What was the last thing you repaired?

This thread proves that the old fashioned repair and mend attitude of old isn’t quite dead. Also the availability of spares open to those that have a mind to do it has allowed me to keep certain things running that others I know would have just bought a new thing and thrown something repairable away.

While a lot of stuff has got worse in terms of disposability/lack of repairability, widespread internet has certainly made finding spares easier when they exist, and things like YouTube videos have made figuring out how to fix things much easier. A couple of years ago, my boiler was leaking. I found a YouTube video of someone repairing the same fault on the same model of boiler, including which parts needed replacing. Googling the part numbers helped me track them down at a local plumbers’ merchant. Cost about £15 to fix.

I seem to remember there’s new legislation forcing white goods manufacturers to make spares available, and make fixing them easier without voiding any warranty. So there’s hope yet.

Not me who actually fixed it but I was there and I gave them a hand…

From this

To this
This wasn’t good enough for me

So now like this until they pull the K Wires out on Wednesdsay

The casing of the TV remote from the cottage we stayed in last week. The cottage may have been dog friendly, but the dog clearly wasn’t cottage friendly…

No pics, but my repair was an homage to Gorilla Glue and Sugru.

Kettles are almost universally shitbags, probably in the Shitbaggery Top Three along with toasters and printers. Well played, CZ.

It’s not quite in the league of washing machines, mowers, tumble driers, coffee machines (or hands for that matter) but the rim of my specs split open a few days ago and the lens promptly fell out. Been wearing old spares for a bit; pishing rain outside all day means I’ve found a while to carefully apply a bit of araldite to the frame and the edge of the lens. Hopefully it’ll at least cobble them together long enough to last until I can get to the optician and organise replacements.

Our greenhouse after Eunice visited.

Last thing i repaired was the garage window, removed the framework to fit new wooden frame, so that i could stick a cheaper window i found local into it.

Usually repair stuff all the time, from kids toys needing resoldering or rewiring, to water damaged external lights and crap, put up a temporary lean to last summer, have this summer to now do it a bit more permanent, reason for the temp job was just to see how the structure worked for us.

I’ve just re-siliconed the shower cubicle if that counts.

Replaced the suspension top mounts on the Mini yesterday. Pretty pleased with myself for that one, def the biggest job I’ve done on a car so far.

Following on from my recent (BMW) Mini repair above…

I’ve done quite a few fixes to it since buying it last June;

– Repaired the motor that controls the drivers electric window (involved dismatling much of the door)
– Repaired gear linkage
– Stained and resealed roof (mohair, convertible)
– Replaced drivers door check strap
– Replaced a duff parking sensor
– Replaced battery in spare key (soldered in, very finicky)

The brakes are binding a little, so once the weather improves, thats the next job. There’s also still an intermittent issue with the parking sensors which needs tracking down.

661 knee pads with a bit of sewing.

Put a new radiator in the blingo. However, I could only get 4litres of antifreeze in it,and the system holds 8l, so I mustve missed something
And the circular saw at work wasnt circulating the cutting fluid so I took the pump apart and cleaned it,works fine again now

Sewed the crotch in some trousers
Replaced the accessory holder on the Dyson
Redid the silicon round the bath
Tightened the toilet flush handle into the cistern at work
Installed a stairgate on my toddlers room
I lose track of the things I fix because of my 2 year old’s enthusiasm.

Fence. It isn’t going anywhere anytime soon due to the immense strength of my repair. Apparently it looks “Horrendous” according to the boss but even storm Eugene and their twin sisters can’t shift it now! #proud #WishIknewhowtopostphotossoyoucouldlaugh

Wahoo Kickr. Last bearing change and new key lasted a few 1000km.

Oven flashing an error code at you? Someone on YouTube has probably made a video explaining why and how to fix it.

I had this with my dishwasher recently – googling showed that the error code was a blocked pump, and the likely cause was something stuck in the filter. There was something stuck in the filter – the foil from the top of a wine bottle had fallen in there. Easiest fix ever.

Less easy was my recent road tubeless experience. Not a repair as such, but logging here in case it helps anyone else. I’d noticed that one of my road tyres was fitted backwards, and in any case the sealant was due for a top up so I thought I’d refit the tyre while I was at it. Big mistake.

