fixitworkshop.co.uk

Keeping a light on the subject

A Herbert Terry 1227 lamp gets a light make over in the workshop.

This lamp needs no introduction. Herbert Terry Ltd first produced ‘Anglepoise’ lamps in England from 1934 and this 1227 model is instantly recognisable, with its art-deco characteristics and perfect proportions. Some of those early examples have survived to today and are now very collectable.

Make and model: Herbert Terry 1227 ‘Anglepoise’ lamp

Fault reported: Wiring requires replacement

Cost of replacement machine: £80.00 -£300.00 for an equivalent

Manufacturer support (in the UK): 8/10

Cost of parts (for this repair): £20.00

My time spent on the repair: 1.5 hours

Tools needed: Small knife, pliers, small screwdrivers, soldering iron, cutters, scissors

Sundry items: Cable, heat shrink, impact adhesive

Cleaning materials: Silicone spray, contact cleaner, wipes

Repair difficulty: 5/10 (fiddly)

Beverages: 2 teas

Biscuits: 2 chocolate digestives

Bad language: 4/10

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, Lamp in the workshop, Nov’21.

My customer contacted me to ask if I could overhaul his family’s Anglepoise lamp and had told me that it was in daily use, but they all felt that the wiring was getting on a bit, and therefore they’d lost confidence in it. In other words, they were worried about a small fire or electrocution.

That’s the trouble with old, well-made stuff like this. Often, on the outside, it all looks fine and sturdy with a quick clean up, and it’s easy to forget that some things are as old as they are. But, one has to bear in mind that after all that time here on earth, things like plastics, rubber grommets and wire insulation break down with age and can be damn right dangerous.

At 70 years old, this lamp was not in mint condition, but had been well looked after. It was still complete, with its original Bakelite bayonet bulb holder and switch, which is a rarity as they often crack. Over time, they get replaced with ‘B&Q special’ items, which never look right. Sadly, the original lamp holders are no longer available, but there are good alternatives out there, which will do the match well, if you know where to look. No issues with this one as it was all in very good order.

So to the brief; give it clean up, remove some rust, replace the worn-out felt base and re-wire, without over-restoring it. After all, it was wearing its age well, and a total re-spray would have removed all the ‘patina’.

Only a basic tool kit was required with this job, nothing fancy but with things like this, I tend to use a penetrating oil on all metal moving parts as rust and fatigue can make some fixings fragile. After all, I don’t want to add unnecessary cost to the job and while the oil is doing its thing, I can always have another brew, so there’s really no excuse not to do this. Only fools rush in and all that.

After I stripped all the old wire out, paying attention to the correct cable routes, I cleaned up anything previously covered up by the old cable. New modern fabric-covered plastic flex is available at a reasonable price, so that’s what I used and while there, I took the time to earth the frame of the lamp as a ‘Class One’ device. Technically, with a plastic/ Bakelite bulb holder, this isn’t required, but as I had some three cored cable, I decided to earth the metal base as a precaution. It couldn’t do any harm.

Normally I like to preserve as much as I can of the original parts, but in the case of the felt base, it was knackered. I could have just glued it back on, but that wouldn’t have done it justice. So, after a little raid of my daughter’s craft kit (which is full of off-cuts and felt) I had the perfect green felt, ready to be cut to size and glued in place. No one wants a scratchy base and once set, no one would ever know that the thing I’d just made, wasn’t a stock item. I was quite pleased with it.

A new LED bayonet 40W (equivalent), some light polishing, and a PAT (test) and this lamp was ready to be used daily, once again.

Until the next time…

Moulinex magic in the workshop

Economically unviable, virtually no manufacturer support, practically zero second hand value. I’ve had worse machines through the workshop.

It’s not always about the cash…Better crack on.

Make and model: Moulinex Delicio (food processor)

Fault reported: Broken switch

Cost of replacement machine: £40.00 – £50.00 for an equivalent

Manufacturer support (in the UK): 0/10

Cost of parts (for this repair): £ under a tenner, including all parts, but not labour

My time spent on the repair: 1 hour

Tools needed: Small knife, pliers, small screwdrivers, soldering iron

Sundry items: Cable, heat shrink

Cleaning materials: Silicone spray, contact cleaner, wipes

Repair difficulty: 5/10 (fiddly)

Beverages: 1 tea

Biscuits: 2 ginger nuts

Bad language: 2/10

It must start early. An attachment to inanimate objects, a personification if you will, of machines and their mechanical feelings. Maybe it starts with teddy bears, Lego people or Matchbox cars. Of course, deep down I know that machines do not have feelings, but I do sometimes find it hard to simply give in with something, and throw it away.

I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that many classic cars, rescued from the crushers’ teeth, tend to have a ‘face’. Indeed, designers can often hit on a million-seller, if they get the ‘face’ right. Think VW Beetle, Morris Minor and Mini. Perhaps these shapes bring back childhood memories of a favourite cuddly toy, which might translate to them being taken care of better and cherished for longer.

Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human traits and tendencies, is something many of us experience, but us repair nerds seem to take it to another level. I’ll have to think of a catchy name for it.

All this has reminded me about a recent such situation where my mum asked me if I could fix her broken Moulinex Delicio food processor, if it wasn’t too much trouble.

The condition I ‘suffer’ from certainly doesn’t run in families and my mum was at first, ready to recycle the thing. But remembering all the cakes made with it over the years, especially ones made with my two daughters, seemed to put a different complexion on matters. So, I took the mixer away with me and put it on the workshop shelves, awaiting some attention. At least there were other machines alongside, to keep it company.

Many food mixers tend to be large, heavy and bulky affairs which is OK for many, most of the time, but if you can’t manage the weight of something like an eleven kilo Kitchenaid Artisan every time homemade brownies are called for, something like this little light-weight Moulinex is ideal. So, two compelling reasons to keep the mixer; it’s lack of weight and some fond memories.

The problem was that the main on/off switch didn’t seem connected with the rest of the machine and to make things more complicated, the integral lid-lock was operated with the same button. This part is therefore quite important since it might prevent one from shortening their fingers, by not allowing the spinning blades to ever come in to contact with wondering digits.

