NW-Bound]

It took me a while to find the right cord for the job. The original cord is a special kind, thin but strong because it has a core made of fiberglass strands.

I almost ordered from radioantiques-dot-com, which is cheaper than from eBay, when I scrounged around and found a thin but not too stretchy nylon cord that was the inner strand of a scrap rope.

 

[twolfy]

So much damn snow. Parts for my snowthrower are on a national backorder. My neighbors snowthrower wasnt working either and he is sick. I was able to fix his (split gas line and torn drive belt) . Using that one now to do both our driveways. Getting dumped on again tonight.
C'mon Springtime!

 

[Walt34]

Okay, I haven't actually done the repair yet but I'm just thrilled that we don't have to buy a new washing machine.

In the agitator cycle it started making a grinding noise, like worn gears catching. In addition to other unprintable things I'm thinking "transmission gone, trash it". But a brief search led to a couple of appliance repair sites and a Youtube video that shows it's a five-minute repair. The cost for parts from Partselect.com is $3.46 and $7.49 for shipping. (And, I assume, keeping track of the inventory for the little buggers.)

I looked at the agitator dogs, and yup, they're worn. If I was really cheap I could file new teeth in them I guess.

Hey, anytime I can fix a major appliance for under $20 I'm happy!

Kenmore Washer Agitator Barely Moving - Model 110.28902790 - Easy fix - YouTube

 

[GravitySucks]

Finally got around to replacing the kitchen drawer boxes. Had a defacing estimate that included new boxes for over $9,000. Instead a set of 7 drawers was $400. Add $20 for stain, varnish and sundries along with 40 hours of labor made the kitchen look close to new. Definitely looks better than the refacing would have.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[spncity]

Latest repair - Shoe Goo into the places where the walking surface of the sole is coming apart on one of of my most comfortable pairs of shoes. Doesn't look all that elegant, but it's on the bottom. (The shoe repair shop says it's not something they can fix.)

For those who like to be guaranteed they can get their favorite boots repaired, they can take a page from one of our relatives who bought a pair of Danner boots, wore the sole smooth, and just sent them off to be redone. Not sure if every style in the line is re-craftable.

Recrafting :: Danner Standards

Hers were not cheap - none of the Danner boots are - but I guess she balances it out with the $5 cowboy boots she got at the blg flea market while visiting Texas.

Kindest regards.

 

[Htown Harry]

DD's laptop developed a screen problem a couple of weeks ago. I took it by the shop and asked the repair desk what they thought the problem was. They said the screen was "cracked" in the LCD. They made no promises, but estimated about $200 - $250+ to get it working again.

I made the spot decision to try to repair it myself.

I checked out a YouTube video that made a screen swap for her model look pretty easy, so I ordered a replacement screen for less than $100 on eBay. It arrived in a few days.

The laptop is now working again, but it was a four-hour ordeal involving dis-assembly of everything but the motherboard. The level-of-difficulty rose considerably when I discovered I had looked up a video for the wrong HP "DV" model. The actual repair video for my exact model was created by a guy who recorded from a fixed camera, with no audio. Worse, he sped up the demonstration using his video editor, making it difficult to see some of the critical steps.

I'd say it was about a 7 out of 10 on the Htown repair difficulty scale, measured against things I will attempt.

There were three extra screws left over at the end, but I made it through somehow. At least I got to catch some good NCAA playoff games while I was working on it.

Not bad for my first try on a computer build or repair. The best part? DD is so happy and impressed she has volunteered to do spring cleanup on the yard tomorrow so I can watch more basketball.

 

[imoldernu]

Repairs are little adventures, that make life interesting.

About a month ago, the temp went down to -30F... The dishwasher was running and began to growl... going from wash to rinse. then louder and louder.
Immediately recognizing it must be a frozen pipe.. (outside wall)... shut it down turned on an electric space heater and waited til the next day. Turned the dishwasher on, it emptied and rinsed.
Next day, warmer... that night turned it on again... and rumble, rumble, growl.
DW turned it off and ten minutes later turned it on again, it rinsed and all was right with the world.

Now, my DW is long suffering, and will do anything to avoid annoying me, so for the past month, she has been baby sitting the dishwasher. For me, out of sight, out of mind.

Last night... "Did you see that Sears has a 30% off sale on Dishwashers?"

Ummm.. No... How much?

DW... "$500"...

The frugaleer heard the $$$ and about died... Add Install and shipping.. we're talking $650+.

Looked up "growling dishwasher" and... sheer Genius!!!. Air block in the drain hose... loop from dishwasher to drain lower than the exit end of the hose...
NAW... Can't be... But yeah... the long hose loop had dropped down from where it had been wedged... (likely due to ice weight), and caused an air blockage during the empty, so the drain motor wouldn't shut off. Pushed it back up into place, and VOILA!!! Just like New York... worked perfectly.

DW has recognized the DIY EXPERT that she sleeps with, and I now have to find a place to spend the $500+ that I saved.

Yep... LIFE IS GOOD!

