Does ANYONE in here actually fix any of the tech you own?

Not when I was younger. I kind of wonder if I could have saved a few things. Perhaps a triniton needed a new cap.

i don't replace anything until i can confirm the unit is 100% dead

self repair is tedious but fantastically cost effective and saving yourself the headache of setting up new devices is a good feeling

Obviously

I try as much as possible. But some stuff is just a pain in the ass to take apart.
I wanted to give my mouse a good clean, turned out that shit was glued together.

software - easy > either try and fix it or save what needs/can be saved and replace it
hardware - depends on the hardware, failure, problem and size ...

stuff keeps getting smaller and smaller - without proper tools you'll fuck it up
have prolonged my gpu's life by baking (lol) for almost 2 years, had previously deprived my notebook of air > put upside down in a notebook bag > helped to keep it going for at least 1 year

maintaining hardware > easy ... follow tutorials
upgrading/troubleshooting pc hardware > VERY EASY

would've bought some cheap soldering iron on ebay to replace the faulty usb cord on a G400 something mouse

instead i opened up another mouse cheap one) shark force was it?) - saw it had the same colored wires, carefully
stripped them and attached them to the still soldered end of the defective cable (short part that was alright)

cable fit perfectly well, patched every single one with tape and closed it up
yup works now as good as new ... soldering iron would've made it easier
^ these kinds of repair

or replacing a dead capacitor/transistor on dreamcast
once lol ... to get the controller ports working

... have the feeling though its getting harder and harder to repair shit as it gets smaller (obviously duh)
also just replacing something entirely is sometimes cheaper (esp. if your time isn't free)

same goes for simple household repairs ...

so yeah ... i think i'm good except i'd probably should get me some proper tools

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>meme m40x headphones break at the suspiciously fragile ear cups hinge
>wrap some wooden splint in tape
>looks like a mecha helmet now

the point is that normies on this board say something died while the actual problem was a total nonissue

Nothing dies on me. You must be retarded.

replace with stax

I fell for one meme already, no need to fall for the audiophile meme. Gonna use that shit until it cracks like a motherfucka.

now do that for the hard/software of close friends/family

lol ... my stuff barely every brakes on me either and when it does its usually still under warranty

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i try if i can, im a cheap bastard. last thing i fixed was my mouse also. the left button stopped clicking, so i got an old mouse and took out the clicker and soldered it into my broken mouse.

Do I look like a retard to you?
I take extra care of my stuff, that's why nothing ever breaks on me.

I can get pretty bodgy with my repairs. I also did my g400 mouse cable. Opened it up, cut out the bad section of cable, spliced it back together with electrical tape and lost the click in the scroll wheel.

Sansa clip sport battery cable broke so now its held in place on the pcb with the pressure from a foam pad stuck to the inside of the case.

Otherwise tried to fix cars and other home appliances throughout life alongside zip tying fans wherever they're needed. Failed to repair 3.5mm jacks too many times though, the moulded connectors are a bitch and until recently I'd never considered you could get fresh plugs for this.

I do though i stay away from most soldering since i am not that good.
Rebauling or however else it is written i avoid.
If its removing and changing a cap i can do it.
If its anything more complicated i avoid.

Yes. Sometimes it involves buying new parts though. But I fix what I can.

"Honor your equipment or it will fail you." - Space Marine mantra.

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The only shit that breaks on me was purposely designed to break, I hate it. I hate Apple hardware and Microsoft software.

Yea, but most things that come my way are almost always simple. Soldering is usualy the answer

that ur dog?

I fixed a few controllers I had. Opened them up and found broken off plastic that held the triggers in place. Hot glued them back on and it was fixed.

I repair anything I can, yeah but if it's an issue that I can't diagnose or isn't worth doing (i.e. it would be easier and more time-efficient to buy a new/replacement piece) then I'll just buy.

Long dog is long.
How do I use technology to make my dog that long?

