Recyclying Philippino Style

[luke]

I have done repair of TV's radio's and later computer monitors/screens, power units etc. I'm talking about the 70s and 80s and as a hobby. Even at that time it was very hard to live of a repair shop for electronic appliances unless you sell new and use it as a service towards your customers. If you calculate the time you spent on some low cost items, it's cheaper to sell a new one. That is not what the customer expects. They ask you to repair a transistor radio made in Taiwan or Japan that cost less than 20 USD. Your time (couple of hours) working on it and materials quickly comes up to 15 USD. How would you react if ask you 15 USD for repairing a 20 USD toy?

[Ashanti]

maybe that is part of the problem. its so easy for people to throw things away rather than repairing the gadget themselves. Like JJR, we have one tele thats more than 25+ yo. It works perfectly fine though admittedly, we have a few rc changes. i guess both I and the husband are old school and will try to repair or salvage things before throwing them out. with appliances, sometimes the husband will cannibalise them for spares before throwing them away. Nowadays, you can buy really cheap kettle for 6-12 quid. when it packed up my husband will try to repair it first, if its irreparable, he will keep it for the next kettle to packed up for the spares. the only thing the husband wasnt successful in repairing not even one is the iron. unfortunately, i seems to run through a few steam irons :)

[JJReyes]

the only thing the husband wasnt successful in repairing not even one is the iron. unfortunately, i seems to run through a few steam irons

Ask if you tap water is "soft" or "hard" since hard water contains minerals that clog the pipes in steam irons. You can purchase one gallon containers of distilled water for use with your steam iron.

[Ashanti]

we have soft water. here in uk you cant also buy descaler for irons.

[Jack Peterson]

you cant also buy descaler for irons.

Use distilled water, the type you top up car batteries up with.

http://en.wikipedia....Distilled_water

:) :tiphat:

[Call me bubba]

We made out own choices by throwing out the stuff , maybe if we all payed a couple more bucks to fix it , There would be repair shops every where like here and the price for repairs would go down . Its always easier to blame some one else . Blaming a entire country or race for our down falls

Yes it is in most cases cheaper to fix it, If the cost benefit is Good or allows the item/unit to extend its life cycle. BUT in recent years parts of some items seem NOT TO BE IN STOCK(no longer in the supply system) .

So you maybe left with no option but to BUY NEW.

the BLAME GAME? We are all to be BLAMED.

we want, seek the lowest price or a cheaper alternative which in turns gives us a less durable or better made product.

and YES part of the BLAME goes to the companies- (the Walmart/SM effect)(countries) that make or purchase these products, that plan on its "short"life (obselance sorry cant find the right spelling)

If you calculate the time you spent on some low cost items, it's cheaper to sell a new one. That is not what the customer expects. They ask you to repair a transistor radio made in Taiwan or Japan that cost less than 20 USD. Your time (couple of hours) working on it and materials quickly comes up to 15 USD. How would you react if ask you 15 USD for repairing a 20 USD toy?

Yes Luke why pay $15 to repair a $20 Toy . Some of us would not even complain as WE LOVE(like) the $20 Toy we have and cant bear to be without it, So its a buyers market of what can or will be done.

example. on a US tv cable show. the "restorers"? I have seen some items that when bought NEW cost under a few hundred dollars ,some even under $100. when the owner wants it to be restored, it would cost several thousand,

GUESS what the person, without hesitation, says YES go on restore it.

but the VALUE,,its Beauty is in the EYE of owner.

when we die we cant take it with us($$$$$)

[Ashanti]

you cant also buy descaler for irons.

Use distilled water, the type you top up car batteries up with.

http://en.wikipedia....Distilled_water

:) :tiphat:

thanks jack ............... being a brit, are distilled water still used in batteries in UK????. I dont ever remember the husband using it. its either the battery was flat and needs jumped up or a total goner therefore needs replacing. i also dont remember seeing distilled water in the supermarkets not that im looking. perhaps in halsford but i dont ever step in an auto shop or any diy shop - im useless that way! :)