Now, I’m sure that this all seemed rather lovely in Moulinex HQ at the time, but small plastic switches connected with several thin moving parts combined with knocks and scrapes in a kitchen, is not going to end well. As a matter of fact, Moulinex offered the offending switch assembly as a spare part until recently, so they must have known that the design was a bit iffy. Sadly, I missed the boat and despite several attempts, I couldn’t find a replacement part anywhere. eBay revealed a couple of similar machines with faults, so it was back to the drawing board.

3D scanning and printing makes low-volume, but high-quality production a reality, and it’s really something that I need to get into, as I often have the need to copy rare, obsolete parts. In time, I will.

In this case, I did consider using one of the many online UK companies now specialising in this kind of thing, but the costs did not warrant it in this instance, so a new strategy was required. I’ve spent many hours of my life browsing parts like this in catalogues, so I decided that a repair should be possible for under £10.00, using readily available, generic switches. Yes, that should be my budget challenge then, do the whole job for a tenner or under and since it was a family affair, no charges for labour!

The Delicio is a simple machine; no variable speed controller, just a single speed operation controlled either by latching or push-to-make switch. It gets the job done quickly and without fuss. After a quick trawl of eBay, I opted for two small round, red button in black bezel switches with solder tags. The switch series I opted for was available in push-to-make and latching, bingo! And at £5.98 delivered, a total bargain.

There’s something quite satisfying in selecting an item, taking it apart and then modifying it by way of repair, improvements or both, in such a way that differs little from its original design. Subtle modifications or improvements, that the casual observer will never notice. If you look closely at the photos, I managed to line up the new buttons with the old printed text, to match the operation. Lucky.

I won’t describe the repair in detail, suffice to say that I found a suitable location for the new switches in the machines’ chassis, drilled out the holes and then fitted them in place with the nuts supplied in the switches’ kit. No special tools required for this job really, just a selection of standard screwdrivers, some 0.75mm wire, heat shrink, cutters and a 12mm drill bit. I already had some cable, I connected the new switches to the existing wiring harness, by-passing the original.

I was able to retain the original switches’ interlock by keeping the original switch in situ with a little epoxy resin. This ensured both safety and the original aesthetic. See what you think in the photos. I was quite pleased with it.

I completed the repair within an hour, which I almost forgot to report, included a wipe over and polish. And I managed it on only one cup of tea with a couple of my favourite ginger nuts. Oh, and I didn’t go over budget. Any chance of a Vicky sponge, mum?!

Inside The Real Repair Shop 14

Find out what skips, parking wars and fondue all have in common.

It’s that time of year again, and I know what you’re thinking; Matt’s going to have a Christmas-themed moan about buying new things you don’t need, broken items too good to throw away and if you’ve been paying attention to my monologues these past few months, rubbish items that shouldn’t have been made in the first place. I’m just so predictable! Well, it is the season to be jolly, so in addition to all that, I’m going to spread a bit of much-needed festive cheer which could make you just about the best present giver… ever!

Campaigns telling us to ‘stock up in time for the big day’ and ‘show you care by buying something glittery and expensive for a loved one’ seem to start in summer, and while it’s lovely to give someone close a meaningful gift, don’t be sucked-in by the fluffy, snowy adverts. All the big retailers, even M&S, are really only interested in the bottom line, not you. And anyway, a lot of things we buy will be headed for landfill soon after the big day so, instead of following the crowd this year, follow my top 5 tips for a more eco-friendly, cheaper and cheerier Christmas.

Top Tip One

I’m no stranger to skip-surfing and neither should you be. West Worthing isn’t dripping in money, yet I regularly see good quality toys, bikes, lamps, (I could go on), left in skips, in front of driveways and by the sides of bins. If it’s left out, obviously for rubbish collection, then surely, it’s fair gain? One should be careful though as sane people don’t always chuck out items in mint condition, so choose your gold carefully and if you’re in any doubt about just taking something, please do seek permission first. No letters of complaint, please.

Top Tip Two

Our little street in is full of (mainly) lovely people and there is the almost obligatory WhatsApp group keeping a weather eye on things. We’re quite a tame old bunch really and generally, the chatter is about offers of and requests for help, shared produce and old things no longer needed. I’ve lost count of the items we’ve given away or have accepted through a mutual swap-shop on this forum. Yes, like almost all of modern Britain, parking wars occasionally break out on the chat, but it soon reverts to more helpful conversation! The point here is that that book, painting or scarf no longer needed, may just make an ideal gift. So, stay tuned in to the items right under your nose but remember, the system only works best, when you pay back in. De-clutter after you’ve received your pressies this year and get posting on your local group.

Top Tip Three

Talking of clutter, with the weather on the turn and the days getting shorter at this time of year, it’s a great time to re-discover what you already have. Many reading this, including me, will have forgotten about some of the things at the backs of cupboards, in attics and under the stairs – delete as appropriate. So, dig out those classic games, clothes, books and pictures gathering dust and spiders’ webs, and either use them again, sell them, or give them to someone who will enjoy them. I’m actually really guilty of this and tend to hang on to things, just in case. But, in reality, I’m only causing more of a headache for the others around me, if I’m snuffed out by the No.9 bus in an untimely manner. If you don’t use it, move it on.

Top Tip Four

Make it yourself. Everyone loves a home-made gift that’s, well, good. I don’t have the confidence to make baked gifts to give as presents, but I do know someone at work who makes the finest biscuits I’ve ever tasted. I’m sure you do too, so instead of buying the usual Christmas assortment, why not reuse an old Quality Street tin, fill it with home-baked goodies and give it as a gift. And if you’re a rubbish baker, contract the task out and bung someone you know a few quid to make some for you. You’ll be glad you did.

Top Tip Five

Home-knitted, crocheted and stitched items of clothing and decoration make personal gifts to be enjoyed for years. Old-fashioned maybe, but important, certainly. Making things yourself this way improves skills, promotes re-use and discourages waste, and the experience gained can be passed down through the generations. I’ve always loved sewing machines (all those knobs, dials and lights) and I learned how to drive one from my mum, who learned from my nan. Indeed, my 8-year-old daughter is currently learning how to use a sewing machine, and is already churning-out all manor of creations on an almost industrial level. I can’t wait to see what she’s made us all for the big day.

