Yup - things that used to be screwed together are now riveted or glued and you have to break them further in order to fix them. Sometimes we get lucky, though. I have a plastic hose reel that was leaking like a sieve. Would have cost around $35 to replace. Fortunately, it was made to be disassembled and when I removed the crank I found 2 worn o-rings that I was able to replace for a total of 50 cents. It's a good feeling.
You think the same way as my husband, who reminds me that in Jamaica, too, when he was growing up here, things were fixed and lasted longer. To some extent that is still happening, but in the last 20 years or so, not so much. I do recall more repair shops in Jamaica - especially for TVs, radios, etc.
Nevertheless, he is still really good at fixing things that are broken and hates to throw them away. But as you say new things are impossible to repair.
By the way, the typewriter you used is as old as me! So now I have given away my age! :-)
My dad would rewire a broken iron or toaster when I was growing up. He'd prop a mirror up on a chair in front of the cathode ray tube TV so he could see the picture while he worked in the back of the set, testing circuits and replacing tubes. I'm an elderly female and when I was in college one uncle taught me how to drill holes in glass and mirrors while swabbing the diamond drill bit with turpentine to keep it cool. Another taught me how to grind and reface a car's valves. I did well at both since I had a delicate touch. I'm nursing my 25-year old refrigerator since my repair guy says all the ones made today are "junk." As they say, it's a different world.
One of the upsides of the durn technology is, you can find a YouTube video about how to repair just about anything. A few days ago my friend and i re-strung a venetian blind -- what a clever piece of engineering that is! I love mending stuff. Nothing makes me happier than repurposing something or bringing a damaged object back to life. I had a zen teacher who said, "the problem isn't that we are too materialistic. The problem is that we don't have enough respect for the material world."
Old woman here and I agree with everything you wrote today! Spotted the little old trike in the picture of you outdoor spot for typing today's letter. We are kindred spirits on the abandoned kids' bikes idea. I have 5 or 6 of them throughout my garden. Have a wonderful, enjoyable and very peaceful evening.
I lament that things are not built to last anymore. We have become a disposable society…and it’s starting to include people. (Thinking of MAiD in Canada)
Do you know anyone who has chosen MAiD? I live in Canada and i do, as do many people i know. It is not a simple process to get approval for Medical Assistance in Dying. Those who choose it are not ‘disposable’, they are usually well loved and respected and treated with dignity. I wish we could respect the resources of our earth as much as we value its human inhabitants.
I’m in Canada too but no, I don’t know anyone who has chosen MAiD. But like in all things, there are ways to get what you want. There are docs that are not totally on the up and up.
I like the contradictions inherent in a 1951 Empire Aristocrat designed in Switzerland and built in Britain. Or, should that be "utter consistency", instead?
Anyway, this is written back by an inferior commoner to your Superior Aristocrat by a machine that you probably won't be able to even get the software for in seven decades.
We had a small appliance repair shop here in a cool little building (architecturally it looked 50s-60s, the home that brought me to Renton was built in ‘68).
It’s been closed for years and there is new development all along sunset (which was sketchier) that may have taken it out. If not, they will soon and I want a picture.
The ohotomat had already been painted pink and made a coffee stand. That was pre-covid.
We still have some old Boeing company housing duplexes standing. It’s not just Seattle disappearing.
Modern sophisticated products can be devilishly difficult or impossible to repair. Do it yourself repair no longer exists for many products. Even the manufacturers replace instead of repair.
Yup - things that used to be screwed together are now riveted or glued and you have to break them further in order to fix them. Sometimes we get lucky, though. I have a plastic hose reel that was leaking like a sieve. Would have cost around $35 to replace. Fortunately, it was made to be disassembled and when I removed the crank I found 2 worn o-rings that I was able to replace for a total of 50 cents. It's a good feeling.
We will run out of resources if we replace everything. Putting a time limit on products puts a time limit on us.
You think the same way as my husband, who reminds me that in Jamaica, too, when he was growing up here, things were fixed and lasted longer. To some extent that is still happening, but in the last 20 years or so, not so much. I do recall more repair shops in Jamaica - especially for TVs, radios, etc.
Nevertheless, he is still really good at fixing things that are broken and hates to throw them away. But as you say new things are impossible to repair.
By the way, the typewriter you used is as old as me! So now I have given away my age! :-)
My dad would rewire a broken iron or toaster when I was growing up. He'd prop a mirror up on a chair in front of the cathode ray tube TV so he could see the picture while he worked in the back of the set, testing circuits and replacing tubes. I'm an elderly female and when I was in college one uncle taught me how to drill holes in glass and mirrors while swabbing the diamond drill bit with turpentine to keep it cool. Another taught me how to grind and reface a car's valves. I did well at both since I had a delicate touch. I'm nursing my 25-year old refrigerator since my repair guy says all the ones made today are "junk." As they say, it's a different world.
One of the upsides of the durn technology is, you can find a YouTube video about how to repair just about anything. A few days ago my friend and i re-strung a venetian blind -- what a clever piece of engineering that is! I love mending stuff. Nothing makes me happier than repurposing something or bringing a damaged object back to life. I had a zen teacher who said, "the problem isn't that we are too materialistic. The problem is that we don't have enough respect for the material world."
Old woman here and I agree with everything you wrote today! Spotted the little old trike in the picture of you outdoor spot for typing today's letter. We are kindred spirits on the abandoned kids' bikes idea. I have 5 or 6 of them throughout my garden. Have a wonderful, enjoyable and very peaceful evening.
I agree, although I have no fixit skillz. Love the description of the typewriter and the photo!
I lament that things are not built to last anymore. We have become a disposable society…and it’s starting to include people. (Thinking of MAiD in Canada)
Do you know anyone who has chosen MAiD? I live in Canada and i do, as do many people i know. It is not a simple process to get approval for Medical Assistance in Dying. Those who choose it are not ‘disposable’, they are usually well loved and respected and treated with dignity. I wish we could respect the resources of our earth as much as we value its human inhabitants.
I’m in Canada too but no, I don’t know anyone who has chosen MAiD. But like in all things, there are ways to get what you want. There are docs that are not totally on the up and up.
Amen!
(joining you on the old man “somethings really were better” bench)
I'm glad there's a "Fix it" movement in place and politicians are aware of "Right to Repair."
I like the contradictions inherent in a 1951 Empire Aristocrat designed in Switzerland and built in Britain. Or, should that be "utter consistency", instead?
Anyway, this is written back by an inferior commoner to your Superior Aristocrat by a machine that you probably won't be able to even get the software for in seven decades.
You must be a great typist and not get your fingers in a muddle! They don’t even make fingers the way they used to!
We had a small appliance repair shop here in a cool little building (architecturally it looked 50s-60s, the home that brought me to Renton was built in ‘68).
It’s been closed for years and there is new development all along sunset (which was sketchier) that may have taken it out. If not, they will soon and I want a picture.
The ohotomat had already been painted pink and made a coffee stand. That was pre-covid.
We still have some old Boeing company housing duplexes standing. It’s not just Seattle disappearing.
Modern sophisticated products can be devilishly difficult or impossible to repair. Do it yourself repair no longer exists for many products. Even the manufacturers replace instead of repair.
You inspire me.
Thank you Kent, for that beautiful bit of common sense.