I really like my mouse but it was double clicking on both the left and right mouse buttons since the switches were giving out.
Ordered some replacement switches for all 5 buttons at $2 a pop from amazon and soldered them in.
Feels like new again and should last me for another 6-7 years before needing to do this again. Great results for only $10.

Bepis daily

cats are very Jow Forums user, they have been here for a long time now. look at archived threads from a decade ago, its insane how much we loved cats back then.

sure. replaced the button on my G9x. replaced the amplifier board on my B300 speaker. replaced the USB connector on my Scarlett 18i8. replaced a failed capacitor on my Infinity 12" subwoofer. tried to fix my HP 3065c monitor, but the board it needed was somewhat expensive and I wasn't sure it would be a fix.

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If you dont fix your own tech, your existence is trash. Oh, Im just gonna throw away and buy new. Waste of fucking money. Be a chad and grab a fucking soldering iron you fags

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I fixed the clicker (if that's the name) in my old mouse. I had a bent a tiny, tiny metal bit.
>buzzing was actually just the faulty GPU fan
It's actually hard to find a fan with the matching size.
>it was actually just a faulty HDD
ok this one doesn't even quality as a repair, it's just replacement

>monitor broke
>take apart monitor, take apart lcd assembly
>bad ccfl tubes
>transfer ccfl tubes from salvage spares
>it fuckin works

>other monitor breaks
>ebay a replacement just panel for $120 instead of similar monitor for $300

>phone breaks
>swap in screen from one of work's salvage phones

>m40x headphone hinge breaks
>piece pack together and wrap in tensioned electrical tape
>wrap that in 3m plastic tape
>works quite well

The first one was just such a weird thing to look back on. it shitted out one night during a time when I was just really tired and not feeling like doing anything. it just felt like autopilot, I just took it off the stand and fixed it so I could again watch fucking videos on it. I have no idea how I was successful with it, at the time I was just so dude I dont care about it.

I fix everything.
Even non electronics like appliances.

Started out because I was poor and I gained a curiosity and interest for it.

Start to fix you lawn mower then work up to a car.
Eventually learn about ACs and fridges.
After a while things become second nature.

Try and buy things with repairability in mind also.
>ease to open
>larger in nature
>modularity

I wanted to fix some tech and make some of my own, but I've had a difficult time with sourcing materials and equipment. Notably, I wanted to get a simple bang-for-buck soldering station, solder/wick, and various USB connectors for some projects. My USB mic (Type A Mini B) has a damaged connector, so I can't use it. I also wanted to craft some custom cables to accessorize my various PC peripherals. Had some order freezes with Chinese vendors, so I never got to order everything I needed.

It seems every time I go to look into materials and tools, everything is either going to cost too much, or never going to arrive. I wish I could just get some tools and mats from someone locally, but it's all saturated with plumber's materials and worn-out Chinese tools that have a premium attached to them making them more expensive than their Amazon/eBay listings.

>cost too much
Compared to what?
Buy your shit from a reputable vendor if you want it to be good and actually arrive in a reasonable time period. Why are you making your work reliant on receiving some random chinese vaporware?

I don't consider using a screwdriver and buying new parts a repair.

It's mostly an issue with the middle-man rather than the vendors, except in one case. AliExpress refused some of my orders and put my account on hold under suspicion of possible credit card theft. I still got half my orders, but the other half was denied, so I never got to get them settled. One of my accepted orders took over three months, and ultimately, I had to dispute it because the package was lost in transit, and even though the vendor offered a full refund and requested that I dispute, Ali wouldn't accept immediately until I gave extensive proof. Just very frustrating.
>Compared to what?
Compared to lower-cost vendors on Chinese market sites. I could use BangGood or eBay, but the pricing is worse on both, and not any better with regards to shipping times. If I try to buy from a vendor like Amazon, it's just going to be the same trash, but marked up significantly. It seems I can't win in any way unless I want to drop big bucks on some Western-produced equipment and materials that cost 2-3x at minimum. I'm not looking to buy some enterprise-level Hakko, tips, and low quantity, high-cost bags of connectors and bits when I am an amateur. I just wanted to make some cables, fix my mic, and maybe solder some keyboard kits together.