The news is all doom and gloom, the economy’s going for a burton and the climate is on the blink, and we’re told to ‘just stop oil’ and think about our warming world. In reality, unless we all want to live like we did when Henry VIII was on the throne, it’s going to be quite hard to balance all of the above without having some kind of negative impact. I’m not going to give up central heating, my car or roast turkey just yet, but what I am doing is taking control of the things I can do by making the most of the items that have already been made.

Going around in circles!

We hear about a circular economy which combines production, consumption, recycling and repair and in an ideal world, it sounds great. But, to make that all that work relies on perfect production processes, a high-level of education in the population and political consensus with a 50-year plan. Back in reality, if you really want to do your bit keep it simple, buy less rubbish, re-use and re-gift where you can.

On a funnier note, I wanted to share with you that I have a mental bucket list of things I’d like to own. A sort of ‘fantasy design-classic’ wish list that I am either too stingy to part with actual money for or I am waiting for a broken one to appear out of thin air, for me to breathe life into.

There’s probably a named syndrome for what I have, but recently I ticked-off one such item. Christmas and birthday all at once. Let me explain. There I was, waking past a skip, when I saw a little bit of brushed aluminium poking out between a load of wires. It’s funny how these things catch my eye. And there it was, a 1970s table-top Salton Hot Plate, with a metal frame, wooden handles and a glass top. Safety first, you know back then. It was like seeing a diamond in a coal mine. I can only assume that the previous owner didn’t know what it was or didn’t care. Anyway, I did the right thing and brought it home to the workshop. Turns out, that there wasn’t anything really wrong with it and all it needed was a clean-up and a new flex. It could have been crushed, but instead, this quality English-made kitchen appliance will live to see another day. The trouble is, that it only works for fondue and quiche Lorraine!

PS, don’t forget to check out Retro Electro Workshop on UKTV Play.

Inside The Real Repair Shop 13

This time, Matt discusses false-friend eco products…

One lives and learns and if there’s one thing I definitely know now, it’s that the good people of Worthing (at least) really do love their bread makers!

Back in August, in the spirt of light-hearted environmental consumer advice, I offered my thoughts on what I deemed to be ‘pointless products’ and crumbs, did I rattle a few bread bins! Almost 4 amiable souls took the time to share their thoughts on the subject too, extolling the virtues of their trusted kitchen friends. Some even shared a few photos of their finest loaf creations; the most exquisite that I have ever seen, it must be said. At yeast, most of you saw the funny side I think, but others thought that I was being a little childish. So this article will be a little more proven, I hope.

To those who rose-up, a little browned-off by my distaste for these machines, I say this; it was only a bit of half-baked fun. You’ve really got to roll with it!

Turning to more serious matters. When it comes to our current environmental issues it seems more than ever that some campaigns, propaganda, even official advice, must be taken with a pinch of salt. Of course, I too am a consumer of online adverts, original articles and general broadcast media and I find myself increasingly starting to doubt that one can have one’s cake and eat it. Right, enough of the baking buns, sorry, puns.

Despite the typical British Summer we’ve been enjoying here in the UK, it’s been Armageddon on the continent. And, if you’ve been watching any mainstream news these last few months, you would have seen European reports showing newly designed weather maps with splashes of ferocious oranges, blood-reds and deathly maroons, possibly designed by The Terminator, telling us the World is boiling.

Is it all part of a ‘big plan’ to discourage would-be travellers from taking polluting flights to far-away, warmer climes? Are all the ‘wild’ fires, naturally occurring? Whatever your views on climate change, it would seem that broadcast messaging is nudging us to stay home, stay indoors and don’t move. Remind you of anything?

Anyway, assuming you’re still with me (thanks by the way), I certainly don’t claim to have expert knowledge on environmental change, CO2 emissions, the latest breakthroughs or Government policy. However, I do have a sprinkling of knowledge on most of these things, enough to say that we have a global population of over 8 billion humans (and rising), many living in or gaining ‘Western lifestyles’ (food production, transport, devices to state a few), so it doesn’t take the mind of Einstein to realise that we’ve had an effect on our environment since we began farming, and that effect is probably speeding up in a way that evolution hasn’t seen before. So, before you rush out to buy the latest energy saving, connected device made far, far away, I urge you to consider something else too.

In The West, we import thousands of tons of electrical items, well anything with a plug on it, from The Far East. Phones, tablets, toasters, kettles, pop-corn makers (to name a handful) are all made thousands of miles away, and are sold at affordable prices for us to enjoy, the very next day if you like! Also, you can’t seemingly buy any of these things without it being Internet connected, not even a bread maker! This is good news for retailers, but are items made at a price (not quality), in far-away, out-of-sight factories, shipped all around the world, really a good thing for us? Is the latest ‘online ready’, eco-device, always better for the environment? Is it ever a smarter, greener choice to ditch what you have, in order to do the ‘right thing’ by our planet.

Combine the complicated product route to market ‘journey’ with a short life expectancy (or very planned obsolescence), with a lack of in-country repair support, and the whole thing starts to sound like an environmental disaster. Doesn’t it? Some say that the average smartphone’s life is comparable to a pair of jeans, scary when you think about it. And what about the giant computing power; Petabytes of storage, precious metals, the air conditioning, and land that the data warehouses around the world use to make all the connectivity possible? It’s all starting to sound a bit bleak, really.

Years ago, when I was a young BT apprentice, Dave, (a wise colleague and friend of mine) once said that the trouble with the world now is that it’s ‘gone global’. We all laughed at the time, but now I’m older (and maybe a little wiser), I actually see what he meant.

Our thirst for the latest and best has generated a throw-away culture for sure, and if we carry on, deep down, we all know where it’s headed. But the tech stable door is well and truly open, and you, nor I, would favour heading back to 12^th Century lifestyles. No one I know would want to turn off YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter (to name a few).

Social media is a great way to keep in touch, but don’t forget how the platforms pay the bills. As a brand, or if you have the cash, social media gives virtually instant connectivity to the minds of folk most likely to part with their hard-earned money. It’s a powerful conduit to nudge minds, to influence behaviours and to extract pound from your pocket. Judge me as you will, but I suspect that many people, with a specially targeted, guilt-inducing, tear-jerking, warm-hug, ‘we’ll make it all better again for you’, advert could be made to ‘do the right thing’ and buy just about anything today! Dial-in some world-poverty, environmental damage, and little war, and buyers are putty in the brand’s hands. As with all sales pitches, there’s always a catch… don’t believe the hype!

