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| Author |
Message |
keesan
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Help Offered Column
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Jan 13 14:59 UTC 1998 |
My roommate, who loves challenges, would like to offer advice on how (or in
some cases whether) to fix the following:
Large appliances: stoves, portable ovens, refrigerators, freezers, washing
machines, dryers, dehumidifiers. (How large is a large appliance?)
Small appliances: lamps, space heaters, fans, vacuum cleaners, hairdryers,
and assorted portable kitchen appliances.
Home entertainment: radios, tape players, CD players, telephones
Tools: power tools (saws, drills), saw sharpening, manual garden tools
Miscellany: metal furniture, pressure cookers, thermometers, electrical test
equipment, baby strollers, toys, tents, flashlights, backpacks, shoes, bike
helmets, eyeglasses, birdfeeders, zippers, music boxes, you name it!
No gasoline-burners, TVs, or amplified musical instruments please.
Hands-on help is offered only to those who cannot use their own hands.
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| 171 responses total. |
other
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response 1 of 171:
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Jan 13 17:05 UTC 1998 |
an example of a large appliance could be: a 1.2 gigawatt portable diesel
generator which both resembles and functions like a semi-trailer.
a small appliance could be: an in-ear hearing aid...
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keesan
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response 2 of 171:
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Jan 13 19:17 UTC 1998 |
Webster's Third International Dictionary (1961): Appliance 2b: an
instrument or device designed for a particular use c a household or office
mechanism (as a stove, fan or refrigerator). operated by gas, electric
current, or a small motor.
Instrument: 1b: tool, 2: utensil, implement
Device: 1e: a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special
purpose or perform a special function
By definition 2b your giant generator would be a large appliance, and the
hearing aid a small appliance. I have heard of a dental appliance, which
I think is used to train teeth into a new position.
But I would suggest the more common definition of household mechanism. If
you want to start an item on portable diesel generators, I would bet you
can find a better category for it. A hearing aid is a medical device.
What category are eyeglasses or electric toothbrushes?
The 1982 American Heritage Dictionary, College Edition, defines appliance
as simply A device or instrument, esp. one operated by electricity and
designed for household use. Shall we call a large appliance one that is
not easily moved by one person, but is small enough to fit inside a room?
Tool (Webster): 1a an instrument (as a hammer) used or worked by hand:
implement b (1) the cutting or shaping part in a machine or machine tool
(2): a machine for shaping metal: machine tool 2a: an instrument or
apparatus used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of
a vocation or profession.
.
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orinoco
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response 3 of 171:
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Jan 17 05:01 UTC 1998 |
Well, yeah, but a cook would call a blender a tool and a handyman would call
a blender an appliance. To a cook, it _is_ a tool - it serves a purpose, and
you use it to make things. To the mechanical sort, it _is_ an appliace - it's
something you've got in your house that's bigger than a light bulb, smaller
than a tractor, and has a motor.
It's not like there are strict divisions between these things anyway. As much
as I love semantic arguments...
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rcurl
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response 4 of 171:
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Jan 17 18:26 UTC 1998 |
This item appears to be intended to encompass what the whole conference
is intended to encompass. Why doesn't your roomate, keesan, just respond
in items in the conference, rather than expect everyone to also post their
items in this item?
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keesan
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response 5 of 171:
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Jan 17 19:22 UTC 1998 |
He was just offering to help, in case people were wondering what sorts of
items were actually fixable. It was not expected to turn into a discussion
of definitions (see item 1). But not much happens the way you expect.
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rcurl
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response 6 of 171:
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Jan 17 19:57 UTC 1998 |
Everything is fixable...whether it is *worth* fixing is another matter. Its
amazing how many things are built to not be easily fixed. The modem with
the chip fuse comes to mind...I replaced that, but most people would just
have to buy a new modem.
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keesan
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response 7 of 171:
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Jan 17 20:27 UTC 1998 |
Do you know anything about fixing a fax power supply? The repair shops 'fix'
them by replacing the unit. It works intermittently - after it has not been
used for a few months, the fax works fine, until I turn it off, then it will
not go on again. Brother/Epson power supply. A capacitor of some sort?
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n8nxf
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response 8 of 171:
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Jan 19 16:04 UTC 1998 |
I doubt it. Perhaps a funky solder connection? Perhaps an open
bleeded resistor around a capacitor? Hard to say...
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keesan
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response 9 of 171:
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Jan 30 17:44 UTC 1998 |
We have a quartz clock, with a tested-good battery, that will run for only
20 minutes when vertical (hung on the wall), but runs indefinitely when
horizontal facing up (did not check it mounted on the ceiling yet). What is
the cure? Does it need something cleaned? On arrival it was dead, but taking
it apart and poking at it got it running. A rummage-sale special.
