Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Virtual Fixit Clinics

"Mythbusters meets Antiques Road Show, Top Gear meets Car Talk"


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2020-04-01 Update: We're joining iFixit's Fix At Home Challenge https://www.ifixit.com/News/36647/join-the-fixathome-challenge: here's your chance to show us that big thing you can't carry in to a Fixit Clinic(!)
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2020-03-23 Update: As COVID-19 unfolds we're extending the vision of "virtual" Fixit Clinics to offer “rapid response repair” for medical equipment and laboratory research and/or diagnostic equipment. It doesn't have to be critical care equipment: it might be as mundane as the toaster oven in the hospital staff break room or the hospital’s floor polisher.
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No community repair event near you? Repair event cancelled due to Coronavirus? Can't get your Fixit Clinic fix?

Well we can certainly fix that!

Announcing Virtual Fixit Clinics: the world's greatest troubleshooting talent converging to address whatever's presented; we'll leverage the wonderful magic that is the global internet to hold "virtual" Fixit Clinics using teleconferencing software.

Fixit Coaches: Any community repairers (or wannabe repairers, "fixing families," etc.) in the world are heartily welcome (e.g.: Fixit Clinic, Restart Party, Repair Café, Anstiftung Foundation, etc.). You don't have to participate you can just stay on mute. You're also welcome to present things from your local community or your own broken stuff.
Register at http://bit.ly/fixitcoachsignup and we'll send details on joining the teleconferences.

Have Something Broken? Answer these questions:
- Do you have a computer and internet connection that will support video teleconferencing?
- Can you show and describe the problem / recreate the problem in under five minutes?
- (Optional: Can you have some rudimentary disassembly tools at the ready?)
- Can you fill out http://bit.ly/brokenitemreport afterwards?
If yes, register at http://bit.ly/fixitcheckin (select the "Virtual Fixit Clinic") and we'll reach out about scheduling you for an upcoming Virtual Fixit Clinic.

Looking forward to meeting in cyberspace!

9 comments:

  1. We hosted a successful "Virtual Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic" on Mar 15, 2020, replacing our scheduled face-to-face clinic. Looking forward to continuing this experiment with fix-it coaches across the nation.
    - Wayne
    http://boulderufixitclinic.org

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  2. Operation complete, in lockdown, may as well help someone during recovery!

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  3. Can I sign-up for a virtual fix-it clinic even if it's not for medical equipment?

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  4. Hi Jennifer: Certainly! We're glad to help you fix whatever broken thing you have.
    Stay tuned - we're planning a clinic for Sunday, Apr 5, 2020.

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  5. I have a 6-year-old folding REI camp chair. A neighbor borrowed it and one of the supporting metal tubes snapped. If I found a local welder to repair it, would the repaired spot likely snap again once someone sits in it? Also, there are grommets instead of screws holding the tube in place. Should I recycling the metal and move on or is this fixable?

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    1. Hi Ellen,
      It's probably aluminum and challenging to weld.
      You are welcome to sign up to one of our upcoming virtual clinics and get repair suggestions from our volunteer coaches.

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    2. I dated a woodworker for a time, way back when,and when a steel bar somewhere under his truck broke, hecommented that when wood breaks, the mend is always weaker, but, when steel breaks, the mend is always stronger. I don't know about aluminum. Another way to fix it would be a metal splint, either a half round or full round, secured in place with pins.

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  6. Aluminum can be welded, but that would require taking the entire chair apart so that you don't melt any plastic or fabric bits. A splint of some kind would probably be better, but depends on the break and what is around it. Any change you can send pictures?

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