Back in workshop-land this month, it’s been a right-old assorted bag of customer requests! I’ve had quite the mix of items in for repair. Lamps, toys, vacuum cleaners and a CD/ radio to name a few, but despite the variation, there are common themes that link all these items together, in a good way.

Spares were easily available, the item’s design allowed for disassembly and reassembly and I could see individual components with my own eyes! The technology was not out-of-date, it didn’t need an upgrade and it was all still as relevant today as it was at the time of purchase.

A good talking point with friends for sure, but a ‘connected toaster’ that links to your smartphone is probably not a good idea. The Internet bit inside will no doubt fail before the rest of the appliance, and how many WiFi devices do you think will exist in even 5 years? It’s therefore likely that something like this probably won’t last longer than a smartphone. And in my experience, these things are rarely supported by the manufacturer in terms of spare parts. If they have any kind of post-guarantee support, it’s usually not economically viable to bring the item back from the brink.

How to wrap this up then? More than ever, it seems, we all lead busy lives and the vast majority of us are connected to various platforms via our phones, at some time. Indeed recently, on our family holiday this summer, I saw many people from all countries, busy on their phones, by the pool, at mealtimes and even in the sea, throughout the day. Now, I’m not saying that I don’t check my phone, but social media can be like a sugar-rush, addictive for many, and advertisers know this. This means that now, more than ever, it’s possible to link your likes, news, political interests, friends’ network and viewing habits to new products likely to match your spending profile.

If you’ve watched environmental content on YouTube, or have bought solar energy for example, Google knows that you’re likely to be concerned about climate change. Many of us are.

I’m an aspiring optimist, and as a big believer in new technology and global, visionary projects, if delivered by our best engineers, I think we can at least help curb the negative effect we’re all having on the planet.

Eco-inspired, connected-products can make us feel like we’re doing our bit, but clickbait purchases of short-sighted lithium powered gadgets and cars, with limited or no support, can only be bad news.

If it works, and is useful, don’t chuck it out. Maintain your stuff and enjoy all the life an item has to give.

The most environmentally sustainable and cheapest products out there, are probably the things you already have.

Matt.

PS, don’t forget to check out Retro Electro Workshop on UKTV Play.

Inside The Real Repair Shop 12

Matt shares his opinions on what he deems to be ‘pointless products’.

Pointless Products?

Hello once again from the workshop, and hasn’t it been a busy time? Lots of interesting customer repair jobs to be getting on with; from cherished toys, kitchen appliances to printed circuit boards, all needing a little help. Dividing my time between family, my main job and the workshop is always a careful balancing act, but somehow, I manage to keep on going. See the greying hair.

Since offering my repair skills to the charming people of Worthing and beyond, I’ve had to develop a quick-fire set of triage questions when trying to ascertain what the fault is and whether something is truly worth repairing. Yes, not everything is worth saving, there, I’ve said it. You weren’t expecting that, were you!

Sometimes, my repair skills are only worth investing in something, if the item has spare parts available. It happens all the time. And, when dealing with repair enquiries, I usually have to sensitively tread a careful line between diagnosing a fault on, say, an abused Shark vacuum cleaner which has been used to suck up paint, with the reality that not all spare parts are available for certain models. Yes, some new spares are available and yes, there’s always good-old eBay, but I hate to break it to anyone who loves their Shark vacuum cleaner (and I know that’s a few of you) that they are only really intended to last as long as the warranty. Built with longevity and a sound back up network, they are not. If you want a quality vacuum cleaner that can be repaired, buy the vacuum with the smiley face!

This all got me thinking about some of the other things that you might have been persuaded to buy for your home, but now probably regret. This might be because the thing was too much of a faff to use, or, it didn’t last long or maybe that the cost didn’t justify the performance. So, I thought it might be fun to compile a list of rubbish items, that should have stayed on the drawing board, because quite frankly, life’s too short.

Maybe you have one of these five useless items, languishing in your home, gathering dust.

5. Popcorn makers

Honestly, what’s the point in an electric popcorn maker? Popcorn machines on the pier or at the cinema I get, but these diy-home-install pieces of junk shouldn’t be a thing. “Relive that authentic cinematic experience with a freshly made bag of popcorn, all yours for around £20”. Christmas Secret Santa present, check. Last minute, hastily-purchased gift for the wedding of a couple that don’t really like anyway, who only invited you to the evening do, check. The reality is that they take ages to work, are very small and are very difficult to repair. And let’s face it, a ready-made bag of the stuff from Asda, tastes better. If you must have the cook at home experience, use a lidded saucepan, a little oil and some kernels from the health food aisle.

4. Ice cream makers

My personal favourite for “what’s the point”!? All you ‘kitchen show-offs’ can spend serious money on these things, and I’ve seen some models that can make ice cream in as little as 40 minutes. Yes, 40 minutes -really. Imagine the joy. Kids party, going well. They’ve all eaten their sandwiches, all had their crisps, and all they now need is jelly. And ice cream. Well, the good news is that the jelly is all done, waiting in the fridge, but the ice cream maker, is still whirring away to its heart’s content for another forty bloody minutes, to produce a thimble full of substandard slop. Sorry kids, you’ll just have to go without raspberry ripple today, but the good news is that there’s more carrot and celery sticks. Yay!

3. Bread makers

I actually bought one of these useless items back in the day, no doubt trying to impress a would-be lover with my fine artisan baking skills, using only the finest flours and grains from Lidl. I even grew a beard to go with my new-found skills, but I quickly realised that the way to a girl’s heart, isn’t as a baker. Indeed, making baked treats this way, every day, isn’t that good for one’s love life. 4am starts in the kitchen to make biscuit-sized loafs is just plain annoying and ruins any notion of a romantic breakfast in bed.

2. George Foreman Grille (other slab meat counter-top grilles available)

Now, I know that this will divide opinion. For some, George’s famous meat grille has changed lives. One can cook burgers, steaks and, well, anything meaty without an oven or hob. They’re also cheap to run and great if you have a small kitchen. The downside is that all that grease leaks out, they’re virtually impossible to clean thoroughly. See the mould and scuzz, the next time you use it. Yuk.