The tyre resolutely refused to pop, even with the valve core removed, soapy water applied, and using a CO2 cartridge. I then tried a friend’s compressor, with exactly the same result. Next was trying an inner tube, even then the tyre wouldn’t completely pop all the way round, this was at 120 psi. My next effort was a different tyre, again with a tube. This popped, so I left it overnight. The next day, I carefully levered one side off, removed the tube, fitted the tubeless valve, refitted and pumped the track pump with teenage enthusiasm. Success! The unsuccessful tyre was a Schwalbe One, and the successful tyre was a Hutchinson Fusion 5.

Last night: Lowers service on some Fox 34s.
Later this week, once the new thermostats arrive: the espresso machine
Ongoing: redecking a Claridge-built International Europe dinghy. Currently stripping it down and taking the topsides back to bare wood, patterning the foredeck, main bulkhead and mast enclosure bulkhead and wondering if I’ll be able to get the dings in the hull refilled in time to sell it before the Nationals in June. It’s one of two Europes in the household – luckily the other one is in good shape. I’ve got my eye on a Lange hull in need of work next so I can finally get away from composite boats.

@alric

Put a new radiator in the blingo. However, I could only get 4litres of antifreeze in it,and the system holds 8l, so I mustve missed something

Airlock?

maybe- how do i find out? I dont know that the fan actually works, and i did what haynes suggested bar the ‘engine block bleeder’ which i didnt find
Also the turbo on the blingo was on the blinko. I cant get at it so I sprayed the EGR and thatfixed it after a while, but it also goes into limp mode (?)- less than 3000rpm- when it gets wet- so I need to spray the engine sensors with something again

@alric  I think you need to find that engine block bleeder. Maybe ask on an owner’s forum?  Running the engine with a big airlock is very likely to overheat parts to a damaging degree.

id agree if Id managed to get the engine temp above 80 ever. I do try sometimes.
Thers nothing quite like sitting there at 99mph all day, to make you want to warm the engine up

The diesel injector pump on my digger has been leaking for a while so tried to get someone to recondition it. No chance. Everywhere full for months ahead. Found a place doing all the bits for a full rebuild and a couple of YouTube videos and thought why not give it a go. How hard can it be?

Very, is the answer.

Still I eventually got it all back together and found it didn’t work. Took it all apart again and rebuilt with alignment marks 180 degrees out and tried again. Bingo!

Probably the most stressful repair I have ever done and took a good 6 hours or more.

Miele vacuum cleaner flytipped next to a box of junk. Broken bag holder and had been used without a motor filter but otherwise sound. Stripped, cleaned, missing parts ordered.

Will go on eBay.

@alric Sorry, I’ve never had to do it, so not sure of the specifics on the blingo. As Greybeard says, berlingoforum.com is your friend. Re. the turbo, yes, sounds like a damp electricals problem somewhere. If the turbo is actually on the blnk, a CHRA replacement is fairly straightforward. This is from memory of donig it on the 1.6HDi, which I presume you’ve got, though could well be different on later variants anyway.

Nice one @b333k34 !

Mrs TNW pulled the dishwasher top rack out – rack falls off rails. Wheel has come out of rail. Closer look: end stop has come off rail. Find end stop in bottom of dishwasher. Metal pin holding end stop has corroded through. Replace pin with artfully bent welding rod. Job jobbed.

A rear wheel which was mangled by rear derailleur needing 8 spokes replaced and trued. My first self repaired wheel.

Part done last weekend and put in frame and realised dish was out but not enough to stop riding.

Made a dish tool this weekend and fixed the dish. Satisfying job which I’d built up in my mind as top difficult for me.

bled the dropper lever, finally, works like new
Ikea type drawer was falling apart so some woodglue and its all good
got a bluetooth 5 dongle, now my headphones and keyboard finally work. Fixed the Display Port issue on the computer, now my ‘broken’ monitor works!

Repaired the eldest lad’s treasured Yoda lightsaber he brought back from Disney in Florida a few years ago. It split at the bottom and required dismantling, trimming of the blade and associated lights with a bit of light soldering before drilling and cutting to allow it to be reassembled. Works perfectly but is now about 3-4 cm shorter.

Best bit was he helped and used a few tools as we did it together

TV remote. Not sure what the plastic is (recycling group 7) Superglue to begin with, reinforced with epoxy, just in case 🙂

Turned 3 old and/or very knackered rear mechs into a single fully functional mech for the hack bike, now have indexing that works on all 9 gears instead of 6 or 7 and some kicking. 30 minutes work. Got the bits for a hope vision 2 rebuild in a bag downstairs, not been touched for 3 years, but needs doing.

