Fixit Clinic CCXLV (245) San Francisco-Noisebridge

Held in conjunction with Noisebridge's Circuit Hacking Mondays, this was a rare weekday evening Fixit Clinic. There were a surprising number of young people present. 

Among the treats at Noisebridge is a stereo microscope hooked up to a large display so everyone could watch the fine soldering work in action:

Fixit Coach Scotty Allen worked diligently with these young people and the stereo microscope to figure out a bad Bose iPod dock. (Scotty's famous for his iPhone hacks: see https://strangeparts.com/how-i-made-my-own-iphone-in-china/)

This air compressor gave us all sorts of problems and we blew out a voltage regulator trying to fix it.

This mixer had decades-old batter hardened in the slots for the beater blades -- fixed!

These ravenous, enterprising, and opportunistic diners used a heat gun to defrost their burritos.

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXLV (245) can be seen here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q1QbmsdME1bWSu5f1

Fixit Clinic CCXLIV 244 Burbank CA

A beautiful late fall Sunday in SoCal brings us to Burbank for their inaugural Fixit Clinic.

Among the items seen were:

This Peanut Butter Maker -- Fixed!

Gralab Darkroom Timer -- Fixed!

This Breville Toaster Oven needed a new thermal fuse, and they brought the part -- Fixed!

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXLIV 244 Burbank CA can be seen at https://photos.app.goo.gl/jekEtUCcQq4qID9o2

A great day of fixing with great people: looking forward to the next one.

Bi-Coastal Fixit Clinics This Saturday November 4

We've got two Fixit Clinics this Saturday (November 4) on both coasts of the United States.

1) Fixit Clinic CCXXXVII (237) Honan-Allston Branch, Boston Public Library

As shown in the photos: Rob Gogan at Harvard University already has the library tastefully decorated with our logo.

see it on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/213316409202549/
and on Google+ https://plus.google.com/events/cdgh77a2gu3vdsk3gsveee87llk

2) Fixit Clinic CCXXXVIII (238) Solano County Library - Springstowne Library, Vallejo, CA

This is our second Fixit Clinic at this library (their inaugural Fixit Clinic was in mid-April.)

First-time Fixit Coaches are always welcome at all events: sign up here http://goo.gl/xS1MRK. And if you’ve got friends who you think might make good Fixit Coaches please encourage them to sign up too or just show up and observe.

Thrilled to have Fixit Clinics happening on both coasts in one day.

Saturday's San Mateo County Fixit Clinic

(We'll be at 455 County Center, 1st floor, Room 101)

We're excited to be holding a Fixit Clinic this Saturday Oct 28 11AM-2PM at the San Mateo County Center in Redwood City. See it on the web here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1609002885787381/,
https://plus.google.com/events/c430ak01u3b64cs2bm3vgn1pmkk,
http://www.bayareascience.org/calendar/index.php?eID=21221
(and see the text announcement at the bottom)

As always: we're looking for new Fixit Coaches: sign up here: http://goo.gl/xS1MRK ?
Basics on Fixit Coaching are on our web site: http://fixitclinic.blogspot.com/p/coaches-corner.html (let me know if this can be clearer.) And if you've got friends you think might make good Fixit Coaches please encourage them to sign up as well or just show up and observe.

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Fixit Clinic CCXXXVI (236) San Mateo County Center

Celebrating repair by conveying basic troubleshooting skills, Fixit Clinics are do-it-together hands-on STEM-oriented fix-n-learn community-based exploration and discovery workshops where neighbors, friends, and families work collectively to learn about and repair their broken items.

So bring your broken, non-functioning things -- electronics, appliances, computers, toys, sewing machines, bicycles, fabric items, etc.-- for assessment, disassembly, and possible repair. We'll provide 1) workspace 2) specialty tools and 3) volunteer Fixit Coaches to consult with you on the disassembly and troubleshooting of your item.

Whether you fix it or not, you'll learn more about how it was manufactured and how it worked, ready to share your new-found confidence and insight with your friends, neighbors, and the community at large. (Hopefully you’ll be inspired to become a Fixit Coach yourself.)

WHAT: Fixit Clinic CCXXXVI (236) San Mateo County Center
WHEN: Saturday, Oct 28 11AM-2PM
WHERE: San Mateo County Center 455 County Center, 1st floor, Room 101, Redwood City 94063
HOW: Register at http://goo.gl/qTzh9J then
- Bring your broken item with all parts necessary to recreate the symptoms (carry-in only: no oversize items)
- Bring any parts and tools you already own that might be helpful (e.g. hand tools, sewing supplies)
- Come ready to describe what’s wrong and what you’ve tried  (advance web research is helpful)
- Come ready to learn and to share your knowledge with others
WHO: An all-ages family-friendly event: accompanied children are heartily invited!
COST: Free!
WHY: To make friends, learn and teach how to fix things, and have fun!
First-time Fixit Coaches always welcome; sign up here: http://goo.gl/kwVNlv

Sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability http://www.smcsustainability.org/

More into on Fixit Clinic at www.fixitclinic.org, https://www.facebook.com/FixitClinic/, https://plus.google.com/+FixitClinic
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Hope to see you there! -Peter

Fixit Coaches and Autonomous RC Car Racing

Among the things we're most proud of with Fixit Clinic of is the community of Fixit Coaches we've gathered under the banner of teaching repair to the broader community. When you bring wonderful people like this together their interests and passions are bound to manifest in other ways.