1. Upright home carpet washers

Number one was a tough call, but if there’s one repair enquiry I receive too often, it’s for these hideous contraptions. I don’t fix them now as they’re just too troublesome, and the manufacturers don’t really support any spares provision. We all know the brand that I’m talking about. (The one that rhymes with ‘axe’). Maybe you’ve bought one? Maybe you’re thinking of buying one, maybe someone loves theirs ‘so much’ and has recommended that you can’t live without one too. Just get a hold of yourself. Stop. You don’t need one. You’ll pay around £300 for a machine that will spend most of its time in the downstairs cupboard, leaking, until you get it out after a year to mop up Fido’s latest accident, only to find that the over-complicated mechanism is seized and to add insult to injury, you’re just out of warranty, Sir.

Do the sensible thing. If you must wash your carpets, hire a decent machine when you need it, or get a professional in to do the work. It’ll be cheaper and you’ll get a better result.

Well, I feel much better now. I’ve been meaning to get that lot off my chest for ages. Time for a cuppa don’t you think?

PS, don’t forget to tune into Retro Electro Workshop, on Yesterday Channel (27) and UKTV Play, from Tuesday 18^th July at 9pm. I’m on it (correct as of July 2023 onwards).

Inside The Real Repair Shop 11: Lego, Radios and Allegros

This time, Matt talks about cars on fire, tinkering and repair education.

Festive greetings from the workshop and well, hasn’t the year flown by?

As some of you know already, repair work is a bit of a side-hustle for me, and it’s something I’ve enjoyed since I was a child. Seriously, I would dismantle my parents’ vacuum cleaners, radios, clocks and later, the family car’s engine. Things sort of got out of control when I set fire to my uncles’ Austin Allegro though by muddling up some dashboard wires. Fortunately, the Allegro was made of stronger stuff and survived my handy work, despite a few scorch marks. Anyway, what were they thinking, letting an 8-year-old work on a car unsupervised!

For me, a long-long time ago now, a Fisher Price handyman set turned into Lego building and craft play using old washing up bottles and loo rolls. This turned into blowing up electronics kits, which then moved on to building bikes and cars. As a late teenager, I then got an apprenticeship with BT and studied while I learned about telephone exchanges and communications technologies. All of this might explain why I was never picked for the school team. You can’t have it all, I guess.

Playing with Lego and kits from Tandy (remember them?) for me as a kid definitely helped me to have a positive approach to repair and to not be fearful of getting it wrong. We only really learn from mistakes, of course. And I was lucky to have people around me at the time who were (mainly) happy with me dismantling household things with real tools, taking risks with real appliances and building weird inventions in the kitchen. But it wasn’t all good-humoured in our house! I still remember getting a stern telling off for dismantling a Mini carburettor on the draining board, next to the family’s drying crockery. My mum was upset with me for some reason.

Where’s all this going anyway? Well, as an adult who sometimes acts all grown-up, I’ve since had time to reflect on this maybe unusual set of circumstances, which ultimately lead me to where I am now in Worthing, at 44 years of age. I make no apology for being a pushy parent to my two daughters, encouraging them to create and build stuff; from toilet rolls and sticky tape to their increasing collection of Lego sets, or are they really my Lego sets? I want my kids to learn as I did, the joy of building, testing and usually failing to solve problems. It doesn’t always work like that, but you know what I mean.

I get a wide range of repair enquiries in my inbox, from Kenwood Chef restorations to lamp re-wires to kids’ toy repairs, many enquiries with interesting back-stories too. But sometimes I just can’t take on a repair if I feel that it can be done by the person enquiring. For example, fitting a new plug to an appliance, which I feel, if needed, should be attempted by most folk. The main issue affecting many people, and therefore preventing them from tacking the job themselves, is a lack of confidence. I see it all the time, from vacuum cleaners that just need minor adjustments or cleaning, to lamps that only need a new bulb. When people ask me to do repair work like this, I’ll always give them the option to do the work themselves first, with some guidance – which probably isn’t good for business, but will ultimately help that person to maybe help themselves.

Of course, as adults, there are local repair cafés, DIY college courses and YouTube that can help any budding diy’er, but to be truly repair savvy, I believe that one must start their learning younger and begin through play and the classroom.

In this article, I wanted to share some of my educational thoughts on repair. Appliance repair and general household maintenance isn’t covered as a subject at school (in the UK) to my knowledge, and as we make it to adulthood, we’re just expected to figure it out for ourselves or ask someone else. The closest we get to repair work in secondary school is in Design Technology, but hoover teardowns and rebuilds are not covered. Is this because it’s perceived as unglamorous, basic, simple work, I wonder? Perhaps it’s something I’ll take up with the current Education Secretary, although I’ll have to be quick, as it may all change next week! In all seriousness, our education system needs to encourage practical self-reliance, encompassing repair, if our government is truly serious about sustainability and our environment. In the same way that secondary school mathematics should include topics on mortgages and loan applications, technology subjects should also encompass domestic appliance fault-finding and furniture assembly education, alongside more classical topics so that our children today turn out as adults tomorrow, who can, at least, wire a plug.

Until the next time…

Inside The Real Repair Shop 10: Storm in a Teacup

With the cost of energy soaring, people are suggesting ways to save money. This time in the Workshop, Matt compares three ways to boil-up to make a brew, a subject close to his heart!

In readiness for a winter of discontent, I’ve already removed the thermostat’s wiring and have prepared thick jumpers for the whole family, made with the added warmth that only loft insulation can bring. I impressed myself with this stroke of genius and wonder why no-one else has ever tried this before? Can’t imagine why.

There’s a lot of talk about ways to save money on social media at the moment. One only has to do a bit of Googling to learn what we should stop doing or unplug next to save money. There’s an old saying though that usually stands true: Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Anyway, where was I? Back in the summer, I had an-over-the-wall conversation with my neighbour, Liz. It started off in the usual light-hearted manner, talking about this and that, when I heard a whistle coming from Liz’s kitchen, a noise which took me back to sometime in the dim and distant past.

Liz had switched to boiling water using a gas stove kettle and reliably informed me that it was ‘cheaper and greener’ to brew-up this way, rather than use her trusty modern kettle. I very nearly lost my balance, leaning against our diving wall as I laughed and said, “that’s a load of old cobblers” – did I use cobblers, well something like that anyway. With a slight frown of veiled raged from Liz, we both went off to carry on our evenings, but there was a piece of me worried that I’d offended dear Liz somehow. What to do? I’d almost forgotten about the whole thing until it came up again in conversation recently, but this time via another friend of the family. Rather than scoff this time, I decided to investigate in a shed-like manner to work out who was right, me or Liz.

