True. It isn’t always about a cost/labour analysis. Sometimes I want to repair something to learn how to do it. Sometimes I want to repair something because even though ‘my time is valuable’, I hate the idea of throwing out something I know will rot in the landfill for a thousand years. Sometimes I’m just attached to the thing and afraid I won’t find a replacement that is as good (which is often the case).
I hate our throwaway culture, it’s good to know how to fix things even if it isn’t technically ‘cost effective’ to do so.
All of these reasons but I also just enjoy the experience of fixing something. It feeds the soul in some deep way for me
Karl Marx’s theory of alienation describes the separation and estrangement of people from their work, their wider world, their human nature, and their selves. Alienation is a consequence of the division of labour in a capitalist society, wherein a human being’s life is lived as a mechanistic part of a social class
Also it’s fun.
Also, I think that you shouldn’t put a price on your free time off work? You wouldn’t be working anyway, why put a price tag on it?
Absolutely – I hate how we’ve been raised to think of time in monetary terms; I have to remind myself on days off that “No, I do not need to do anything it’s my day off! I can sleep in… no need to be productive …”
I was living in a shithole apartment with a noisy fridge that the landlord wouldn’t fix and complaining to my therapist about it. He suggested I fix it, which was a completely alien idea to me at the time. It was a lot less complicated than I expected, I learned a lot about how it worked, and my self-confidence and perceived control over my circumstances skyrocketed.
It challenges me, relaxes me, and I get a cool experience out of it
Me with all my Koss headphones (looking at you KPH30i!), and everything with a depleted rechargeable battery.
Yeah, but you didn’t have to leave the house, which is worth a lot.
Or talk to anyone!
It’s not about the money - it’s about sending a message
sometimes it’s not about solving the immediate problem, but about making sure it doesn’t happen again.
(literally “fixed” my alarm clock this week after it’s plug broke off in the outlet by giving it a $10 right angle plug that won’t be under any significant strain.)
Sometimes it’s about learning to fix things more than it is about fixing the thing.
I regularly just take shit apart when it fails even if i have no intention of fixing it.
Doing stuff against planned obsolesce and throwaway culture are much more meaningful than recycling.
If you are a hobbyist, you can break them in to components and build something new. Preferably something that doesn’t burn your house down or electrocute someone. Stay under 50V.
Repair > replace.
It’s not just about how much money it costs.
Less waste thrown into a dump, gain knowledge of how to fix the issue, can help others with fixing the same issue, and sends the message that we’d rather repair than replace.
I fix stuff when it’s harder than buying a new one just because it’s rewarding. I guess the guy in the picture embodies that feeling but I don’t picture it that way, it’s just how I was brought up. Same reason I make meals instead of ordering doordash.
When you can’t earn money, then, time isn’t money, Money IS Money! Sure that device costs $5 to replace, but with those two hours that you weren’t earning cash, you saved $5 that you can spend on whatever your heart desires. When you aren’t earning, save.
You can be making money anytime nowadays if you’ve got a driver’s license. Not that I’d recommend it though.
Don’t most of those jobs require you to supply your own vehicle, fuel and other vehicle-related expenses?
They do which is why I wouldn’t recommend it.
And also the tax/pension/health/VAT deductions from money earned is x% for varying scary values of x, but the equivalent from money “avoided” AKA “money you didn’t need to earn because you didn’t need to spend it because you fixed stuff yourself” is 0%. That is the reason DIY, Right-To-Repair, barter systems, etc are all demonised institutionally. They are wedge-issues which run counter to the fostered futility-narrative that keeps the wage-slaves quietly running on their mouse-wheels, and out of the way of the ownership-class while they constantly “repair” society to their liking.
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Hell yeah brother.
I legit contracted with an OEM over Alibaba to make a custom piece of glass to adhere to the new LCD screen to replace the broken screen in my wife’s Playdate.
Though in that case it was like $150 total.
Damn, sounds impressive! The experience that inspired this meme for me was swapping the buttons in my mouse for newer ones from a dead donor mouse, which admittedly took much less than 2 hours haha
Imagine the reduction in e-waste if everyone in high school took a short course in how to use a soldering iron, solder-sucker/braid and heat-gun to replace common bits in consumer electronics. So many things could be saved that get thrown out only due to a bad microswitch or cracked solder joint to a USB or headphone connector …
When I went to trade school I jumped all over the opportunity to learn how to solder for exactly that reason
When they went to school, my mother learned how to use a sewing machine, my father learned basic carpentry, and they both learned how to shoot and maintain an AK-47. Although the UUSR may not have been the perfect paradise that many people make it out to be, it does feel like modern school systems could learn a thing or two from the communists.
