Are you a handyman?

[drstrangelove]

I stay away from car repairs but I am quite handy at renovation work. I've totally renovated my own house, flipped 3 others and done work for friends and neighbours, kitchens, decks, etc. I'm self taught but do plumbing, electrical, (own property only), drywall, trim etc etc. Quite enjoyable until I got too old.

 

[Jenesis]

I have had to learn how to be “handy” with some things. Especially with my trailer and my boat, as getting repair guy for either is quite difficult. Having a guy come to the site is hard and boat repairs are months behind with backlog.

So I YouTube and fix a lot of things on my own. Gas value and part replaces on my water heater, black water tank piping, re-roping the pull start for the motor. I do all the winterizing, changing the plugs, blowing out the lines in the trailer, etc.

I have done hose changes and stuff to my car. I replaced a rad hose in the CT parking lot about 15 years ago. LOL. I drove right to my mechanic to make sure I did it right.

I can “change a tire” but often can’t because I don’t have the strength to loosen the nuts. I find this is my problem now. I don’t have the physical strength I once had which as women is often not enough for some of these jobs. The knowledge is there, the physicality is not.

 

[Robert Mugabe]

I have had to learn how to be “handy” with some things. Especially with my trailer and my boat, as getting repair guy for either is quite difficult. Having a guy come to the site is hard and boat repairs are months behind with backlog.

So I YouTube and fix a lot of things on my own. Gas value and part replaces on my water heater, black water tank piping, re-roping the pull start for the motor. I do all the winterizing, changing the plugs, blowing out the lines in the trailer, etc.

I have done hose changes and stuff to my car. I replaced a rad hose in the CT parking lot about 15 years ago. LOL. I drove right to my mechanic to make sure I did it right.

I can “change a tire” but often can’t because I don’t have the strength to loosen the nuts. I find this is my problem now. I don’t have the physical strength I once had which as women is often not enough for some of these jobs. The knowledge is there, the physicality is not.

I will give you a tip. Because it's you. If you have a cross bar tire iron , keep a 2 foot length of metal pipe in your trunk. probably 2' diameter is adequate. Slip that over one of the "arms" of the cross to increase leverage on the lug nuts when you are pulling to unthread the lug nuts. The extra torque will make lug nuts come off like butter.

 

[The Mechanic]

Things in life aren’t that difficult to repair, it’s only the first time you do it by yourself it scares the crap out of you. You mentioned you hit the brakes and they went down to the floor to things one when you did the brakes pushed the cylinder or piston back into the caliper but the brake pads on the back bolted everything up went inside the car started it and when you tried the brakes and went straight to the floor. That’s normal because you have to move the pads closer to the rotor next time start the car in park pump the pedal until firmness develops LOL. The second could because by air in the hydraulic system so far I’ve only replaced two calipers in my lifetime the minute you opened the hydraulic system hose line caliper etc. you have to bleed the system to get the air out. And yes it does save money the dealership quoted me 3200 for the front and 2800 for the rear, must be on crack or something. Anyways went on eBay for rotors pads all the way around delivered to the front door for 450 an hour and ½ for actual repair. The only thing you really have to watch out for the neighbourhood is watching you, Oh can you have a look at my car the brakes are given the problems. My answer to that is either you or I get the parts and it’s $100 an hour, I’m at that age where I would like to enjoy the finer things in life.

 

[Robert Mugabe]

 

[SchlongConery]

Holy fuck! That is the funniest Red Green skit ever! And he gets everything technically correct!

What a brilliant guy he is! Thanks for sharing that!

 

[SchlongConery]

.., dealership quoted me 3200 for the front and 2800 for the rear, must be on crack or something. Anyways went on eBay for rotors pads all the way around delivered to the front door for 450 an hour and ½ for actual repair.

Exactly!

It was a lot less expensive and easier to do to just buy the whole calliper new rotors pads everything and having to clean up the old ones, etc

But I can understand those who don’t really understand the system messing it up. Especially the way the springs and clips go on. For those with the mechanical inclination there is a lot of highly vehicle specific videos on YouTube.

I’d also recommend taking pictures at every single stage of disassembly because it’s easy to forget things came apart or have leftover parts!

 

[whynot888]

Love handywork, and yes, tools do make a difference.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

I can “change a tire” but often can’t because I don’t have the strength to loosen the nuts. I find this is my problem now. I don’t have the physical strength I once had which as women is often not enough for some of these jobs. The knowledge is there, the physicality is not.

I keep a 24" breaker bar in my vehicles to change tires. I never had any problems breaking the nuts loose. There is even a 36" breaker bar that gives you even more leverage.

 

[SchlongConery]

I keep a 24" breaker bar in my vehicles to change tires. I never had any problems breaking the nuts loose. There is even a 36" breaker bar that gives you even more leverage.

Don't you use a torque wrench? Most wheel nuts require 75-90 ft lbs. I also give them a once around a hundred or two km later in case anything worked loose.

