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With a little information ANYONE can fix just about ANYTHING at least some of the time.
OK, that may not be too reassuring, but it's important to approach repairs with the right attitude. Failure is often just part of the learning process. If there's a knack to doing repairs, it's taking care not to make the problem worse. An unsuccessful repair should not automatically cause additional damage.
USE GOOD TOOLS
Poor quality tools handled by people unaware of the damage they can do have doomed many repairs. Look at the screwdriver in your hand. Is the blade rounded? Is it the correct size for the screw? Most often failure is caused by the simplest things. Doing the work yourself is an excuse to buy tools. Start small, buy the best tools you can, learn to properly use them, and take care of them.
The best tools may not be the most expensive. I have had very good service out of many "homeowner" grade tools. I favor Craftsman and Stanley Hand Tools, Black and Decker Cordless Tools, Delta Stationary Saws and Sanders. These have all given me the best service for the money spent. I apologize if your favorite brand isn't listed here. There are certainly some that are better quality. I can't justify doubling the price to get a better tool when something more reasonably priced will give good service.
For corded tools (drills-saws) and air tools (nail guns) I prefer to buy contractor-grade tools that are sold at the end of a building season. Many of these may look beat-up, but have plenty of life left for my occasional use. One Bostitch roofing nailer needed a new o-ring kit when I got it. The parts were very inexpensive and easy to install. I get great tools for about 1/4 what they cost new.
DO STAY AWAY from the cheapest tools, especially when it comes to corded power tools. The cheapest tools are just junk and a complete waste of money. You will end up spending a lot more money buying and breaking these. Not to mention the time lost when they break in the middle of a project.
If you must use an adjustable wrench, do yourself a HUGE favor and buy the STANLEY 85-610 - 10" MaxGrip(R) Locking Adjustable Wrench. This looks like a standard 10" adjustable wrench, with a locking lever added to the handle. You tighten the thumb screw to the nut, then clamp it with the latch. The combination of smooth jaws and the locking clamp will not tear up fasteners like other adjustable wrenches and locking pliers.
Another great tool is for anyone who uses an extension ladder. Called levelers, the pair I bought are branded "Ladder Pro". Remove the useless feet that came with the extension ladder and bolt one of these to each side. Now, when faced with uneven ground, just press the latch on the high side and the new foot drops to the ground. Now the ladder is straight, safe, and secure. For around $50 these are worth every nickle. The neck you save may be your own.
I will eventually add links here to other pages by subject as they are created. The BOLD items are working. Check back, I intend to pull the rest together as fast as I can.
BASIC CARPENTRY
CUTTING TREES
DECK BUILDING 101
ELECTRICAL
ELECTRONICS
FLOORING
HEATING and AIR CONDITIONING
INSULATION
LAWN MOWERS
PLUMBING
ROOFING
PROFESSIONAL REPAIRS DO NOT REQUIRE A PROFESSIONAL REPAIRMAN
We are often advised to take things to a professional. This is a pet-peeve of mine. A professional is simply one who is PAID to perform an activity or job. It is generally assumed that someone who earns their livlihood in a particular business would know what they are doing, and care enough to do a good job. Sadly, in many cases (particularly with antiques) you may be better off looking for an amateur or hobbyist if you want the work done right. Many of the techniques used to trouble-shoot and repair are no longer in common use. Want a good laugh? Roll into a garage in a 1969 Chevy and watch the mechanics look for a place to plug their diagnostic computer. The ability to listen, look, and figure out what is wrong, has become a lost art in many repair shops. The computers tell technicians what to replace. If that does not work, they go back to the computers. The customer often pays to replace parts that were not broken. Here's something they don't want you to know, the old trouble-shooting techniques still work, and will take you right to the one part that is broken, rather than replacing everything in the order listed on the diagnostic computer.
