Continuing Thread: What Are You Fix-It'ing Today?
 

One thing great about this group, but often sadly lacking "outside", is that folks here fix things. Instead of doing the disposable-discard-replace thing.

I thought we'd have a "continuing thread" about whatever we are fixing now. Anything from cars to computers to toilets to toasters.

If you're doing your part to fight our disposable society, or being self-reliant, or simply being a cheap-ass money-saver, tell us.

Who knows, your tale might save another Pelican some money.

I'll start. I'm fixing my water heater (motor for draft inducer blower fan seized up) for $250 instead of spending $3,000 to have a perfectly good water heater thrown in the trash. And I'm (trying to) fix the Vanagon's no-start. The gasket for the dance company's espresso machine arrived too.

I'll likely have something to contribute to this thread every day! Seems like I spend my life fixing one thing or another.

Today:
We had a 30” pocket door ( half of a 60” pair) that was dragging on one of the skinny, steel-lined studs pocket door kits use to attach the drywall to. The studs the pocket door go in between were all out of alignment. The correct way to fix it would be to cut a big ass hole in the wall to get access to the base of the stud, unscrew it from the floor, unscrew all the drywall, and move it into alignment. And then of course put it all back together.
But I am not Zeke. I took the baseboard off and cut a hole in the drywall to access the bottom of the stud. I rolled the pocket door over onto it's companion's rail. Shoved a 2x4 in between the studs and used a crowbar to bend the crap out of offending stud - enough so the door doesn’t hit it anymore. No screw pops on any of the drywall so far!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552160920.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552160920.jpg

Well, the project thank to the high winds we had a few days ago is fixing my vinyl picket fence. The vinyl "high wind" mounting brackets aren't quite enough for here in the flats. When it gets cold and windy I'll lose a few fence sectons... sooooo.. I bought some aluminum flat stock, aluminum rectangular box that I cut into a channel since I couldn't find aluminum channel, and built my own brackets. I could buy new fence but it's the principle man! I can't give up now.

Interesting. We have pocket doors between living room and dining room. They were sealed up sometime in the last century. It would be cool to get them working again. Few of the original pocket doors in this neighborhood are still working.

On the van, I ruled out fuel (new pump, fuel delivered to rail, spraying carb cleaner doesn't help) so it is spark. The most obvious spark issues are ruled out (new coil, plugs and wires). Nothing obvious in the wiring, meaning nothing is obviously disconnected. I ordered a OBDII reader. Have never used one before but might be easier than trying to diagnose by replacing every last sensor and relay and switch.

Phew,

I just got back in from my garage. I have a 1985 911, and I just finished up on a AC main fan (evaporator) blower upgrade, and a new full adjustable fan blower switch. The factory AC switch has low (is that blowing?) medium (I think I feel something) and full blast. Now I can set it to whatever level I want, and I have a LED light that that tells me if the compressor is running or off.

It is the Griffiths Technology Kuehl Speed controller system along with his aftermarket fan motor has 30% more power blower on max. It is not a simple swap, it has controller boards for the fan switch, and new wiring, and it takes a while to do. I just went for a test drive, and it is only 69 outside so the AC kicked on and it was not long before it started to cycle. Cool, er Kuehl.

Changing the alternator on my E46 M3 which turned into a partial coolant flush

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552171686.jpg

Zeke wouldn't have done anything much different.

Fixed two flat tires (pressure washer and landscape trailer), pressure washed part of my driveway (will do the rest when I fix my truck brakes), repainting fire bowl (heat proof paint - up to 2000 degrees the label says), put in new 4x4 post to support shade cloth over driveway where I park my truck (old post is a steel pole that is bending), never ending gardening tasks - not really work for me because I love doing this, and now making a huge pot of chicken-noodle-veggie soup - I know - not exactly repair work - but I am fixing something - to eat. :D

Wired in 5 can lights, and hung a ceiling . 5/8" drywall, 12 feet up in the air. I'm beat! Also got hot water back on , and repaired a few more water breaks .Getting closer ..
I'll be contributing to this thread quite a bit . I fix things every day ! It is what I do

Trying to fix my pool cleaner. Replaced a couple parts in addition to the normal maintenance but is still having issues, doesn't want to drive along the bottom and keeps leaning or slightly floating.