 

[Walt34]

... and I now have to find a place to spend the $500+ that I saved.

There is a section on that line of thinking in the book "Predictably Irrational".

But yeah, I've done it too.

 

[jazz4cash]

Dishwasher Repair-Home Warranty

Finally had my 1st Home Warranty issue when 12 yo dishwasher quit draining completely. I have been pretty satisfied with the HW on 3 prior calls. The HW company was excellent, but the guys they sent out were not very good. First crew came out diagnosed faulty circuit board. Ordered part, arrived in 2 weeks. Installed new board. Same problem.....must be the pump. Ordered part, arrived in 2 weeks. Install new pump. Same problem. Diagnosis is now "unrepairable". Called HW company and they referred me to thier "Top Gun". TG comes out, asks a few questions and diagnoses a faulty check valve. Cleans check valve and declares victory and leaves within 20 min, EXCEPT machine is still not draining completely. I did not get a chance to inspect the check valve, but it seemed like something you would automatically replace after going through the effort to remove it. Sure enough I go back in and find the rubber seal is completely disintegrated. It's a $15 part so I went ahead and ordered one online and replaced it myself. The HW company called on routine followup and I explained the whole deal. (At this point I am concerned they will not renew me.) They paid at least $400 in parts alone and I only paid a single $60 deductible (plus $15 + shipping for the actual part). They reviewed the history and declared the failed part was NOT COVERED by the warranty. I am pretty sure they just decided they were not gonna spend another dime on this repair. I am actually pretty satisfied with the whole process and they have since renewed my contract at the same rate ($54/month). I know Home Warranty contracts are not popular with many folks on the board and it is true there is a downside in terms of selection of repair personnel.

 

[sengsational]

Removed 4 super tiny screws from the weatherstation sending unit while perched on the peak of my house in 10 mph gusts. Replaced the batteries while holding the vane at due north. Replaced the battery cover and the 4 screws. All the time I was doing this, I was wondering who thought this design was a good idea!

Oh, and I cracked the brittled plastic on one arm of the anemometer, so I went back up after mixing some 5 minute epoxy. I just had to hold it in place for 5 minutes while the wind tried to sweep me off the roof.

 

[Donzo]

I have been working on/getting my Jeep Wrangler TJ ready for summer. I changed the gear oil in my manual tranny, engine oil, The ATF in the Transfer case, gear oil in both Differentials and put in new spark plugs - some of these tasks are pretty tricky and fun/rewarding to complete...not to mention the hundreds of dollars saved by doing it myself, using the best products and knowing it was done right! Still need to flush the radiator then I'm all set.
All this and only one "skinned" knuckle

 

[ERD50]

I know Home Warranty contracts are not popular with many folks on the board ...

Well, the general advice of not insuring what you can afford to replace has always seemed sound to me. Unless those insurers can get really good volume discounts, they have to make a profit on you above what you give them.

And nothing in your post made me feel any different, quite the contrary...

... The HW company was excellent, but the guys they sent out were not very good. ...

? I guess I'm confused, if the repair people were not good, isn't that pretty important to the whole overall measure of 'excellence'? Or is this like the people who like their FA because he/she is a 'nice guy/gal' that sends them a birthday card?

TG comes out, asks a few questions and diagnoses a faulty check valve. Cleans check valve and declares victory and leaves within 20 min, EXCEPT machine is still not draining completely.

It takes a 'Top Gun' to diagnose a check valve? That is an elementary step in Dishwasher 101. And then he doesn't even verify the fix by running a drain cycle? That isn't a 'Top Gun', that is a 'shot gun' approach to troubleshooting! Maybe, possibly, giving a lot slack here, OK on the first attempt - but on the third call? Totally irresponsible.

I did not get a chance to inspect the check valve, but it seemed like something you would automatically replace after going through the effort to remove it. Sure enough I go back in and find the rubber seal is completely disintegrated. It's a $15 part so I went ahead and ordered one online and replaced it myself. ... I only paid a single $60 deductible (plus $15 + shipping for the actual part).

So you paid $60 , plus the contract rate for a $15 part you could (and did) replace yourself? And were w/o the dishwasher for 4 weeks?

The HW company called on routine followup and I explained the whole deal. (At this point I am concerned they will not renew me.) They paid at least $400 in parts alone

So they pay $400 and haven't fixed a problem that you fixed for ~ $15, and you are concerned they will not renew the contract? Seems they should be the ones concerned about whether you think you are getting any value from this. Where do you think they get the money to pay $400 for incomplete repairs? From their customer's fees!

They reviewed the history and declared the failed part was NOT COVERED by the warranty. I am pretty sure they just decided they were not gonna spend another dime on this repair. I am actually pretty satisfied with the whole process and they have since renewed my contract at the same rate ($54/month).

They decided it wasn't covered? How convenient! And they renewed your contract? Who is in control here?! With your money!

Heck, I can make a lot of mistakes for $54/month, and I don't have to schedule and wait for a repair person three times to not get something fixed!

