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the screwdriver is your friend *grin*
Feb. 1st, 2008 06:10 pmNews from work, part whatever:
Yesterday the handle on the left door of the safe broke. The handle is composed of four parts: 1) the post that goes into the lock mechanism, 2) a case around that, 3) a handle that fits over the case and post, and 4) the screw that fastens the handle to the case and post. The screw -- which is solid steel, mind you, as thick as my little finger -- snapped in half right at the join between post and handle.
I did a sort of stop-gap fix by finding a rough edge on the snapped-off tip and screwing it all the way through the hole in the post and out the other side. Then I inserted the bare screw into the post and case, without the handle. This means the lock can be turned, but you really can't pull on the screw to open the door -- it's clearly not strong enough -- so you have to reach through the opened right door and pull the left door open by its edge.
It's messy and it looks really ghetto, but at least it's functional for the moment. I'm hoping for a repairman to come out and examine the safe, since some other pieces of the locking mechanism are literally held together with duct tape, and that's just not viable in the long term.
Anyway, it is occasionally useful to know one's way around a tool box and to not be intimidated by mechanical repair jobs. I don't go out of my way to look for such projects, but I am perfectly capable of using most basic tools, and I do so when the need arises. It's very satisfying to feel competent. :-)
...
One of these days, I have got to reach the same level of comfort with electrical stuff, computer repairs, and really basic programming.
Yesterday the handle on the left door of the safe broke. The handle is composed of four parts: 1) the post that goes into the lock mechanism, 2) a case around that, 3) a handle that fits over the case and post, and 4) the screw that fastens the handle to the case and post. The screw -- which is solid steel, mind you, as thick as my little finger -- snapped in half right at the join between post and handle.
I did a sort of stop-gap fix by finding a rough edge on the snapped-off tip and screwing it all the way through the hole in the post and out the other side. Then I inserted the bare screw into the post and case, without the handle. This means the lock can be turned, but you really can't pull on the screw to open the door -- it's clearly not strong enough -- so you have to reach through the opened right door and pull the left door open by its edge.
It's messy and it looks really ghetto, but at least it's functional for the moment. I'm hoping for a repairman to come out and examine the safe, since some other pieces of the locking mechanism are literally held together with duct tape, and that's just not viable in the long term.
Anyway, it is occasionally useful to know one's way around a tool box and to not be intimidated by mechanical repair jobs. I don't go out of my way to look for such projects, but I am perfectly capable of using most basic tools, and I do so when the need arises. It's very satisfying to feel competent. :-)
...
One of these days, I have got to reach the same level of comfort with electrical stuff, computer repairs, and really basic programming.