What is the most efficient way to boil water at the moment?

FixItWorkshop, Worthing September’22, A Swan Jug Kettle

I decided to see just how much one cup (see photo) or three cups of water would take to boil using a modern 2500W electric kettle, a gas stove kettle (hob rated at 1500W) and a jug in an E rated 800W microwave. Just for kicks. Hasn’t everyone done this? I used the same cup for the whole experiment. Water was taken from the cold tap at room temperature. I used the stopwatch on my phone and used a base rate of 29.48p/Kwh for electricity and 7.32p/kWh for gas. We’re with Eon and these rates seem to be ubiquitous at the moment. I timed how long either one cup or three cups would take to boil using each boiling vessel. I started the test from the ‘on’ switch on the kettle, the gas ignited on the hob or the ‘on’ button on the microwave. The test ended when the kettle switch turned off, the stove kettle first whistled and boiling bubbles were observed in the microwave. By now, I’m sure you’re on the edge of your seats.

Everyone’s an expert these days and while I’ve done my best to make this a real-world test using a moderately scientific approach, I’m sure someone out there will drive a coach and horses through my method, but don’t bother, the results are astounding.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

Time matters

If you’re always in a rush and need your cuppa in a flash, then the only way to go is to use a modern electric disc-element kettle, like the one in the photo. Using a microwave was second fastest, but not much faster than the very slow (by comparison) gas stove kettle. One, nil, nil to the electric kettle then.

The real boiling issue – what did it cost?

Gas is cheaper than electricity on my energy tariff, which is a similar story for many other domestic customers at the moment. The microwave proved to be the cheapest method to boil one cup of water followed by gas in this test, but the results changed dramatically when three cups were boiled – a complete reversal in fortunes in fact. Three-way tie.

Environmental impact

What about the CO2 emitted? Perhaps the trickiest measure to nail down, but using Defra* approved conversions, based on the kWh for both fuels, it stands to reason that the electric kettle emitted the least CO2 as it was on for the least amount of time. The electric kettle triumphs overall.

*UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

So, in conclusion, a gas stove may be cheaper to make a brew for one (at the moment), but one must be careful to measure the water required carefully and a slight increase in the tariff could see all savings easily eroded. The microwave was the wild card entry (my mate Paul’s suggestion) and it proved that it’s a reliable and cheap way of heating, if compared to the stove – for some forms of cooking.

The bottom line is that a modern electric kettle will do the job faster, usually cheaper and cleaner than its rivals. Time for a brew? Go on, treat yourself.

Inside the Real Repair Shop 9: Do we ever own our own stuff?

Matt takes a shallow dive into the notion of stuff, ownership and value. Something ‘light’ then.

You may recall adverts on tele and in the glossies a few years ago from prestige watchmaker Patek Philippe, often featuring a father and son relationship, implying that one never really owns one of their watches, but merely has custodianship of it until it’s passed on to the next generation. That’s great for the son or daughter inheriting a posh watch at the appropriate time, but please spare a moment for the poor sod, still paying for it! Anyway, this all got me thinking about our relationship with stuff.

I live in deepest West Worthing, Sussex, UK and we’re surrounded by charity, house clearance and general second-hand shops everywhere, amongst the upmarket coffee shops and tiny ‘living room’ pubs. Could be a lot worse, I guess! To ‘Magpie Matt’, it’s brilliant news, as I’m always on the lookout for interesting items, especially if they look like they can do with some tender loving care. Don’t you seek out broken and damaged items? No, just me then. One can save a lot of money by buying second-hand, but it’s only good value if you really need it. The downside is that I often return home with ‘a thrift shop bargain’ when I only popped out for a pint of milk. Great for the local economy, but, I fear that our home office has become a museum for too many ‘interesting items’!

Matt with his sandwich toaster. — FixItWorkshop, Worthing, July’22 – vintage items and a relic(!)

There’s a backstory for every item for sale, and I often wonder if it would be interesting to list the narrative behind every charity donation, a bit like we see at those auctions for famous paintings and jewellery, so that the customer might form more of a connection with the thing. Probable madness and an administration nightmare of course, but indeed we expect it if handing over money for a genuine rare classic watch like a Rolex – it’s all part of the experience. Every pre-loved item has something to say, good or bad.

Ditching the ‘perfectly OK and fit for purpose’ stuff we already have is the issue I think, and in these increasingly cash-conscious times, can we do more to love what we already own to save money and the planet? It’s not always easy though it is as it takes time, care and, dare I say it, cash to preserve things for longer. Of course, I don’t want to come across like a preaching bore (insert objection here) – I do buy new stuff, I live in the real world, but I’m trying to love some of the old things I have for longer, with the scratches, faded colours, missing buttons, maybe it’s an ‘age thing’?

The more times that you ‘patch something up’, get something repaired, use something past its high-fashion status, you’ll form a stronger bond with it over time, believe me.

On a slightly different road, many of the things you threw away years ago are very much still here on Earth. Think about the now collectable items you saw as junk at the time, but are now worth a mint, probably languishing in the side of a hill! Until relatively recently, the world of waste was a murky business and, in many ways, it still is – and that’s a subject for another day! So, unless you took the time to dispose of your old vacuum cleaner or hairdryer at a specialist scrap dealer back in the bad old days, the chances are that it still exists in some form, buried deep in the ground somewhere.

Remember Time Team on Channel 4 in the 1990s with Tony Robinson? I can see a new version of that show in years to come, featuring the modern equivalent digging sections of landfill sites, unearthing an abundance of 20^th Century, often perfectly preserved, now ‘classic’ items. You never know, maybe one or two will still work?

So, where am I going with all this? Well, it’s the same old message I guess really. Hang on to your stuff, look after it, repair it if you can and love the signs of wear and tear. This will give the item, however cheap, expensive, rare or mass-produced more worth, whether sentimental or monetary. When the time comes and no matter how ‘grand’ the thing, pass it on to someone else who will cherish it too, after you’re done with it. You never know that one day, your faded and battered sandwich toaster be serving up a slice of nostalgia as well as a yummy retro treat in 2060! What a thought!

