| Couple of recent attempted fixes: Food mixer - resin washer instead of metal, without tools to machine a purpose fit washer is irrepairable. TV - 4 years old, needed new main board, nothing at less than 50% cost of a brand new (better) TV. No parts from named manufacturer (re-badged). Kettle - plastic in switch, clearly a weak point, suspect it was designed in, double thickness and the kettle would probably go forever. 3D print would fix, epoxy glue kept detaching. Multimeter - battery flat, no compartment. One triangle security screw, one stripped head. Had to mangle the case to change the battery. Mobile phone - Acer, case impossible to open without damaging: screws + one-way plastic security tabs. Just screws or a redesigned tab would make it repairable. No 1st party battery for sale of course. Lawnmower - push mower can't detach drive for blades as they've used circlips on rods where bolts would have served. Need to buy circlips pliers, if clips break replacements not available. Rechargeable shaver/trimmer - battery soldered in, shell glued shut. Battery is non-standard cells. Plenty of room for a battery compartment FWIW. With more popular items where company hasn't actively hobbled the repairability then I agree, information to make repairs is often widely available. Aside: I'm building a mental list of home items designed to fail too - like all plastic dustpans having a narrowing of the handle at the stress point; they all are thinnest at that point and all break at that point. We could probably cut the demand to 10% with a cm^3 of extra plastic. |
A washable force air filter frame reinforced by a glued on plastic sheet.
The $80 car antenna that broke off in an unfortunately time garage door close also fixed with glue and museum putty(just for stability till the glue dried).
I am a maker, breaker and a fixer. Keep it out of the trash.