Another "What did we do before we got a shop full of tools" story.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Spent all day in the shop yesterday wrestling with Dolphin CADCAM & Mach3 so today it’s time to hit a couple honey-do’s to reduce the guilt factor.

The top rack on SWMBO’s dishwasher’s been limping along for months with a roller that popped off almost every time it was moved due to a broken axle. Even if the parts were still available I'm sure I'd have to buy the whole rack & both sliding rails.

A bit of stainless rod from an old printer, a quick run on the ORAC using a Mach3 turn wizard gave me a hat-shaped bushing to replace the broken part. The axle was sawed off & sanded flush & a 4-40 sized hole was drilled & countersunk on the back side. It took longer to root around & find a 4-40 c/s stainless screw than it took to do everything else!

[Rosco-P]

Excellent!

"What did we do before we got a shop full of tools"??


You would have found a way to get it done it. Maybe even pressing a neighbors wood lathe into service if you didn't have your own metal turning lathe. Or turned the hat bushing on a drill press, but in brass instead.

[jdunmyer]

I love these situations: This [whateveritis] is broken, but no big deal; after all, "I have a machine shop." Fire up the machines as needed, make the $.50 part, taking an hour and a half to do so, get [whateveritis] fixed, grab your well-earned beer and contemplate life.

And wonder just how those poor buggers w/o a machine shop even manage to exist!

[Rosco-P]

It's no longer a $.50 part, it's a $50.00 assembly or worse: unavailable.

[KenShmid]

It's no longer a $.50 part, it's a $50.00 assembly or worse: unavailable.

...plus shipping, handling and insurance for a total order of $100.00.

And money can't buy the satisfaction of a clever repair.

[mklotz]

And wonder just how those poor buggers w/o a machine shop even manage to exist!

When my yuppie daughter and her husband had their first child they needed to "toddler proof" their house, a process that consisted mainly of mounting those too-complex-for-a-youngster latches on floor level drawers and cabinets. Mostly drill a few small holes and screw the latches in place.

They hired a handyman to do it for them.

At Xmas some of the kids toys were wired tightly into their boxes. You can unwind some of the ties but it's a lot easier to just cut them. I asked the husband if he had a pair of "dikes". He gave me a funny look and said he didn't know what I meant. Changing the request to "diagonal cutting pliers" left him totally bewildered. BTW, he's got an engineering degree (and a (spit) MBA).

They hire people to put up their Xmas lights too. [Probably just as well given that wire cutting is outside their skill set.]

They also think that I "own way too many tools".

[Rosco-P]

BTW, he's got an engineering degree (and a (spit) MBA).

They also think that I "own way too many tools".

Kind of sad for America. The more you are educated (masters, phd, etc.), seems the less you know.

[DICKEYBIRD]

...he's got an engineering degree (and a (spit) MBA).

Good one Marv!

[CarlByrns]

It's no longer a $.50 part, it's a $50.00 assembly or worse: unavailable.

...plus shipping, handling and insurance for a total order of $100.00.

And money can't buy the satisfaction of a clever repair.

You might be surprised: there are a lot of online appliance parts resources out there: online parts manuals, upgrade kits. I bought the little rack wheels for our dishwasher for about $4.00 each and replaced the crappy OEM timer with a much better aftermarket one for less than OEM.

I don't understand when people say that Americans don't fix anything- new sales on durable white goods aren't all that great and new cars aren't flying off the lots because, as a country, we are fixing them. 10 years ago there were two good auto parts stores within reasonable driving distance of me, now there are about 20.

[bruto]

Looking at that part, the stainless machining is neat, but I bet you could have fixed it with a stainless sheet metal screw and a washer.

[90LX_Notch]

In this category, one of the neater parts I've done was for my son. He broke the upper part off of a Lego person that he had just bought. This wasn't just any old person; it was General Grievous(sp) from Star Wars. I made a new thigh out of aluminum that was grafted to the lower leg and pinned with .016 music wire. The artificial leg moves just like the original and still works to this day. And, it just looks cool.

[Rosco-P]

You might be surprised: there are a lot of online appliance parts resources out there: online parts manuals, upgrade kits. I bought the little rack wheels for our dishwasher for about $4.00 each and replaced the crappy OEM timer with a much better aftermarket one for less than OEM.

I don't understand when people say that Americans don't fix anything- new sales on durable white goods aren't all that great and new cars aren't flying off the lots because, as a country, we are fixing them. 10 years ago there were two good auto parts stores within reasonable driving distance of me, now there are about 20.

Yes, I've used online like: http://eaaxon.com/default.asp and others. Places like Autozone, Pep Boys and Advance Auto don't count as real parts stores. I have more auto parts supply places, but the better ones, independent ones that carried stuff like push rods and internal engine parts are gone. Also gone are the parts counter guys with real knowledge.

[DICKEYBIRD]

I bet you could have fixed it with a stainless sheet metal screw and a washer.

Hmmm, didn't even think of that; too easy and wouldn't require enough tools.

Actually there isn't enough "meat" on the carrier (only about 1/8" thick) for a screw to grab onto. With the way it gets loaded down, a screw would pull loose in a few minutes.

[J Tiers]

Some things like that are simply MADE to be "fixed" with a 3D printer..... new part for the "unavailable" one.....

[mklotz]

Kind of sad for America. The more you are educated (masters, phd, etc.), seems the less you know.

Tread carefully here, Rosco. I've got an advanced degree; though, thankfully, no MBA.