Here in Northern California a bunch of the Fixit Coaches have gotten together to form an autonomous RC car racing team: they meet with others in a warehouse in Oakland, California to build, test, and race autonomous RC cars with the intent of developing and refining ideas around collision avoidance, passing, and path optimization that may someday make their way into full-size passenger vehicles.

Here's a professionally-developed video showing what the scene in the Oakland warehouse is like featuring Fixit Coaches Charles Glorioso, Dave Coleman, and Peter Mui.

Learn more about the autonomous RC car events here: https://www.meetup.com/DIYRobocars/

Fixit Clinic CCXXI 221 San Lorenzo Library

A bright sunny California day and the newly opened San Lorenzo Library hosts a fabulous Fixit Clinic. Among the highlights:

It was a two weed whacker day: one gas and one electric, both fixed:

We've been carrying around a bicycle patch kit for awhile now and finally got to fix a flat:

This Keurig uses the reusable K-cups, we're glad to get it working again:

in the past year we've held Fixit Clinics at these Alameda County Library System Branches: Castro Valley, Fremont, Newark, Union City, and now... San Lorenzo.

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXXI 221 at the San Lorenzo Library can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KMevSDxEcYz2tz4B2

All in all, another satisfying day of fixing; we look forward to our next Fixit Clinic here.

Our Name In Tools

Fixit Coach Steve White designed a Fixit Clinic logo out of tools. As he writes in his accompanying email:

The F is a Monkey wrench that I bought in Malaysia in 1979.  These were the first adjustable wrenches made.  They were used by "grease monkeys" - so called because they had to climb all over those big early machines to get to the lubrication points - in the days before oil pumps.  And they got covered in grease in the process.  Later on the Crescent Tool Company realized that if they put the jaws at a 30 degree angle, and you turned the wrench over every 1/12th of a turn, you could tighten a hex head bolt when there was limited clearance.

The first I is a scribe I made in 1962 in an 8th grade shop class.

The X is a pair of needle nose pliers.  I don't remember when/where I got them.

The second I is a 1/4" drive flex handle and socket I got in 1977 when I was a mechanic working for the city of Beverly Hills.

The T is a crate hammer that I got from my dad.

The first C is a clamp - don't remember where/when.

The L is a square - don't remember where/when.

The 3rd I is a hex drive screw driver & bit that I got in the 1980's when I was working at Electrical Appliance Parts Co. in San Francisco - across from the Cal Train station.

The N is a folding rule that I've had since I was a kid in Wisconsin.

The 4th I is a metric box/open end wrench that I bought in 1973 when I was living in Munich, Germany.

The 2nd C is a clamp (one of 6) that I made in a welding class in Santa Monica in 1977.  The body was cut with a torch from 3/4" scrap.  Top "grip" is 1/8" steel plate, arc welded.  Bottom is a pair of 5/8" nuts, arc welded.  Uses 5/8" all thread with a ball ground on the end.  The "pivot grip" is the end of a 5/8" bolt with a hole drilled to fit over the ball on the all thread.  It is held in place by a split/lock washer with a 5/8" OD.  I bent it open/closed to get it around the neck of the ball and then flame welded onto the grip.  The other end of the all thread, not shown, has a 5/8" nut welded in place.  You need to use a wrench to tighten the clamp, but you can also use another wrench on the pivot grip to prevent the clamp from disturbing the alignment of your work while you tighten the clamp.  It was a great welding class - they let you bring in all sorts of projects if you wanted to.

As you can see, there are lots of good memories to go with the tools in the picture.

Steve's even incorporated it into his Fixit Clinic badge:

Thanks Steve for this wonderful design and your enthusiasm for Fixit Clinic.

Fixit Clinic on the PBS Newshour

A news crew from WGBH in Boston attended Fixit Clinic CCVII (207) at MIT; the segment they produced for local coverage was picked up by the nationally broadcast PBS Newshour.

You can watch it on youtube here: https://youtu.be/DarcSxamvE8 or just click on the embedded video below.

National coverage for Fixit Clinic has been great in raising awareness and we've gotten lots of inquiries on how to start a Fixit Clinic. If you'd like to start a Fixit Clinic in your area start here: http://fixitclinic.blogspot.com/p/start-one_13.html

(And Judy Woodruff is welcome at any Fixit Clinic, anytime, with all her broken stuff. ;-))

Fixit Clinic CCXVII (217) Castro Valley Library

The heat wave moving through Northern California this weekend didn't deter the crowds from making their way to the Castro Valley Library for Fixit Clinic CCXVII (217). Among the highlights:

A bunch of sewing machines were fixed or tuned up:

The Bay Area BikeMobile folks braved the heat and were fixing bicycles outside:

We welcomed our newest Fixit Coach: veteran Fixit Coach extraordinaire Sarah Foster-Peck showed up with her one week old coach-in-training Hazel!