Frustrating for sure.

Replaced upper and lower loopers on a 1988 Singer serger machine. Fussed around with the timing of the thing for a good 2-3 hours and couldn't get it to work right. Still skipped stitches. Replaced the cheap Chinesium loopers with expensive factory Singer parts and in 15 minutes got it working perfectly. No more skipped stitches. Should be good to go for another 30 years now.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552187645.jpg

My wife spread out 45 bags of mulch yesterday 💪

I spread out 30 bags today 😂

Removed roof rack on my Lexus RX...used factory delete kit

Not really up-fixin der Toyota, but I did add a liter of oil.

Almost 300,000 kilometers and only needs a liter after 5,000 kilometers. Now THAT'S a good engine.

Removing the ignition switch from my mid 80's tractor to either fix or replace.

This house has three single pocket doors and two pairs of doubles. I hate the damn things. In only one application is a pocket door really necessary.
Does anyone know of a reasonably priced way to put a security lock on a pocket door? I want to be able to deny access to a closet when we have a house full of people here.

Fixing broken headlight adjusters, upper grill attachments and replacing the cat, all on the Tristar.

In 1975, after saving paper route money for some time, I bought my holy grail at the time...a Sansui AU-717 integrated amplifier. Now, at age 60, I experienced the first hiccup. The thing must weigh 70 lbs, sounds amazing and has been bulletproof for 44 years.

Woke up yesterday jonsing for some Lee Michaels. Spent 20 minutes digging through racks of albums, found it and fired up the turntable only to have sound come from the right channel only. Checked several inputs as well as A and B outputs...left channel, dead. Damn!

Hauled it out to the workbench, did a web search and had it fixed in 5 minutes. There’s a switch on the back to separate preamp and power amp in case you want to use them independently. Apparently that switch gets crusty over time. A squirt of contact cleaner and a few fast actuations and she sings like new again. Never even had to remove the cover.

What did we do before the Internet? Listening to a Ron Carter LP as I type. Life is good...my beloved AU-717 is back in the rack.

And...here’s the offending switch.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552220930.jpg

Swapping out handguards on my 9mm AR build - which means new barrel nut, fake gas block, etc. get installed.

Unfortunately, PSA's "round" hand guards aren't so I'm trying to figure out "do I sand/file and make it work or wait until Monday and call PSA and complain about out of spec stuff".

These "round" hand guards are so oval that the front end doesn't fit in the end cap, and the back end is a bear to get into the delta ring retainer thingie...

Tore up a window sill removing a window AC unit and finally got around to fixing it yesterday. Removed it, sanded it, retreated the wood and reinstalled.

Today, after the MotoGP is done I have two multi outlet boxes in the basement that have dead plugs. I'm thinking just a bad switch but we'll see later. I know I can replace them for $10 buuuut no I can't.

Just a few of many previous fixes:
-Had a problem with the slding volume level control on the clock radio. A spray of contact cleaner. Also used it to clean the contacts on the mouse buttons. The stuff is great.
-Water heater running out of hot water too quickly. New dip tube and good to go.
-I was getting annoying headaches after reading PARF. Put a few folks on the ignore list and no more headaches. :p

Just happened recently:
-The interior lights in the Carrera wouldn't come one when the doors were opened. Checked everything but could never find the cause. Just recently, for no apparent reason they started working again. Not really fixed by me but a win is a win and I'll take it. :D

Glued the bridge back on the old guitar which had belonged to my FIL. It really isn't much of an instrument, a Minerva sold in the '40s. It had been subjected to the very dry air in their old farmhouse. There were some splits in the back, a couple of loose braces inside and the bridge was coming adrift.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552253730.jpg