That’s so great. You should be proud.
I see someone owns a 3d printer.
I still have my CRT TV still open due I do not have the time to buy a 16v capacitor. Has been like, 2 weeks now. Wow. I need to fix it
If you haven’t yet, go order that cap. It’ll take like 7 minutes tops.
yea, fix that tv it’s going to be the weekend’s adventure
There’s lots of costs that don’t show up in the 5$ value. Considering limited resources, the value in human lives tied with pollution, the pollution you are not generating during the two hours of hobbying…
I think the math checks out most of the time.
I personally prefer to break a slightly broken device further
Nothing more satisfying than making something that cheaper, and also exceed the quality of buying ready-to-use product.
CAD, EDA, IDE, and correct toolkits to the rescue!
EDIT: In case someone want to delve in hobbyist/maker/diy world, here are some useful stuffs that available free:
3D CAD:
Freecad - FOSS 3D CAD software that available cross-platform.
Autodesk Fusion - Not so great alternative but servicable, Free plan have certain limitation.EDA:
KiCAD - Designing electronic project has never been so easy. This one far superior than Autodesk Eagle crap.
EasyEDA - Free online and desktop EDA software that can be used for alternative.(Microcontroller) IDE:
VSCode/Codium + PlatformIO - Most affordable, off-the-shelf controller are programmable with PlatformIO and enough for most average joe projects. Arduino IDE may be superior for newcomer but I recommend this as you have more leeway in which framework and board you can get out of single extension for Text Editor.Toolkits:
Digital Multimeter - Most common electronics can be troubleshoot’d with digital multimeter to identify the problem.
Cheap E-Bay caliper (or any cheap caliper) - For most DIY project, cheap digital caliper are enough to measure dimension unless you really need 3 digit precision.I have difficulty finding that first project that would justify a purchase of a 3d printer.
Even just sending something to a local 3d printshop is difficult.
Basically I need a use case to kick me off.
I have a 3d printer. Honestly, it’s mostly junk that gets printed. I like the idea, but the utility isn’t there. It’s a solution in search of a problem.
But I’ve made a few neat things. My own design for cabinet and drawer hardware and some custom knick knack souvenirs for a gig I work on each year to give to the crew.
What I want is a large library of 3d model replacement parts for things like my car, but they haven’t been made available so I’d have to model them myself and I’m not that good.
I 3D print stuff for the wood shop a lot. Clamping doodads, tool holders, jigs, etc.
I have some things. I just got a roll of tpu to try and print a new drain plug for something that they don’t offer replacement parts on.
But I’ve found I don’t need another organizer or knick knack anymore. And personally, I’m not a huge fan of plastic. If I can get something in wood, metal, glass, or ceramic I’d much rather do that.
It’s great for when I need it. I just don’t need it often.
Do you have pets? My first project will be cages for my electronics to keep my cats away from them, eventually I want to put together a hall tree. They’re like coat hangers with a seat and storage for your shoes, but I’ll also add a section for my work clothes
Toy production, I have one - the main use is making whatever toys I think are cool. You want more LEGO - 3D print it. You want something to throw something for your dog, 3D print it.
Admittedly those aren’t use cases so much as hobbies. Occasionally you can 3D print a repair for a curtain hook or something. But everyone likes toys, even adults.
To be honest I don’t have 3d printer myself and rarely print to make a case, the electric bill really putting me off to own one. Most of time I used those pre-made abs plastic project box that you can cut/drill holes and come with various size. Other than that, sometime it feels “costly” to make something if you didn’t plan ahead or not really going to use the project.
For CAD I would recommend Onshape rather than Fusion, it’s browser based so it works on Linux and I prefer it target than Fusion.
The main limitation of the free tiers is that all the design you do are public.
Also openSCAD if you struggle to get your head around normal CAD programs. Everything is written as a script and it’s surprisingly intuitive.
amazing and helpful comment. thank you
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I’ve gotten shit for taking apart the filter screen on my toilet’s filler and cleaning out the sediment when I could just spend $20 to replace it. It’s really not even that hard once you figure out the trick for spreading the clips holding it together. They really didn’t want this to be user fixable.