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other
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response 10 of 171:
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Jan 31 18:19 UTC 1998 |
try forcing compressed air through the works, to see if anything (dust
bunnies) comes out. also, give the woks a little shake, and see if you can
hear anything loose. shake gently though.
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keesan
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response 11 of 171:
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Jan 31 20:46 UTC 1998 |
We did all that, next step is to take it all the way apart, I guess.
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rcurl
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response 12 of 171:
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Jan 31 21:11 UTC 1998 |
Run it horizontally. Set up a mirror so you can read it from afar, if you'd
like. You can also get replacement quartz movements for just a few dollars.
They can go bad for all sorts of reasons, but commonly the pivots get worn
and gunky, which causes drag, or causes the gears to not mesh correctly.
Happens in all mechanical clocks, quartz or not. If you really like the
case/dial, replace the movement (and maybe the hands, as finding replacement
movements that will also accept the hands on hand is not easy).
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keesan
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response 13 of 171:
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Jan 31 23:53 UTC 1998 |
We have a spare movement but for a smaller set of hands. Where does one buy
a new movement? Or I could try it on the ceiling. The case is large, round
and white and has dark black numbers and hands and can be read without
glasses, so is worth re-doing. Thanks for the idea. Do you know why a clock
would work horizontally but not vertically?
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rcurl
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response 14 of 171:
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Feb 1 02:24 UTC 1998 |
The wear of the pivots and pivot holes lets the gears misalign, possibly
causing jamming or more friction. The pivots settle to the bottom of
the picot holes when the clock is vertical.
For parts, try TimeSavers, http://www.timesavers.com
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scott
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response 15 of 171:
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Feb 1 13:37 UTC 1998 |
Maybe the insides lean forward and scrape the inside of the glass?
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keesan
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response 16 of 171:
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Feb 1 16:53 UTC 1998 |
The glass is off, it still stops. Rane's explanation makes sense. The clock
will start again if shaken up, then when it runs probably settles. Is there
no local store that sells mechanisms?
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scott
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response 17 of 171:
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Feb 1 17:54 UTC 1998 |
Try either Franks Nursery & crafts, or maybe a hobby shop?
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rcurl
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response 18 of 171:
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Feb 1 20:06 UTC 1998 |
I saw a clock kit at that science place in Briarwood, but that is a very
expensive way to get just a replacement movement (and hands). Replacement
quartz movements are only $4-5 from TimeSavers...postage will cost as much.
Clock repair is among my hobbies, so when I need a quartz movement I wait
until I have enough other stuff to get to make it worthwhile.
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gibson
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response 19 of 171:
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Feb 2 04:43 UTC 1998 |
Rane do you fix clocks for other people? I have an old one that would
run a short time but doesn't do anything now. It's a windup.
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keesan
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response 20 of 171:
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Feb 2 05:43 UTC 1998 |
It sounds cheaper to just pick up another used clock at a rummage sale than
buy a new mechanism. We have another clock that was $1 and works.
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rcurl
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response 21 of 171:
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Feb 2 08:02 UTC 1998 |
That's why I asked if the case and dial was of interest. I would not replace
the movement in a junker case/dial (e.g., plastic).
I don't have time to offer public clock repair. It is also awkward for
private individuals to offer to fix clocks without making it a business,
as no one believes what should be charged for the work, or what should
be done. No clock repairer will do a half-way job, but must totally
disassemble the clock, clean all parts, and repair or replace all parts
that are broken or warn. I might do a partial job on my own clocks, but
then I can't complain when it stops again, can I? Clock cleaning and repair
starts at ca. $100 for very simple clocks. Chimers - think $200 up.
(Incidentally, clocks *strike* the hour - chiming is always music.)
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keesan
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response 22 of 171:
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Feb 2 18:40 UTC 1998 |
I got a 48 hour wind-up (mantel) clock cleaned and 'repaired' for $45 and it
ran for about 2 days after that. They must also wear out. Why is my electric
wall clock still running after at least 20 years, is it made differently from
the battery type?
Are the quartz-mechanism gears thinner, or a different material, or just
poorer tolerance?
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rcurl
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response 23 of 171:
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Feb 2 19:24 UTC 1998 |
Battery mechanisms run at the minimum possible power so quit when things
start rubbing. Line powered clocks consume a lot more power and just
overpower friction for much longer. Did you take that clock back to the
repairer when it failed to run after two days? He/she has a responsibility
to warrant the repair for at least a year, if in the business.
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keesan
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response 24 of 171:
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Feb 2 21:31 UTC 1998 |
No, I gave it to a friend as a mantel decoration. The repairer tried hard,
had it in the shop for a couple of weeks trying to get it to keep proper time.
It was probably not very well made and was about 75 years old. Regarding
friction, would cleaning and lubrication help a quartz mechanism? If so, with
what chemicals?
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