Exterior security light required new lamp (5×7 LED array) as one had popped, rendering the whole thing useless. 12 euro from a local electronics supplier and a tweak of the circuit board (new array uses slight less powerful LEDs.) saved me 160 euro for a new one. (live in the middle of nowhere, without the security light its dark out there).

Next one is the flood and spot lights on the deck, this winter hasn’t been kind, couple of joints need redoing, and an LED driver or three is needed, thankfully they are only a couple of euro each.
Plus some new woodwork on the roof (did the garage a couple of years ago, the house roof needs doing now, hopefully can manage without scaffolding. Also going to remove the external shade on the first floor window that’s been flapping around for 3 years, spares are about €450, i’ve not used it for 10 years (probably why it’s dead)

One of the cane seats in my Old Town canoe went through last week during some litter picking on the canal.
Not really sure why they use cane but anyway..

Weaved me up a new one with some polypropylene webbing. 🤘😊🤘

Have to do the other one now too.

Last thing? That would be the doorbell. Vacuumed out the fluff, lightly lubed the bolt and stretched the spring a little.

Now we no longer get the randomly timed second tone long after the caller has left.

Saw your canoe seat on Instagram kayak23. We’ve got an old but useful little raffia covered stool that’s going the same way, I might copy that. Are they all individual lengths stapled to the frame?

Saw your canoe seat on Instagram kayak23. We’ve got an old but useful little raffia covered stool that’s going the same way, I might copy that. Are they all individual lengths stapled to the frame?

Ah, cheers. 👊
Yes, initially I was going to go for a continuous wrap style.
Having bought 10 metres of webbing I assumed it would be plenty.
Nope.
Not enough.

Bought 50 metres instead and used an individual length approach.
Works really well.

You can see the attachment on the underside here.

It’s dead easy actually.
I think I’m going to have to make a stool like it now! 😊

Found a dewalt sliding mitre saw in a skip with the flex cut off last week, figured I would take it apart and see if the motor had burned out as they can be replaced relatively cheaply.
Nothing suspect found so I added a new flex and it works perfectly, even the blades decent.

I love skip dipping.

I finally solved the annoying creaking whilst pedalling on my commuter/gravel bike.

First thought was bottom bracket, and bearings were indeed trashed so replaced, but still it creaked on.

Pedals off and regreased…still it creaked on.

Seatpost/saddle off, everything greased and reassembled…still it creaked on…

Check cassette lock nut…still it creaked on…

Give up and put up with it for a year.

Noticed that one of the bolts on the rear rack was a bit loose. Tightened…and the creak dissappeared.

Aaaargh!

The other day I pulled a little old timing clock (what they used to use for time and motion studies) out of the skip at work. Big clear out going on. I like the look of it and could also find it useful for excercise timing. Anyway it was totally seized up so I brought it home, took the back off and a few liberal doses of GT85 had it running nicely. I just need to work out how to calibrate it now as it is a tad fast.

I just need to work out how to calibrate it now as it is a tad fast.

Bung a picture up of the movement, someone will probably help. I’ve done various clocks and watches, it’s not generally hard. Clock Tuner app on your phone might help.

Actually, put up a picture of the whole thing, I’d like to see it.

Just finished taking out and clearing the jets on the gas hob.

I finally solved the annoying creaking whilst pedalling on my commuter/gravel bike.

My desktop (mini-tower) PC just fits between my desk and the bookcase next to it. Desk – PC – bookcase – fitted wardrobe takes up that entire wall, I couldn’t have designed it better. If the room was 2mm shorter it wouldn’t have fit.

There seems to be some sort of weird edge case situation where if I put my hand on the desk next to the mouse, the PC buzzes / vibrates. It’s so tight on tolerance that if I try to replicate it with my other hand so I can listen for it, I can’t; yet so loose that I’ve had the PC out and in bits multiple times and wedged bits of card here there and everywhere but it’s made no difference. Something as simple as putting my hand on top of the case stops it, momentarily. It’s driven me round the bend, this has been going on for over a year.

I finally tracked it down this week. It’s one of the plastic blanking plates covering a 5.25″ drive bay.