For the Dads out there-do you repair toys?

[Oh Haha]

My kids seem to break toys constantly so I am being asked to fix them constantly.

The kids come to the garage with me and I tell them what I am doing, like a doctor, so they feel like they are helping.


Do you guys repair if possible?


Today, I fixed a rubbery Ariel toy that had lost her tail.

This toy had a wire running up through it as to allow for bendability. The wire had broken in half taking the tail with it.


My solution? First idea was to "lose" it but wifey said that would cause some issues.

So I inserted a wire into the tail and the body and then fused the rubber together with a lighter. Ariel suffered some minor scarring but my little girl is thrilled. I am a hero.


Thank you, thank you very much.

[Zeke]

Repairing toys is good. I imagine a lot of men and women don't have any ability with tools and therefore do not fix the toys. They then trash them or send them to the charity where they can be fixed.

My stepson doesn't know a flat screwdriver from a Phillips. All he knows is his golf driver. His wife has a pretty good tool box and can do quite a bit of fixing.

[masraum]

Repairing is good. Besides not having to spend the money for new stuff, the kiddos see you doing it and that makes an impression. Too many people these days are clueless about being handy. Kids need to see it.

My stepson is clutzy and not mechanically inclined. My stepdaughter is like-minded with me. She's handy mechanically and technologically. Her boyfriend relies on her to keep his computer running. She'll be fixing stuff around their place when it needs it.

[MT930]

When my Kids were little I was constantly fixing toys and other things around the house. My kid's could tear up an Iron Ball ! I am not much better. I buy West system epoxy by the gallon.

[Oh Haha]

My daughter says when something breaks, "Daddy will fix it."


I hope these moments will be something they talk about when they get older.

[Oh Haha]

MT930:

What is this West sytem epoxy?

I may need to dial into your source.

[MT930]

http://www.westsystem.com


I use it for all types of repairs I learned about it 20 years ago building boats.

I used it on my 930 fixing the third brake light last winter. It has a very long shelf life. Check out the site and repair ideas.

[Oh Haha]

Sweet. Thanks.

[Rick V]

Yeah but as the kids grow older they toys get more complex. I fix my sons Volvo all the time.

[911Rob]

I can't think of the last time i fixed a toy? But my son was always the fix-it guy. Give it to Blake and he'll fix it; my wife still utilizes his services today.

When I bought my H1 there were all kinds of little things that needed fixing up; it was so cool, he took the seats out, removed the door panels, tightend and tweaked up everything, vacuumed it all out, polished it and put it back together. I was so happy.

so I guess my son is fixing his Dad's toys

[sammyg2]

Yep, all the time. But as my son gets older the toys get more complicated and harder to fix.
I'm not all that good with micro-circuitry.

[fastfredracing]

I attempt to fix everything, it even seems as if my three old year old has taken an interest in " helping " to fix things, He loves to help smack it with the hammer, or scratch it with the screwdriver, but I figure this is helping to instill some good traits in him at an early age.
I am one of those guys who loves to get good deals on broken things, and fix them up. It has usually been cars, but I notice I have been doing it with the kids stuff as well.
My girlfriend jokes and says that it is because I am cheap, but I actually get some sort of twisted satisfaction from repairing things, and the enjoyment I get out of it far outwieghs the money I save.

[KaptKaos]

We went through a phase with our daughters when they were younger where we avoided all toys with batteries and/or that were made with plastic. I have about 60 wooden toys. Some have required repairs, but they're fixable. Hopefully, we can hand them down to our girls one day.

[Dave L]

The kids mostly play with Playmobile and Lego so there arent too many repairs needed but I do try to fix as much as I can and show the kids how to look after their stuff so it doesnt break. I did fix a hole in my sons spiderman costume last night with a sewing machine. Its a diesel powered sewing machine

[KarlCarrera]

With all the kids I was always fixing a toy or building something. Really couldn't afford to go out and replace everything that got broken. Seemed to work out OK. The boy spent 10 years as a mechanic before moving into the electrical industry in a power plant, and the girls aren't afraid to change the oil, filters, tires, or spark plugs either. Dad still helps, but they know how.

Karl
88 Targa

[wcc]

I fix a TON of toys! Of course I like to tinker so that helps. If I can't fix 'em the kids say oh well we'll get a new one.. Yeah right! I've yet to buy a replacement and I think that's it finally sinking in.

[on2wheels52]

I guess I was lucky that my kid was pretty easy on his toys, he didn't have a lot of plasticy ones though. That was a while ago. I was the mechanic for him & his buddy's airsoft guns though.
Jim

[Don Plumley]

Yup - always fixing things. My son has picked up some of that knack. Now I fix their cars - I enjoy doing it.

[ruf-porsche]

I usually end up fixing the kids and mom laptop. Brought three laptops for the two kids and mom for under $150.00 for all three. These are not outdated laptop, but laptops that are just a couple of years old. Got two Dells for 40 dollar each. Both Dells had issue with the DC jack. The first one I had to replace the jack, but the second one I just had to straighten out the pins. The HP 17" screen laptop had a bad memnory chip that gave it the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) after booting up. I was going to upgrade the memory anyway. If only Mrs. Ruf would stop going to those websites that infect her computer with viruses, life would be so much easier for me, and no she doesn't visit the porn sites.

[VaSteve]

Depends on what it is. Some stuff, like the cheap stuff that comes from birthday parties is unfixable. That's the stuff they love....for a couple of days anyhow. I have had things disappear forever into the garage and other things I was able to fix. I made my own triangle bit out of an old torx to work on little kid's toys....they make a lot of stuff with that now.