7th Feb 2019, 11:12 pm | #81 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,339
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
My Gateway 2000 PC, bought in 1999, is stil in use with my Epson scanner that has a negative/ transparency adaptor that can accomodate negatives up to 4" x 5". I also like the Kodak/Wang imaging software that was bundled with it. I did investigate getting a copy for my laptop, but it would have cost over £400. Likewise, the bundled cut down version of Adobe Photoshop is more than adequate for my purposes. However, it is on its third CRT monitor! I acauired a couple of spares when we had an upgrade at work.
I did buy a LCD monitor but it sent back. It only gave a sharp display at one resolution (not the one I use) and when I tried improving things with a CD it came with that was supposed to enhance performance, it corrupted the os so that the display vanished after less than a minute. To reinstall the original display driver software I had to hook it up to a printer and run it under DOS in command mode, echoing everything to the printer. It has never really been right since, but the stuff I need it for works, so I have left it as it is. Last edited by emeritus; 7th Feb 2019 at 11:27 pm. |
8th Feb 2019, 11:36 am | #82 |
Nonode
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Posts: 2,884
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
I thought that way back when I was serving tv etc that having to take a chassis out to change a valve was bad enough, but today, as Glyn explained, getting a back off a tv, it seems not!
Cheers John |
8th Feb 2019, 7:52 pm | #83 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,199
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Quote:
|
|
8th Feb 2019, 11:57 pm | #84 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,107
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
The bug I have with quite a few modern assemblies is this: 'Good idea, badly executed'
Even down to the level of the little Casio Digital watches churned out by Argos for sub £16- accurate, bomb-proof, water resistant, backlit, but with a strap that can't be changed and gives way quite quickly if put under any strain (I think Guy would agree with me on this!) This then leaves you with a pocket watch that lasts for years, but can't be worn. They end up glued to the wall of various sheds, where they happily keep going on their massive lithium cell. Dave |
12th Feb 2019, 2:25 am | #85 |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 539
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
I was watching a BBC TV show the other day which showed designers stopping members of the public who were throwing away rubbish at a recycling centre. They got the item from the public and made something new of it, then sold it. They gave the owner any profit from the sale. One woman took an old rotatory mower and changed the blades to a fashionable lamp stand. Another guy took an old chair, put some material on it and stencilled Churchill sayings on it. The chair sold for over £900!
I reckon that about 90% of rubbish that goes into bins and dump sites could be converted to something useful. But I am not convinced that any Government wants to really do it. |
12th Feb 2019, 2:44 am | #86 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,553
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
At some council recycling centers they are so besotted with safety that even simple penlight cells are considered "untouchable".
Don't let the "safety police" find out where this recycled car battery is or else they might try to arrest the moss and seedlings that have found homes in the cell spaces |
12th Feb 2019, 8:00 am | #87 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Bracknell, Berkshire,UK.
Posts: 1,172
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Grubhead, that seems to be how the TV series Salvage Hunters works - use something not for what it would be originally used for but for something totally different and sell it at what I consider ludicrous prices.
Having been in the TV repair trade for some years until I retired it is clear that most of today's consumer electronics items cannot be repaired for a realistic price and involve skills beyond most casual repairers. But I guess it has led to the growth outlets that strip down faulty sets and sell the boards inside for budding repairers to have a go, some of which do seem to do quite well. Dave |
12th Feb 2019, 8:52 am | #88 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,876
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
I've now got an image in my head of someone 'upcycling' a28" CRT TV. Paint the cabinet purple (if that's still fashionable or has come round again). Gently release the vacuum. With a diamond core drill cut a hole at the top of the rear of the tube. In the reverse of putting ships in bottles, remove the shadow mask. Chemically remove the phosphor. Fill with water and tropical fish pepples, sand etc. Arrange artistically.