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXVII (217) at the Castro Valley Library are on Google Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/TLmNYZd44eJT95xg7

Another great day of fixing! Many thanks to the Castro Valley Library and Jessica Connolly from Castro Valley Sanitary District for hosting us, and to StopWaste.org for their ongoing sponsorship.

Fixit Clinic CCXV (215) Newark Library

One week, two Fixit Clinics in Northern California, both great! Today's Fixit Clinic at the Newark Library was a ton of fun, and included a full sewing complement and lots of new coaches.
Among the highlights:

Love it when these sisters cooperate in taking apart their tablet:

This hair dryer needed a new thermal fuse: a common problem, an easy fix:

I hope the only place this repaired laptop power plug is going is in the laptop:

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXV (215) at the Newark Library can be seen on Google Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/XqL7P9Ttex3ynWDz9

Another wonderful Fixit Clinic with the wonderful people at the Newark Library. Many thanks for the Library for hosting us and to StopWaste.org for sponsoring us.

Fixit Clinic CCXIV (214) University of San Francisco (USF)

Hi atop San Francisco's famous foggy hills at University of San Francisco (USF) we were fixing again. Among the highlights:

She brought her own tools and parts to replace a three-way light switch:

Her vacuum cleaner came in with two problems and left with none:

There was a loose wire in this hair dryer, a simple fix:

Our host Josh McDermott shared this wonderful photo of the appropriately named Sisters of the Presentation: https://www.presentationsisterssf.org/

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXIV (214) at University of San Francisco (USF) can be found on Google photos: https://goo.gl/photos/4Zsn5EnyXYqjApgk9

A wonderful location and wonderful people, a great day of fixing once again!

Fixit Clinic CCXII (212) Union City Library

Our inaugural Fixit Clinic at the Union City Library went off swimmingly. We saw a variety of items that were handily handled by our many new Fixit Coaches.

Sewing and sewing machine repair was in full swing, including several luggage and zipper repairs.

Intensive consulting on this vacuum cleaner

More photos from Fixit Clinic CCXII (212) Union City Library can be found in Google Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/A1V6X7uc62Nputw16

Many thanks to our hosts are Librarian Lili Khalili and Union City Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Cutter, and to StopWaste.org for sponsoring us.

Fixit Clinic CCVI (206) Truckee, CA

Whoo hoo! And, just like that: Truckee, California's on the Fixit Clinic map. Erica Merten, Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Truckee reports: "We had a total of 22 attendees, with 10-12 volunteers (a few stopped by and left early) at our local makerspace. 18 items were repaired, and the only one that didn’t get fixed, but was diagnosed was the food processor that I had brought, ironically ha. Everything from clothing, to lamps, to window sills, to snapped foosball table rod were fixed! Overall it was a great evening, and we had people asking when the next clinic would take place. Hopefully this can become a spring/fall event."

Here are a couple of photos:

See all the photos from the Inaugural Truckee Fixit Clinic CCVI (206) on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/TownofTruckee.KeepTruckeeGreen/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1610899068938105

Fixit Clinic CCVII (207) MIT

Our fourth Fixit Clinic at MIT was yet another rousing success: among the many highlights:

A classic radio fixed:

He learned how to solder and fixed his LED light:

Another toaster repaired:

See more photos from Fixit Clinic CCVII (207) MIT in Google Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/eZgeMPmnqReacfih9

Fixit Clinic CCIV (204) Vista CA

The inaugural Fixit Clinic at the Vista Branch, San Diego County Library http://www.sdcl.org/locations_VS.html was held Saturday April 8.

Among the highlights: Vacuum cleaner fixing:

Sewing machine fixing:

The great Fixit Coach crew:

Librarian Kris Jorgensen shared these and other photos viewable on Google Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/2jKArUFnyAgMnckW8

Wish we could attend all of the Fixit Clinics around the US in person, this looks like it was a great one!

Fixit Clinic CCII (202) Fremont Library

This well-promoted Fixit Clinic lived up to its hype: according to Fremont Environmental Specialist Lori Marra 91 people signed in -- that's a lot!

And we're always thrilled to see stuff like this going on:

Our sewing machine coach extraordinare CC says she repaired "10-and-a half" sewing machines during the course of the day:

See all the photos from Fixit Clinic CCII (202) here: https://goo.gl/photos/VkLQ4tvm22pQmqdB6

Wow, that was a hectic but satisfying day! Heartfelt thanks to www.StopWaste.Org​ for their support of these events.

Fixit Clinic CXCVIII (198) Newark Library

Another great day of fixing in Newark with a wonderful group of Fixit Coaches and participants. Among the highlights:

The Fixit Clinic "Brain Trust" works collectively on this Kitchenaid Mixer. These are normally one of our favorite items to see because 1) it's typically an easy fix and 2) repair parts are readily available.

This person had valuable data on this USB thumb drive and we resoldered it so that she could retrieve the data.

This Samsung tablet was wedged in a weird boot loop but Fixit Coach Lovejit Kharod reformatted the data partition and got it working again.

See more photos from Fixit Clinic CXCVIII (198) Newark Library on Google Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/nVTaYkJGgiWyHH5g7