A LITTLE PERSONAL HISTORY
I've been taking things apart since I was almost too young to stand up. Curiosity almost killed this cat at a very young age. My mother investigated the scene of the crime and found a table lamp completely disassembled, bulb out, and of course still plugged in. SO, that is how I figured out electricity. Turn lamp on, stick finger in hole, OooohhZIT !
Thankfully, my diagnostic methods and tools have improved over the years. I'm either older and wiser, or my fingers have been burned so many times, they are no longer sensitive enough.
I grew up building plastic and balsa model kits and built a few airplane and boat models from scratch. My first real car naturally led to car repair. I set-up my first differential gear set at the age of 17. The special tools I needed to do that job were less expensive than paying someone else to do the work. The gear set was still working after several years of street use, and weekend drag racing. The same rear end was in my circle track race car for three years and was still working when I sold that car. I still have the special tools today.
At one time or another I've disassembled just about every type of machine, device, or appliance that has passed through my hands. If it breaks, I'm going to take it apart to see how it works and usually try to fix it. My success rate is far from 100%. That's perfectly ok, anything repaired is still money saved.
DANGER lurks in many places when you start turning screws. By the time I pulled a microwave apart, I was already familiar with capacitors. These are basically "canned lightning". They are often used in electronic equipment to stabilize current flow. The charge in the capacitor provides ride-through for momentary sags and interruptions. You DO NOT want to play with them until you are sure they have been discharged! Any charged spring or pressurized container has similar properties. They must be discharged or made safe before taking them apart.
MINITURIZATION has made repairs more difficult to accomplish. Computers and electronics have become more and more miniturized. The first desktop computers had plenty of air around the various components. It was relatively easy to get in there and upgrade components. Every year they get smaller and more powerful, while manufacturer's seem to pay less and less attention to repair. I recently upgraded memory in my NetBook. Getting all those little components and microscopic screws back where they belonged was a trial. Don't get me started on cell phones! They are often just not worth the trouble to try and repair unless the problem is with the battery connection or a flip.
So, while I have had practically zero formal training in any specific field, I do have many years of practical, hands-on, experience at all sorts of repairs. Something I inherited is the ability to soak up practical knowledge first-hand, or from a book. Now with the internet, the answer to just about any question can be on the screen in moments.
TIPS
When taking anything apart, I learned to place each piece in the order and same orientation it was in. Then, when It's time to put things back togethar, the parts will be in the correct order and facing the right way (unless some curious bystander starts fiddling with them). That does happen or there could be a major delay before you can start reassembly. Mission creep can literally add years to a project. I've learned to take pictures of the disassembly process and parts. Thank the Lord for digital cameras, or it would cost a fortune!
Once I started taking digital pictures, it was only a small step to posting them, and a web site was born.
INFORMATION is easy to find. There are plenty of repair sites and forums on the web where you can get specific information for any problem. Search for make, model, year, and the problem you are having. Chances are your problem is far from unique, and you are not the first to experience it. In most cases someone has already fixed it, and posted the procedure. People are great! The web gives us many ways to help each other. It is truly staggering to read some of the forums and realize just how many people are spending hours of their own time helping others, for FREE.
The bad news is that free advice is often worth less than you paid for it, mine included. Hopefully not OFTEN, but I do not claim to be infallible. Most forums on the web are great places to get information, as long as you are patient, and stick around long enough to get the best advice. You don't have to read many posts to figure out which people are giving the best advice.
GET A PERMIT! if you are doing any work on your home or other buildings. Check your local building codes. In most cases you are required to pull a permit, even when you are doing repairs in your own house. You nearly always need a license and insurance if you are doing work for someone else. The process and fees for pulling a permit vary by locality. Depending on the type of work and size of project, you may need sketches, drawings, or even engineering calculations.
Building codes and local ordinances are MINIMUM standards. "Almost to code" is never good enough. In many cases Farm buildings are excluded from permit requirements, but that is no excuse for not building to meet local codes.
If you have any questions, problems with this site, or the information on it, please send me a message at:
kl@myfordtractors.com
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