What do you want, to save a few cents on fucking soldering iron tips, or to actually get your work done? If you literally don't care about getting the job done in 2019 then order on aliexpress. When my mouse broke I ordered replacement switches on digikey. Sure I 'overpayed' to the tune of 5 bucks. I also had a working mouse in 2 days.

I thought my old router was overheating or something cause it kept randomly shutting down so I did this to it.

It didn't solve the problem, though.

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It's not a matter of a "few cents" with a lot of these tools. It's a big investment instead of a modest introduction to the field. The premium cost on individual materials adds up as well.
>Digikey
Just looking through the hundreds of options for a single part makes my head spin, and it's not friendly for lower-quantity orders. I will re-iterate; I am an amateur. I don't know everything I need to get, and it's not acceptable to me to toss hundreds of dollars on something that may not suit my needs. That's what I find particularly frustrating about this process, much more so than price. All the money I've spent already has gone to 0 use, and I haven't made progress on my goals.

>not watercooling it

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depends on the severity, obviously.

did the lan card on my x220 and had to flash the bios for it. installing and flashing was easy so i did that. did the screen on a laptop i had a while back, also very easy.

fixed the shifter of my g27. The wire snapped where it was hot glued, connector coated in the stuff so i ordered a new one, crimped it painstakingly (don't have the tool) and its still working several months on.

the g27 was enough of a pain in the arse that i wouldn't have bothered if replacements were available but they were not.

i've never done real electronics repair such as capacitor replacement, but just because my soldering iron is absolute wank and a hakko is not something i can justify atm

GPU fan stopped working, got a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol, poured the alcohol into a plastic tub, put the fan in the tub, left it overnight to dissolve any dirt. Fan worked for another 5 years

USB thumb drive stopped working. Took it out of the casing, wrapped it TIGHTLY in insulation tape. This forced the lid of the chip to compress and keep the electrical contacts in place long enough to recover the data

My mother just told me she fixed her internet and phone landline by unplugging and replugging all (???) cables.
Considering her age and expertise, I'd argue that it counts.

eh. Amazon is cheaper than digikey and they have a good review system. Is $100 a 'big investment'? That's one day of work at minimum wage.

When I was a beginner I used a $10 radio shack soldering iron. It was fine and I built many projects with it. If you buy a Hakko station you're buying a tool that will literally last the rest of your life. Isn't it worth $100?

Yes
>mouse buttons stop working
>replace switches
>they stop working again after some time
>replace them
>but burn a trace in the process due to clumsy soldering
>check where the trace should connect with a multimeter
>solder a cable to connect it

>keyboard button stops working
>open the switch and realign the copper plate (chinese switches so I've read this happens)
>later happens again
>when soldering the switch and pushing it in, it actually pulls apart some layer of the chink PCB (was it just the protective layer or something?), disassemble the keyboard for parts

>headphone hinge breaks
>try to get it repaired, it gets delayed, get offer for new ones at a discount
>buy it
>hinge breaks
>take the two pairs and make a working pair
>...
>hinge breaks
These were really nice headphones apart from the terribly designed hinge (it was a plastic part under great stress due to bad design); TS-671 for the record

>tablet turning off randomly
>reseat battery connector
>do it another time
>break the power button while trying to open the thing one time
>replace it with a chink button
I wonder how many cycles that battery has by now.

Some things. I replaced the cable on my mouse once to fix it. Scroll wheel wasn't working properly later so I "fixed" it by giving it a good, thorough clean. I obviously fix PCs by replacing broken components. My electronics skills aren't really good enough for me to do repairs at that sort of level, unless it's something trivial like fixing a bad solder joint.

amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Kit-Temperature-Desoldering/dp/B073VDX4B7

Here. Just don't use the included multimeter on mains voltages.