They'll need a bubbler for oxygenation. Voila! Now just decide on the asking price. David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
12th Feb 2019, 11:50 am | #89 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 4,395
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
For a long time, I've had an image of using a CRT as a sort of geeky decanter. The shadowmask in a colour tube could function as a sediment trap, though there's the problem of the steel tainting a fine vintage. Not to mention the likelihood of phosphor toxicity....
|
12th Feb 2019, 12:33 pm | #90 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 539
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Quote:
It might well be called Salvage Hunters the TV show that I saw. Somebody on e-bay was selling a lot of old washers for a £5. So you can make money from stuff that is easy to get hold off. |
|
13th Feb 2019, 8:56 am | #91 |
Hexode
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Newport, South Wales, UK.
Posts: 278
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
I think the programme referred to is 'Money for Nothing' Heres a link to a random episode
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bl1tw7 The real moneymakers are the producers, of course. The craftsmen and former owners typically make tens or perhaps low hundreds of pounds. The producers will be making thousands per episode. |
14th Feb 2019, 12:17 pm | #92 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,433
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Salvage Hunters is more of an antiques program. He generally repairs items “ sympathetically “ in his words. His warehouse and shop are in Conwy North Wales. I watch the occasional program but I don’t think I will be buying anything.
https://www.drewpritchard.co.uk
__________________
Frank |
14th Feb 2019, 6:54 pm | #93 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,107
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
D.Pritchard, although a dealer, does in my opinion have a conscience and a respect for history. Not all of them do.
On the subject of throw away culture, what were the BBC thinking when they bought the concept for 'The Best House in Town' ..? Four random people visit a town in a minibus and assess three houses in a given area, for Functionality, Ambition,(What..?) and i can't even remember what the third criteria is.. Health warning- your brain may leak out if you watch this programme- even if you ARE obsessed with interior design. It would however suffice to check your horizontal and vertical hold! Dave |
15th Feb 2019, 10:13 am | #94 |
Octode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,042
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Mr Pritchard's team of 'restorers' really annoy me.I think the worst example was a beautiful two faced station clock with a mains electric movement. The movement was ripped out and replaced with two separate cheap quartz movements. No thought was given to repairing the original movement as it was dangerous.
|
15th Feb 2019, 10:30 am | #95 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,107
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Ah, i didn't see that 'restoration'. (More of a hack, really.) Not good. Probably an attempt to avoid having the (minimal) hassle of a safety test. Product liability, where would we be without it..
Dave |
19th Feb 2019, 1:27 pm | #96 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wellington, New Zealand.
Posts: 653
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Two favourite examples of thrifty reuse happened over here in NZ in the 70's. One was a lady who hired a rental TV set - after the payments stopped for a while an agent went around and she told him it had stopped working - so she'd converted it to a fish tank!! The other was about some pacific islanders that had emigrated to NZ at a time when power supplies did not exist back in their home island. When they found out that they were charged money for using the electricity for cooking, they turned off the power and tried to run it by lighting a fire in the nice big square compartment underneath the top - they nearly burned down the house as a result.
|
30th Apr 2021, 10:10 am | #97 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
|
Repair Cafes?
|
30th Apr 2021, 10:37 am | #98 |
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,865
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
There are members here who volunteer (Pre Covid) in repair Cafes.
There have been a number of threads in the past where this has been explored. Cheers Mike T
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk |
30th Apr 2021, 10:58 am | #99 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Many thanks for the heads up Mike-sorry I hadn't come across this issue before-consider closed if needs be-seems like its been quite a challenging topic, like most of us I was a tad confused and surprised as it's a bit of come and have a go that could all go the wrong way if not monitored!
Cheers Gary |
30th Apr 2021, 10:58 am | #100 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 738
|
Re: Changing the throw away culture, BBC News
Quote:
Alas the village hall post-covid is so fully booked we can't get it on Saturday mornings any more and they have asked if we could do Sundays instead, which has gone down like a lead balloon. Edit: just to add, everything is PAT tested before and after, and we have public liability insurance. |
|