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, July’22, toastie anyone?

Inside the Real Repair Shop 8

From brand snobbery to The Queen – Matt’s talking about what lies beneath in some products and asks if they’re worth it.

Do you know a brand snob? I bet you do. Maybe you are one yourself. Who knows, but let me tell you this; manufacturers and retailers have got you and me wrapped around their little fingers. Of course, this is nothing new, and badge engineering has been going on, well, forever. We tend to think of brand engineering as a relatively new phenomenon, linked to our fast-paced consumer led lives, but it’s just not the case. Indeed, preserved street food shop branding was found on previously submerged buildings in Pompeii, during a dig in 2020, having been previously covered by a volcanic eruption in 79AD. I mean, what have the Romans ever done for us‽

FixItWorkshop, Worthing – well, Pompeii – somewhere

Nowadays, a brand’s application, values, promotion and maybe even worship is a very sophisticated affair…see Apple’s iPhone! Allow me to explain. I might even make the odd reference to sustainability, repair and the forthcoming Jubilee, an odd combo I think you’ll agree.

Am I worth it?

A slight twist on a well recognised slogan there, but with a serious point. The well know French manufacturer of hair and skin care products that rhymes with ‘low-heal’ (sort of) sells high quality, well-engineered products at a premium price on the promise that said product will deliver benefits way above anyone else’s say, shampoo. And you can afford it, because ‘you’re worth it’, quite possibly the best marketing slogan of all time, in my humble opinion! However, they’ve been taken to task around the world by various agencies for making over ambitious claims about their products, which are potentially misleading.

It’s something we need to think about when seeing adverts featuring famous film stars, endorsing the latest eyelash enhancing widget that they claim we all need in our lives. They don’t do it for the love and it must be said that one can have the same beautiful shining locks using a bottle of shampoo from Lidl.

Hang on Matt, what’s any of this got to do with repair or sustainability, anyway. Good point. I must get back on track. But first…

Hands up; how many of you have bought a product on brand reputation alone?

I have, and I’m sure you have too, but have those purchases always lived up to the promises made on the packaging and propaganda that influenced our choices? Sometimes. Here’s the thing though, many items such as toasters, kettles, TVs, lawnmowers, clocks, laptops, cookers, washing machines and irons (I could go on) are either similar or identical inside. The makers’ mark, colour and name of the product may change on the outside, but the insides can be the same.

How do I know this? Well, I must have opened up 1000s of products like this during repairs over the years, and have got to understand who really makes what. It’s really nothing new and manufacturers have been doing it, since er, Roman times. Always in the interests of good value, I want to make sure I and others are not paying too much, if one must buy something new.

FixItWorkshop, Wothing, May 2022, A Smeg toaster in bits.

But how can you tell if two seemingly different toasters are basically the same without taking them apart, one at say £99, the other at £39? It’s very tricky. By having your wits about you and an interest in detail, can save you cash. Pay attention to the position of the knobs, switches and dials and have a good look at the toasting slots especially. If they look more than similar, chances are they were at least made in the same factory. At the end of the production line, one had an expensive badge applied, the other had the cheaper relative. If the expensive one comes with a longer warranty, then it may be worth it, if it doesn’t well, that’s for you to decide.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, May 2022 – Queen in her trusty Land Rover Defender – or is it a Land Wind?

In other news, it’s the Queen’s Jubilee this year, and in case you didn’t know HRH is a big fan of the Land Rover, well, the Defender anyway. As a lifelong devotee to one of most reverered motors of all time, maybe The Queen will be celebrating her time on the throne with a little bit of repair and maintenance by doing the odd oil change and tappet adjustment on her trustee motor. Incidentally, the Land Rover marque is much admired and carries much kudos, so much so that manufacturers literally copy Land Rover vehicles in China, where intellectual property rights may not carry as much weight, in order to sell their cars. And that’s just another example of a brand’s power on the mind.

If you’ve read my articles before, then you’ll know that I’m a fan of good quality, simpler and supported repairable products. In general, it means that one doesn’t have to keep replacing things like toasters every couple of years – wasting energy and materials. However, in the interests of balance, some branded things are usually higher quality and perform better than the wannabes. Take a set of high-quality Bowers & Wilkins speakers or a Brompton folding bicycle*, both good examples of, repairable items made to last a lifetime. They may seem expensive in the first place, but will give many years’ service, perform well and still hold their value, when you come to sell them on. Something to think about the next time you need to splash out.

*Not a brand endorsement, just an example.

As always, until the next time. Matt.

Inside the Real Repair Shop 7

This month in Tales from the Workshop, I want to talk about three sensitive subjects that are not often discussed in repair circles, and readers of a nervous eco-disposition are advised to look away now!

Controversy Inside The Workshop

Repair Cafes and campaign groups such as Restart.org and Repair.eu are working hard to defend our repair rights and offer support to local communities, by providing empowering repair skills. It’s all good stuff. But I’m often asked to fix things which are not viable because the damage or wear is so great or the time required to do the fix will take many months, that I can’t offer. And that’s all before we’ve discussed parts availability, cost and other materials. So, this month, I thought I’d consider the case against repair. Have I gone quite mad?

One

Sometimes, it just isn’t worth repairing stuff, sometimes a broken thing should just be thrown out at the appropriate recycling facility, of course… or scavenged for usable spares in my case!

It’s no coincidence that popular TV series The Repair Shop majors on pre-1980 cherished items. Older items, made from quality materials, conceived before manufacturers built-in precise planned mechanical and electronic obsolescence, usually stand a chance of being repaired by crafts people, as that’s how they might have been made in the first place.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, April 2022 – an over-complicated Kitchenaid kettle with too many electronic parts… luckily, not all kettles are made this way.

You see, a child’s toy or home printer manufactured today, on a sophisticated plastic moulding machine with sealed-in electronics will be almost impossible to repair without destroying the outer casing first. And even if you could get to the faulty battery or printed circuit board, it would be virtually impossible to repair at a reasonable cost, assuming the spares were available. Believe me, I’ve tried. When asked to take on certain repairs, I must be honest and frank with would-be customers about the chances of success and likely time a repair will take, which isn’t a conversation I like having, but it’s essential. Those conversations are not TV friendly.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, April 2022 – Matt with a washing machine.