Although very uncommon, overtightening them repeatedly stretches the stud and can lead to failure.

I use a Cdn Tire corded electric impact gun. They come on salle quite often.

If you have one of the more powerful cordless impact drivers they work too. Just get a Hex to 1/2" adapter. My Milwaukee M18. Fuel will change all four tires on a 5.0AH battery. BUt I do use the torque wrench for the final 1/4 turn.

 

[opieshuffle]

I'm with angrymime666 on this one... YouTube. You just need to filter out the BS. Read some comments. I've got a still running dishwasher that normally would have been replaced 10 years ago. Actually a LOT of appliances I've fixed because I hate this "throw away" world we live in!

I'm a gearhead (torn down and rebuilt car) so not much I can't do on cars and with the last brake job bill on partner's car, I'm going back to doing a lot of work myself. Renovated kitchen and both bathrooms. Back patio stone work. Like a few of you, I grew up with little money and a dad who learned everything on his own and taught us the basics of what tools you need. Acquired many more over the years. I think like most things, you're either INTO it, or you're not.

But roofing?! FUCK THAT!

 

[Robert Mugabe]

I'm with angrymime666 on this one... YouTube. You just need to filter out the BS. Read some comments. I've got a still running dishwasher that normally would have been replaced 10 years ago. Actually a LOT of appliances I've fixed because I hate this "throw away" world we live in!

I'm a gearhead (torn down and rebuilt car) so not much I can't do on cars and with the last brake job bill on partner's car, I'm going back to doing a lot of work myself. Renovated kitchen and both bathrooms. Back patio stone work. Like a few of you, I grew up with little money and a dad who learned everything on his own and taught us the basics of what tools you need. Acquired many more over the years. I think like most things, you're either INTO it, or you're not.

But roofing?! FUCK THAT!

That was kind of the point that I was driving at. Why not try to fix something instead of diagnosing it as broke when all that may be at fault is the wiring. Which in the example provided seems to point to getting a repairman to look at it. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater isn't necessarily the intelligent solution. Might still be a perfectly good motor.

 

[moredale7]

I can build or fix just about anything, and do it well.

But by the time I fuck around getting organized, doing the work, cleaning up... I've screwed up other parts of my life.

For example. I had a Ford F150 with a Triton engine that are famous for blowing spark plugs out of the head. It was $500 to get it fixed, plus $100 towing. I bought the coil insert and a set of new plugs and did it myself. Soaked the other plugs with penetrating oil and did it all correctly. Nonetheless, I fucked it up, and another plug thread and an electrical harness connector that I didn't know how to unlatch correctly! Had to get it towed to get the head removed and machined and then put back on. By the time it was all said and done, it cost me $1500 and seven days from when the plug blew out. And I was pissy about my stupidity in not valuing my time. If I had have just had it towed and fixed by a pro, I'd have saved money and time.

But I still fall into the trap of doing things for others when they should just hire someone to do it. In fact it would probably be cheaper for me to pay someone to do it and I put in a few hours more time on what I make money doing!

I had a Ford F150

End of conversation.

 

[james t kirk]

I'm in a trade so I can do many things. A few years ago I thought I'd shingle my garage. Took me 2 x 12 hours days and still had to tarp it. Was sore for a week, never again.

This time I decided to change my own brake pads. One night I did the front 2 and it went well. However I didn't pump the brakes and damn near rolled onto a busy road like an idiot. Did the back 2 today, went great til the last one and the caliper was seized. Tied it up and thought 3 brakes were good to get me to a mechanic as I knew it was beyond my knowledge. I was changing them in a relatives driveway and brake fluid spewed all over the driveway. I ended up getting it towed to the garage.

What a fucking stupid waste of time and money. Never again.

"For just a little more you can do it yourself".

 

[Ponderling]

So dear wife called me at work Wednesday to decry that the oven would not come on and she had a roasting pan full of pork chops all breaded and spiced ready to go.

I came home early, popped a big cast iron pot on the stove top, added a bit of shortening to be sure it was seasoned and half an inch of water and loaded the pork chops in. Top fits well, so sort of a steam bath.

Every few minutes I rotated the bottom one to the top.
Then left on low for 15 minutes so to be sure all was cooked through, Pork came out nice and moist and tasty. Will definitely try cooking that way again.

Then after dinner dishes away and left overs stored, look to the oven.

Based on my history with gas appliances, having fixed the bbq, clothes dryer, and furnace over the years, I went to the ignitor first. It measured about 260 ohms cold, so maybe a bit high but not open. Loose terminal on the gas solenoid lead so I crimp that a bit tighter. Solenoid measures a few ohms, seems right. Try firing it. Still a no go. So no smoking gun so far.

So I get voltmeter leads hooked up to look at power in the plug at the bottom inside of the oven that powers the circuit. Weirdly fluctuating values, never over 30v, and I was expecting 120V when I set the controller to turn the oven on.

