"One of those types who can fix stuff"

[finyuk2005]

my parents attic is full of stuff, radios, food mixers, coffee machines, all in a million bits.... my ratio of pulling apart to getting stuff back together and working again has improved over the years!

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Hence I have a very motley collection of screws, washers, clips and other mysterious fixings.

I thought I was the only one who strips all the useful fixing off stuff before recycling ...I also seem to collect cords with moulded plugs on the end...I need help I think!

 

[Redsailor]

Guilty here. Started at an early age and no remission for good behaviour. Mug looks like it could do with some fixing, must get a "round too it" sometime.

 

[Redsailor]

I thought I was the only one who stripes all the useful fixing off stuff before recycling ...I also seem to collect cords with moulded plugs on the end...I need help I think!

You are a very sad case in need of help! Collecting cords with moulded on plugs? If you need any, let me know, have a box of them.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Like everyone else who has responded....guilty as charged.

 

[frank horton]

what really Pee's me off is having to fix something thats all designed wrong.....ride on mower's esp....

 

[tom2207]

If you cant just fix things ,,, the world must be a very expensive place to live ,, I think most of us take for granted that you lift the lid have a look and a twiddle and off it goes again.

till next time .. lol

 

[colnerov]

Yep I helped a work mate a few weeks ago by servicing his car as he didn't know anyone and didn't want to take it to the dealer.

Full service, all filters including a hellish diesel filter which was below the car. I didn't want much for it but was expecting him to offer beer tokens or a favour... nada. Didn't offer a penny hardly said thanks and drove off. Hasn't mentioned it in work since either.

More recently he was talking about a pile of warning lights now on including brake wear and hinting at me taking care of it on a Saturday again. I said - I'll give you directions to your local garage see what they say....

I'm surprised that he didn't say, "Since you serviced it, all these dash lights have lit up".

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

I think most members on here are similar in that you can take stuff apart and figure out what's wrong and fix it. For me I always was curious on how stuff worked and even at 3 years old I was taking apart my watches etc to see how they worked

I took apart and fixed our dishwasher yesterday it had a burnt wire and dry solder joint. Not a difficult task but I do wonder how many people would have just junked it as a result and not even tried.

Case in point recently where I spotted a diesel heater FS locally. I took it home and fixed it, it was a great deal but when I was in the guys garage (he was late 50s I think) I noticed the wires were hanging out of the 13 amp plug! He said "I was going to take that somewhere and get it changed but didn't get around to it"

I asked why didn't he just open the plug and fix it himself and he said "I've never wired a plug before".

I get that alot at work etc of, oh your one of those annoying types that can fix anything....

It's just bizarre that some people have no interest in fixing stuff for themselves. And also when you can fix stuff you tend to get a name for it and get people asking you to "throw brake discs in their car some Saturday morning" type thing.

I tend to get asked alot of favours by family and friends - does this happen to handy types on here and how do you deal with it? I find that I have little or no time to work on my own stuff let alone others and sometimes they do take advantage of me!

Its easy. They can get on bimbling through their lives doing the things they enjoy, and leaving it up to us types to be put on the spot with a “can you just”. They don’t have any qualms about putting their stuff on other people

We end up not able to fit in the jobs we need to do and the stuff we enjoy because we’re doing other peoples stuff.

 

[Guineafowl]

I thought I was the only one who strips all the useful fixing off stuff before recycling ...I also seem to collect cords with moulded plugs on the end...I need help I think!

I’ve got a collection of power cords saved. Also, if a mate’s car is going for scrap, I pull out all the fuses and bulbs. Also, cut the seatbelts out - they make great lifting straps.

 

[Memmeddu]

I don't care anymore, even took 50 euro for resetting an overload protection once.
Used to no charge money for things like that.
Then learned that wasn't worth at all because of people propensity to find out ways to s@#* you up .
So want me to do a job , money.

 

[MattF]

Yep I helped a work mate a few weeks ago by servicing his car as he didn't know anyone and didn't want to take it to the dealer.

Full service, all filters including a hellish diesel filter which was below the car. I didn't want much for it but was expecting him to offer beer tokens or a favour... nada. Didn't offer a penny hardly said thanks and drove off. Hasn't mentioned it in work since either.

More recently he was talking about a pile of warning lights now on including brake wear and hinting at me taking care of it on a Saturday again. I said - I'll give you directions to your local garage see what they say....

More subtle a response than the one I'd have given him.

 

[MattF]

So want me to do a job , money.

There are occasions where that shouldn't apply, but in general, the best approach.

 

[mtt.tr]

I border into obsession.

If I want to know something I won't be beaten, I will make any spare time disappear with obsessive reading and attempting.
What's great is the more general experience I gain the easier the next challenge is.

I left my last job in April but still speak to the chaps who I feed new ideas to problems to.
Where my unit is im the last person asked because I never have time but I will endeavour to sort the issue.


Truthfully I'm completely mental.

 

[Jan-DIY]

I’m longer at that point of no return.
I will not do anything without adequate salary because I know that if I do not so I’m the only one who’s paying the job.
In general I will take an average of 50€ plus.
I don’t bother with consumer electronics because it is a pain.

 

[JOEPRO]

It seems then that like I expected alot of you are in the same boat as me!

In my family I have several brothers. Some of them are handy like me and others couldn't wire a plug or hang a picture.

They don't get asked to do a thing by my Dad. Indeed my Dad will drive 4 hours round trip to cut their grass for them.

Yet if anything needs doing like a bulb etc I get phoned to go do it. Now I don't mind but sometimes it's just simply expected and expected to be done very quicky was annoys me and my other handy brothers that we are treated different!

 

[Jan-DIY]

My parents are now 70 plus and they ask for everything because they’re lazy because I’m available.
I’m playing the educational game there.
Rtfm.
If I will serve in every situation I will never ever got time for my family.

 

[galooph]

 

[Nomad]

I thought I was the only one who strips all the useful fixing off stuff before recycling ...I also seem to collect cords with moulded plugs on the end...I need help I think!

I started stipping dead mechaincal & electrical things before I was in my teens, often just to see how they were put together, it's still useful now and helps dismantle "sealed for life" units that have died - often it's an easy fix if you can find a way to open them up without smashing the case.

Mains cords with plugs are always handy to have. I got 3x workshop lights today at the fleamarket - a few minutes on each to fit a new cord & plug and they're all working fine

 

[redlig]

Nowt as queer as folk - in the traditional use of the word.

I'm a volunteer driver chauffeuring little old ladies (usually) to and from medical appointments.
Some treat me like a non-English speaking taxi driver.
Some are effusive in their thanks.
Some try to insist on giving me £10 for a £7-50 trip.
last week - a one way deliver to hospital trip. He had been told the cost would be £17-50 as he has to pay the 45p/mile for the whole journey. He tenders £10 saying 'Oh I thought it was only one way'. Then telephones in the afternoon requesting to be collected after all. As it happens I was free so collected him. He then acts surprised that he has to pay £17-50 again.

Fortunately the system makes it easy to decline certain 'clients'!

Like several of you I will at least disassemble something to see how it worked before binning it.
Hence I have a very motley collection of screws, washers, clips and other mysterious fixings.

Which come in useful when I try to fix something.

That's NOT a motley collection it's a spare parts store!!