I got the humidity levels back up over a couple of months. The pic above is after the cracks closed, then steamed areas, applied glue and clamped using gussets and a fine wire. I made a new brace for one position but will try to salvage the other, as it is under the sound hole. Oh yeah, the machine heads were past it too.
This is the guitar my wife learned to play on. It will never be a show piece, but it won't be tossed to the curb.
Best
Les

Look on the fuse block. As I remember it is the 4th fuse from the side closest to driver. There is a weird white connector. Wiggle it, or jumper it. That was the issue in my 85 Carrera.

Patching a sail, sewing is much harder than expected.

Mostly I’m fixing stuff around the house that my kids and wife break.
But my big project this spring has been replacing the raised garden beds, originally built out of wood, with bricks that my neighbor didn’t need.
Big- back breaking job, mixing cement and mortar. Brick laying is a hard job. But for my first go at it I did ok.
Still need to finish the capstone layer and fence in the other beds.
Hopefully this will keep the dogs out of the garden and I can go back to growing some vegetables.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552278659.jpg

Sliding bolt from top of door into sill, padlock

Yesterday: changed the oil on the M3 (at 100,095 miles), replaced the rear brake pads, bled the brakes, and apologized to the 911 for playing with its younger brother.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552282657.JPG

I hate them also. They actually make keyed and privacy locks for pocket doors. quite a variety on Amazon. They work like a patio door lock, with a hook to a catch plate.

I have this shop light that works great except the power cord is only 6' long. I got tired of having to look up an extension cord every time I wanted to use the light.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552328587.jpg

I tripped over this brand new old school shop light that I've been tripping over for years one final time and was about to pitch it. Image me standing in the shop with a cartoon light bulb over my head.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552328714.jpg

A little snip here..


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552328714.jpg

A little nipping and tucking here ...


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552328714.jpg

voilà!

With this being a disposable society, I am fixing two broken landfills, getting the methane gas produced OUT and turning it into something useful...

Plugs on the RX8 yesterday, I premix the gas which is great for a rotary but makes for filthy plugs. Did a nice job of smoothing out both idle and high RPM operation. Wanted to bleed the brakes but ran out of time, next weekend I guess.

I finished an engine swap on my old rockford tora a few days ago and today i let my dad ride it he didnt make it half way round the house before crashing into my jeep. So I had to fix the fender shifter and foot peg. Again. No video unfortunately

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552341452.JPG
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1552341452.JPG

1. troubleshooting an a/c-heat issue on a 35yo MB 107

2. troubleshooting why my kid's amp isn't playing through the speakers in his car (that I installed)

between taking my daughter out for driving lessons :)

Local house has two of these dogs. Don't even know what kind they are but I love them.

I see joggers running by the house and in two seconds they are putty (the pups) with a little bit of attention.

Off topic but pups are cool:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FuraQCCsKgE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That looks like so much fun! Sorry about your dad. He’s OK?

It is! I built it because i wanted a bike that started first kick and i didnt have to fix something every time i wanted a ride. Before it had a yamaha 175 2 stroke on it with no second gear or kick starter. It was a death trap! Dad is fine i guess he bounces pretty good for a 70 year old :D

Vincent, if you are doing seams or largeish patches, you might want to use double sided sailmakers tape to hold things where you want them while running it thru the machine.
Lay the material out flat and unloaded, then apply the tape to the bottom layer, then place top piece or patch material smoothly in place and press together.

It should now run thru the machine and come out like you asymbled it..

It also helps to orient any patch material with the weave of the surrounding material.

Sailmakers have their machines set into the floor or very large table, which makes it much easier to keep things in place as you feed them thru the machine.
Hope that helps.

Cheers Richard

Golden Retrievers, Bob. Real sweethearts, as you said. Love the vid...lol....

That's a cool looking place you have there in Japan, Dan!