Unless you get a lot of positives the rest of the year, year in and year out, I really have to wonder about that $650 annual expense.

-ERD50

 

[aja8888]

I don't buy "extended warranties" or "appliance repair insurance". I'll stay self insured for occasional losses. Think of saving $650/year for 10 years ($6,500) and you can buy all new appliances and have some cash left over for a new flat screen TV.

 

[Rustic23]

Not a repair I tried, but a neighbor. Climbed a 20 foot latter to trim a palm tree. Results:

Two exploded heels
Two crushed ankles
One broken leg

One palm tree still needing trimmed

 

[Donzo]

A tip for any of you that work on your vehicles. If you get drips or an oil spill on your concrete - get some Super Clean foaming cleaner (purple spray bottle). O'Riellys had a buy 1 get 1 free last week. This stuff really works! I spilled a few ounces of gear oil on the driveway - used news paper to get most of it up and then sprayed this stuff on. Let it work for 5 minutes and spray it off with water - not a trace/stain at all. First stuff I found that works.

 

[FreeAtLast]

My water line coming into the house sprung a leak. I live in S. florida and the outside pipes are only about 6 inches below the grass as there is no freeze. The water was pooling in the side yard and I thought it was the sprinkler so I shut it off. A week later the water was still there so I checked my water bill ad the prior month was very high.
I had a plumber fix the leak and put in a new main shut off valve.

 

[redduck]

I replaced the batteries in the mouse for my computer.

 

[Telly]

I replaced the batteries in the mouse for my computer.

LUXURY!
We only had a wind-up mouse for our computer!
I SAY it was a computer, but it was more like an abacus with some broken beads and bent wires, but it was a Computer to US!

Latest repair - replaced two power door lock motors that had gotten sticky on a 20 year old vehicle. Turns out somebody had previously replaced one of them years ago, and did some minor butchering while they were in there.

 

[scrinch]

Abacus! Extravagance! When I was a kid we had to count on our fingers 'n toes. If the sum got above 17 we had to borrow some from our neighbors.

I recently had to squirt epoxy into the little ringer atop our LG refrigerator. It kept ringing off and on for days as though the door was left open, and nothing else would shut it up!

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Texas Proud]

Paid way to much for someone to come and change a switch on our stove...

 

[RetiredAndFree]

A broken hinge on our over-the stove microwave has led to a complete appliance re-do, but at a price I can live with. In researching the cost to purchase trim kits for the side panels of a new stainless steel microwave, I discovered door panel kits for our dishwasher, taking it from black to stainless for about $30, and then went on to locate stainless steel replacement panels for our double oven.

So it looks like I can replace and convert three black appliances to stainless appliances for well under $1,000, including cost of installation. (Fridge already stainless). I'm very happy, and I think it will result in a nice touch-up for my kitchen without needing to do an entire remodel.

 

[samclem]

In researching the cost to purchase trim kits for the side panels of a new stainless steel microwave, I discovered door panel kits for our dishwasher, taking it from black to stainless for about $30, and then went on to locate stainless steel replacement panels for our double oven.

So it looks like I can replace and convert three black appliances to stainless appliances for under $1,000, including cost of installation. I'm very happy, and I think it will result in a nice touch-up for my kitchen without needing to do an entire remodel.

I thought stainless was on the way out? I was proud to have missed that trend (along with Windows ME, Vista, and Betamax)

$30 to do a 'fridge. And, when it gets a ding, just put on some Bondo, sand, and apply more paint. It could be used to turn a Fiat X1/9 into a mini-DeLorean!
On a more serious note, good luck with the kitchen facelift.

 

[aja8888]

LUXURY!
We only had a wind-up mouse for our computer!
I SAY it was a computer, but it was more like an abacus with some broken beads and bent wires, but it was a Computer to US!

Latest repair - replaced two power door lock motors that had gotten sticky on a 20 year old vehicle. Turns out somebody had previously replaced one of them years ago, and did some minor butchering while they were in there.

Mouse batteries! Pure extravagance for sure...and the abacus beads....a wise, but expensive choice too. We use old buttons grandmother saved in a jar during the depression to use in our abacus rather than buy beads.

Yesterday's repairs/maintenance:

Changed the oil/filter and fuel filter in my diesel Jetta @ 10,600 miles (on the oil).

Finished building and installing a new 8' x 2' elevated shelf in our garage to add to storage capabilities.

Today: will hang two new ceiling fans to replace old, squeaky, unbalanced builder-supplied units.

 

[aja8888]

I thought stainless was on the way out? I was proud to have missed that trend (along with Windows ME, Vista, and Betamax)

$30 to do a 'fridge. And, when it gets a ding, just put on some Bondo, sand, and apply more paint. It could be used to turn a Fiat X1/9 into a mini-DeLorean!
On a more serious note, good luck with the kitchen facelift.

I thought it was too? Most upgrades around these parts are back to colored panels due to the above and getting tired of smudges/fingerprints. But stainless still looks great.