So I had been up since 4:30am that morning, with a proposal to write at work on my mind. So logic was thin for me by 7:50pm. So sleep on the problem.

Next morning I peel the oven controller out so could probe the control signal, right where it leaves the controller.

Same wonky voltage.
Pry the control pc board gently out of its holding housing to look at the foil side.

Aha.
Modest black burn marks showing a bad solder pin to foil joint on the relay load terminal.
Out to the solder station setup in my shed.
Add extra rosin to clean the joint then resolder it.
Reassemble and bingo, back in business.

Much nicer than the $300 cost of the replacement part I had researched the night before

 

[Ponderling]

Kitchen microwave stopped making heat this am.
I have checked it out.
I am used to fixing them in the lunch room at the office often.

All door switches are ok,
no fuse blown,
primary of transformer ok.

So looks like either a fault in the TX HV side ( no smell or chars of burns sensed, though)
Or tube finally gave up.

Thought back and it is 28 years old, being used multiple times a day.
So if it finally gave up, it does not owe us anything.

I fished the prior one from its home downstairs.
I fixed the fuse in it a week many years ago.
After my wife bought this now dead one.

The trusty older one lived in the basement laundry room
To heat darkroom chemicals when I mix 'em, or to make soap from scratch.
On more often to heat the kids midnight meals when gaming in the adjacent family room where one often sleeps now.

It also forced me to look to see what I had stashed in the garage upper shelves.
I used to have a spare microwave there from when an office closed.
But I now recall giving it to a co worker when he moved out on his own.

So we pulled out of the attic and decided to thrift off:
2 2 slice and 2 4 slice toaster
2 electric kettles.
One toaster oven.

Oh, and we kept one of each of the above as spares for if one of our kids ever move out.

 

[Ponderling]

Karma smiled.
Tested the old microwave controller the day after it stopped heating.
Unplugged the transformer that feeds the heater tube, and put a voltmeter across leads that are that used to feed the HV tx.
Plugged it into a GFCI extension cord.
Controller works fine. Power is being switched on to feed the TX.
So problem is on the HV side- likely capacitor or tube. So I am not going to even touch that stuff. Its off for scrapping.

I took the car and dropped a pal home that had bussed over earlier for coffee at noon.
And there next to his house on the curb is a unloved looking microwave and toaster oven.

Haul the microwave to the back yard, degrease it some, and then cover off to look for any major damage before I will plug it in.

No blown fuse, good power cord, door switches all work fine.
So I put a half a litre of water in a jug inside the oven compartment, closed the door and plug the unit in.
No excitement, so a good first step.
Set the clock. Display and keys seem to work.
Tell it to heat for 30 seconds. Push start.
Hear the tube starting, turntable motor moves, fan motor spins fan fine and light comes on. All looking good.
Finish the 30 seconds and water feels measurable warmer.

So finish the clean and move it down to the laundry room as our backup unit.
Put two shim shingles the right height under one side at the front to level it, as it is missing one foot.

The toaster oven at first blush seems to work.
Gobs of goop to clean it, so spray and let the chems work.
Then scrape worst with a dull knife before scouring pad finish.

Full clean up is slated after dark tonight.
So I can easily see if all of the 4 glowing element tubes will light up.

 

[james t kirk]

You tube man. Plus sounds like you didn't bleed the lines.

For a regular brake job (replacing pads and rotors) there is no need to bleed the brakes.

All you need to do is push the pistons back into the calipers with a C clamp or pair of channel locks. When done, pump the brake pedal a few times about 2 thirds of the way down. Then take it out for a spin and follow the procedure to bed the rotors and voila.

 

[james t kirk]

I'm very handy.

I have built a house in the past, largely by myself. Hired the odd trade where I needed it done faster than I could do it myself. I can do just about anything. It's easier to say what I won't do:

1. Roofs. Not any more.

2. HVAC, I could install a furnace or boiler, but I don't know how to configure it or set up the controls. I'm not big on a full blown tin job either.

3. I don't operate heavy machinery.

4. I don't build forms, though I do design them.

5. I don't place and finish concrete.

6. I don't lay brick or block (that's a lot harder than you might think.) But I will labour with the Mason.

7. Not big on garage door rotational springs as I value my fingers being attached.

But everything else I will do myself.

I just find it really hard to find a contractor who knows what he's doing. Most have no clue.

And cars? On an older car, I will take on anything. I've done frame offs before. But the new stuff? Some stuff I will take on. But cars are getting very complicated now.

 

[Goodoer]

When it comes to cars, once I found a local mechanic I could trust, I stopped doing all car repairs... Even oil changes.

His prices are reasonable considering the time and effort and specialty tools that he has at the ready. Removing a rusted wheel hub without legitimate shop tools is an absolute bitch.

(Stealerships are evil)