Years ago, and I generalise here, people repaired things as it was usually cheaper to patch things up to get more wear out of the item. Whether clothing, cars or kettles, repair kits and local engineers were always available and usually cheaper than buying new.

But take a modern washing machine, and parts prices are often not economic to buy, especially when you factor-in an engineer’s time for the repair Its often easier and cheaper to replace the whole thing anyway with next day delivery, just a click away on your phone with interest free credit. And that’s a mighty tempting prospect when the family’s washing is piling up on the floor.

Two

On to my second controversial point; repair is now the reserve of the reasonably well-heeled. As a general observation, most of my customers are reasonably affluent, women coincidentally, and have a historic connection with the faulty item which they want repaired. It could be a favourite family toy or food mixer that needs a little TLC. To bring it back to life, it will need care, parts, experience and (usually lots of) time. All things that must cost money. The results will hopefully bring joy to the customer, which is all part of the experience. It’s why The Repair Shop works so well.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, April 2022, A classic Anglepoise lamp in the workshop for some ‘light’ restoration.

Repair is definitely a discretionary purchase now and if you’re a bit brassic, and your microwave oven goes kaput, are you going to spend £100 getting your old machine repaired? No, you’ll do the sensible thing and buy a new one from Amazon for £40 delivered next day, as you need to feed your family.

Three

New appliances are sometimes more efficient and perform better. Take a domestic fridge. Modern ones could use as much as half the energy than those made 30 years ago, and offer more features as standard.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, April 2022, torches old and older – but one has a modern CREE LED bulb that will burn retinas.

Compare a modern household torch made recently with one made 15 years ago and it will be like comparing a tea light with the sun. Technology never stops marching on, and we can all benefit from replacing some creaking appliances with something up to date sometimes. But all this comes with a big health warning.

You might be wondering if I’ve lost the plot, knocked the shed down and chucked out my screwdrivers. Not a bit of it. It’s usually more environmentally beneficial to keep something running as long as possible by spreading the manufacturing and shipping impact over a long functional life. And I don’t know about you, but I dislike the thought that someone else has already booked the death day for something I own!

I mean, just by looking at carbon-offsetting alone, consider this: Replacing a domestic kettle every three years, which has been shipped from China, made with complicated materials and electronics with no hope of repair, is not as environmentally kind as a simpler one that lasts for 9 years. Sadly, those kettles just don’t exist any more and if they did, I suspect that they would be far too expensive to be a mass-market product.

It’s such a complicated conundrum to solve, it’s just not possible to do in these hallowed pages alone. But I can leave you with a simple piece of advice; look after your things, buy quality items if you can and consider second-hand at all times to make the Pound (or insert your chosen currency here) in your pocket go further, all very sensible in these uncertain times.

*** Stop press! Feedback from FixIt Clinic in the U.S. ***

One of the great things about keeping a blog is the engagement with readers. Over the years, I’ve built up a network and contact base with fellow fixers, around the world; from all over the U.K., Europe, North America and Australia. We are certainly not alone!

Following my light article on reasons why one might not repair something, my friend Peter Mui from FixIt Clinic in the U.S. got in touch to share his thoughts. I liked his letter so much that I thought I’d share it. And since you’re here and obviously interested in this subject, why not check out their website? http://www.fixitclinic.org

Hi Matt:

I’m compelled to drop everything and to respond to your three cases against repair:

One:

Agreed: many things these days are overly complex relative to their core functionality (the KitchenAid kettle is a good example) and I would totally support a return to simpler designs generally.

Currently there’s a “race to the bottom” where the dominant factor in design for manufacturing (DFM) is to lower manufacturing cost in ways imperceptible to the [purchaser user owner] until the item is out-of-warranty. That’s why Fixit Clinic hosts through colleges and universities: to inform up and coming design and engineering practitioners to design for [durability maintainability serviceability repairability] from the very start using open source designs.

– Totally agreed, Peter. It IS a race to the bottom and agree wholeheartedly with your point – Matt.

How can we get (return?) to a situation where most things can be cost-effectively repaired?

There might be an alternative future where the design and engineering of durable goods discourages “manufacture on sophisticated plastic moulding (sic) machines with sealed-in electronics that are impossible to repair without destroying the outer casing first”, instead: spare parts are readily available at low cost from multiple sources and are easily interchangeable.

Two:

(First: I believe you intended to write “well-heeled” not “well-healed”)

– thanks for the spot Peter – Corrected! – Matt.

Agreed: there’s a component of economic privilege in repair at the moment: ironically it’s more expensive to repair than to buy a replacement.

If the end-consumer / owner is sufficiently motivated to be willing to assume (most of) the research and labor for an item that can often change the calculus in favor of repair; that’s why Fixit Clinic emphasizes conveying generalizable skills over “free” repair or repair as a service. But only the well-heeled have the precious time to undertake repair; your average consumer / average user, factoring in the time and uncertainty of the outcome, makes a reasonable economic calculation against repair and just buys a new item.

Additionally, there’s the perception and widely held assumption that “new” is always better than “used” or “repaired”.

I don’t have a good solution here either: the true full cost of modern durable goods is not reflected in the price paid at the moment of purchase; until the myriad of upstream and downstream costs of an item are added into the moment-of-purchase price this is going to be a hard nut to crack.

Three:

See “They Used To Last 50 Years” https://ryanfinlay.medium.com/they-used-to-last-50-years-c3383ff28a8e which makes the case that if you factor in the embodied energy in their manufacture and their shorter durability, new appliances may not be as ideal as keeping less efficient appliances in service for as long as possible. And I submit that the LED lighting vs. incandescent lighting example is cherry-picked: lighting technology is a category where the energy savings through technology advancement is particularly visible (wink.) The vast majority of new items or features marketed as “advancements” are incremental or even retrograde; my (admittedly also cherry-picked) counter example is 3D TV: do the people who upgraded to pricey 3D TVs feel they got good long-term value? Probably not.

Anyway, thanks for keeping me engaged into the wee hours of the morning.

-Thanks Peter, an engaging response and continuation of the issue. Thanks for sharing the link too. Here it is again for folk who wish to copy/go to the link: https://ryanfinlay.medium.com/they-used-to-last-50-years-c3383ff28a8e -Matt

Your comrade-in-fixing,

Peter Mui @ Fixit Clinic