c/fix-it-together

Just spent three hours fixing a loose door handle because I didn't know about the tiny set screw

Warning: My attempt to fix a wobbly bar stool turned into a glue-covered mess.

Last week, I tried to tighten the legs on my kitchen stool, but the whole thing came apart in my hands, and I accidentally used way too much wood glue. My dog walked through the puddle and left tiny glue footprints all over the linoleum. What's the best way to get dried wood glue off a floor without wrecking it?

My brother said to just throw out the old lawn mower. Glad I didn't listen.

The pull cord snapped on my 8 year old mower last weekend. He said it was junk and to get a new one. Watched a video, bought a $15 replacement cord kit from the hardware store. Had it fixed in about 20 minutes. Runs like new now. Anyone have a good trick for keeping the recoil spring in place during that repair?

I bought a $12 stud finder that beeped at everything except the studs.

My drywall patch job turned into a weird art project with six extra holes. What's a better cheap tool that actually works?

My 20-year-old coffee grinder finally gave up the ghost this morning, but I think I found the culprit.

I mean, it was just a worn-out plastic gear inside that I found after taking it apart, and I'm wondering if anyone knows a good source for small replacement parts like that, maybe a 3D printing file or something.

My old neighbor showed me a trick for fixing a stripped screw hole with a toothpick

I was trying to fix a loose hinge on my kitchen cabinet door a few months back. The screw just kept spinning and wouldn't tighten. I was about to give up and buy a whole new hinge set. My neighbor, Frank, who's been fixing things since before I was born, came over to borrow a wrench. He saw me struggling and said, 'You know, you don't need to replace that. Grab a wooden toothpick.' He told me to put a bit of wood glue on it, shove it into the stripped hole, and break it off. Let it dry for an hour, then drill a tiny pilot hole right through it. I tried it, and the screw bit right in and held tight. That hinge is still solid today. Has anyone else used this trick, or do you have a different fix for stripped wood?

Warning: My old drill press needed a new chuck and I had to pick between a cheap import or a pricey name brand

The old Jacobs chuck was shot after maybe 15 years. Found a generic one online for $25. The proper replacement from the tool store was over $80. I went cheap to save cash. It fit fine and works, but the key feels flimsy. Only been a month, so I'm waiting for it to fail. Anyone have a chuck that lasted years, or did the cheap one let you down fast?

Bought a $30 bearing puller for a stubborn dryer drum

My old dryer started making a loud grinding noise last month. Figured it was the drum support rollers. Got the new parts cheap. Could not get the old drum off the rear bearing no matter what I tried. Spent the $30 on a small gear puller from the hardware store. Had it apart in ten minutes. Anyone else have a simple tool that saved a big repair job?

Question about fixing a vintage fan from my grandma's attic

I was ready to toss it after the motor just buzzed, but a guy at the hardware store in Springfield said to try oiling the bushings with 3-in-1 oil first. It actually worked, and now it runs quiet. Anyone know a good way to clean old cloth cords safely?

Wasted $75 on a 'universal' washing machine repair kit that fixed nothing

My washer was shaking and I bought this kit with belts and dampers online. The parts didn't even fit my model (a basic Whirlpool from 2018), and I spent a whole Saturday trying to make them work. Turns out the real problem was just an unbalanced load and a loose leg. Anyone have a good way to check for simple stuff before ordering parts?

Shoutout to the guy at the hardware store who saved my kitchen faucet

I was trying to fix a drip for two hours, sure the cartridge was shot. I even bought a new one. The older guy at the counter asked if I'd checked the aerator first. I took it off, and sure enough, a tiny piece of gravel from our Reno city water line was stuck in there. Cleaned it out, and the drip stopped completely. Has anyone else fixed a 'big' problem with a super small part like that?

My brother told me to use a dab of toothpaste to fix a scratched DVD and I thought he was nuts

I had a copy of a movie that kept freezing, and he said to rub a tiny bit of white toothpaste on the data side in straight lines, then rinse it off. I was sure it would ruin the disc, but I tried it on a junk disc first. After cleaning it, the movie played without a single skip! He explained the paste acts as a very mild abrasive to polish out light scratches. That was two months ago, and the fix is still holding up. Has anyone else tried this weird trick, or do you have a better method for scratched discs?

Showerthought: my grandpa's old toolbox had way more universal parts than my modern one

I was reading an article about planned obsolescence and it said a 1970s appliance had about 70% generic, replaceable components, compared to under 30% now. Honestly makes me miss when you could actually fix stuff with a trip to the hardware store instead of ordering a whole proprietary assembly. Anyone else run into this trying to repair something recent?

My kitchen faucet had a slow drip that turned into a weekend project

Turns out the cartridge was corroded and I had to make three trips to the hardware store. What's your go-to trick for dealing with old, stuck plumbing parts?

My old push mower started making a wild grinding noise last weekend

I thought the blade was just loose, so I tipped it over and gave the bolt a good crank with my socket set. Turns out, the whole blade adapter had cracked and was spinning free on the shaft! I found a replacement part online for 12 bucks and swapped it in about 20 minutes. Has anyone else had a mower blade just decide to stop being attached?

My neighbor in Cincinnati saw me struggling with a stripped Allen bolt on my bike and just said 'heat it, don't beat it'

My dad told me to use toothpaste on a scratched DVD and it actually worked

So my kid scratched up our copy of their favorite movie, like deep grooves you could feel with your fingernail. It wouldn't play past the 20 minute mark. I was ready to just buy a new one, but my dad, who's always got an old-school fix, said to try rubbing a tiny bit of plain white toothpaste on the disc in straight lines from the center out, then rinse it off. I was super skeptical, but I figured I had nothing to lose. I used a soft cloth and did it for about five minutes, really gently. After I washed and dried it, the scratches looked way less severe, and the movie played all the way through without a single skip. I mean, it's not perfect for deep gashes, but for light surface stuff it's a legit cheap fix. Has anyone else tried this, or have a different method for saving scratched discs?

Bought a $25 universal TV mount bracket from a local hardware store and it was a total headache

The instructions were basically pictures, and the included bolts didn't fit my Vizio's pattern at all. Ended up wasting an entire afternoon before I had to go back and get the right kit. Has anyone found a good brand for these that actually comes with the right hardware?

My uncle said my old Craftsman table saw fence was 'fighting me' and he was right

My dad told me to use a dab of super glue on a stripped screw, and it actually worked

I was trying to fix a loose hinge on my kitchen cabinet in my apartment, and the screw just kept spinning. He said to put a tiny bit of glue in the hole, let it get tacky, then put the screw back in. I waited about 10 minutes and it held tight. Has anyone else had a simple fix like this work when you thought it was a lost cause?

My neighbor's pressure washer went from a gentle mist to a fire hose in two days

He borrowed my old Simpson unit on Tuesday and it was working fine, but when I got it back Thursday the spray pattern was a solid jet that could strip paint. I think he messed with the unloader valve trying to get more power. Has anyone fixed a pressure washer that suddenly lost its fan spray?

Vent: My neighbor's deck collapse in Cincinnati last spring changed how I check my own.

The ledger board was attached with just nails, no lag bolts, and it pulled right off the house. What's your go-to method for inspecting a deck's structure?

PSA: I found out most modern toasters have a hidden reset button under the crumb tray

Read it in a 2018 appliance repair manual at the library, totally fixed my neighbor's 'dead' unit. How many other simple fixes are we missing because the manual is online now?