Yes, I try to. My soldering skills are not very good any longer though because of some issues.

>Amazon is cheaper than digikey
I'm surprised that some of the items, notably tools, are cheaper on Amazon. Looked at Hakkos, and they are indeed cheaper.
>When I was a beginner I used a $10 radio shack soldering iron.
I've used some Harbor Freight-tier soldering irons, but they didn't seem very effective, hardly getting hot enough to melt solder without it settling over said irons. I suppose I can invest in a big station, I just didn't know if I'd be into soldering and working with electronics enough to justify the expense, which is why I've been so wary of buying one. I was also tempted to get a TS80 or TS100 for a while, since the small size and potential portability were really appealing to me. They might be weaker than a full-size station, but charging from USB C or a small battery is pretty sick and likely easier to work with on my desk space.
>Isn't it worth $100?
Aside from the FX888D, most models from Hakko are over $200. Isn't that $100 model a bit underpowered? I've heard it's a bit unintuitive to use too.

I saw that kit, but I wanted to get a full station or at least something cool and durable like a TS__ soldering iron. Those can be bought from CN sellers for 1/2 the price too. I'm not opposed to shelling out for something decent, but I don't want to pay $250 just for one tool when I'm still a novice.

>FX888D underpowered
lol. maybe if you're soldering pipes.
>unintuitive
sure, as unintuitive as something with literally two buttons and a switch can be.

I fixed my A/C twice because it overheated and blew a capacitor. Too expensive to trash and replace.

I've decided to try and start repairing my stuff rather than just replace it. That said I'm a complete idiot when it comes to repairing things, soldering, that sort of thing.
This might be the best place to ask on the subject of repair. I'm looking to replace the male 3.5mm connector on my headphones for a female connector since the male has started cutting out at random. However, the female connectors I could buy are way too big to fit the space the male connector fits into, and I'm unsure how to go about fixing the thing in place.
How would you normally go about doing this sort of thing? Epoxy, hot glue? Electrical tape?

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Do you think that would suffice as a long-term investment, then? Furthermore, what do you think of TS100/80 soldering irons? I know Louis Rossman likes the TS100 and has mixed feelings about the TS80.

>long term investment
sure, but the real long term investment is learning to solder, which can be done with a cheap iron.

>ts80
never used one. I've heard battery powered irons are shit, but i heard it years back. maybe they're better now.

>find gpu in trash
>omg its PCIe not fucking agp
>the fan is dead
>rip it off
>search trash for laptop
>take out cpu fan+heatsink
>some tooth paste for better thermals
>hot glue it on gpu board
>tape the power cables together
>put it inside my friends computer
>it works
>You fixed it user!
>play quake 3 arena with my friend (~50fps 70°c)
I was quite surprised AMD still has drivers for such old cards even the linux ones

>trip over laptop charge cable
>wire snaps in two, completely fucked
>poor as fuck, can't afford a new one and my """universal""" backup cable is not as universal as advertised
>never replaced a cable like this before and have no experience fixing cables
>figure the worst thing that could happen is that I die painfully, but I'll probably be fine
>find some old solder lying around, but never had a soldering iron
>pick up one for $5 at local store
>it doesn't even get hot enough to melt my tin solder
>but my oven does
>spend 45 minutes cooking tin solder in an ad-hoc aluminum foil bowl in my oven and dipping the wires into it
>giant glob of solder barely holding the wire together
>wrap it in shitloads of electrical tape and toothpicks for stability
>plug it in
>ballast pops and sparks
>plug in computer
>nothing
>give up and ask my sister for her old toaster laptop

College was a wild time, but at least I tried. I still have that cable in my electronics drawer to remind me that I'm fucking retarded, though.

>doesn't get hot enough to melt tin solder
probably just needed some flux

>>scrollwheel gets stuck
>>open it and get the cat hair out

Back to fucking reddit with your heresy.

Top kek.
I have that image in my mind now.

Based white man.