habbi, you have the right idea. My first cordless takes batteries at CDN$89.95 each. Cells for rebuild about CDN$60 per pack. More powerful drill, case, 2 batteries, charger was CDN$129.95. The stuff is not worth fixing. (One of the reasons Toronto is in trouble for landfill space - nothing is worth fixing.) Bruce
Wow, you guys had better change your ways. We don't have that problem down here in the lower 48
On second thought, considering that new battery packs for today's cordless tools sell for not much more than the cost of the cells inside them, it's probably not worth anyone's while to rebuild these things. But still, as with my Philips/Norelco shaver I mentioned previously, I'm certain there are other cordless-appliance instances where taking this kind of creative initiative can be well worth the bother (except when one just doesn't have the free time to spare, of course).
Ken
Edwin, something needs to change, but:
*** my favourite watch - crystal broke - parts not available. Watch replacement cost CDN$10.00. 25 yrs ago was going to get a crystal replaced on a different watch - $70 parts & labour - only paid $20 for that watch. *** table lamp needs a cord. 8 ft cable $3.50, cord end $3.99. Alternative is extension cord $2.99. Much less expensive to buy the extension cord and cut the female end off. Plus, no problems with the cable to end connection. labour is extra. *** large windows - frame rotting. Assuming the glass can be saved, $10,000 to rebuild the frames plus ongoing maintenance or do it over again. Replace complete with aluminum frames, low-e coating on the new glass (sealed double glazed units), $18,000, maintenance free. *** TV with built in VCR player - the tape drive quits. Repair is $105 parts & labour (30 day warranty). New TV with both tape & DVD is $200.00 (5 year warranty) *** Floor lamp with broken switch. labour to repair is $35.00 (no warranty). Replacement lamp $19.99 (1 year warranty) *** portable fluorescent light fixture with cord & switch, $15.99 (1 year warranty). Replacement ballast $17.99. (part only, labour to install is extra) (no warranty)Too much stuff is not worth fixing.
You might want to take a close look at what happens to stuff nobody wants where you live (broken or unwanted appliances, kitchen garbage, waste paper, old tires, etc.). Many people groups & governments have a pretty spotty history on disposal. If you are in the US, then have a good look at replacement costs vs. repair parts & labour. For items other than cars, houses, & large boats, I suspect that labour costs are high enough to make repairs expensive compared to replacement (I suspect that if you look closely, you will find many common items are made in China) (It is said that years ago a city in Japan changed their name to Usa, so they could market their manufactured goods as Made in USA. Keep your eyes open, & look carefully.)
Bruce
We did have one solution. Remeber the garbage barge? It was floated around thousands of miles beofe anyone would take it in a landfill.
If you are in the US, then have a good look at
You can even take houses out of that category. Many are now being torn down just so a larger one can be build in the same spot. Nothing wrong with the old one, just that the new owner want a bigger one. It won't affect me, bu t our kids and grandkids may have a tougher life with all the luxuries that we dispose of on a regular basis. Ed
Windows are a real bone of contention with me.
My windows - supposedly maintenance free - are now fogged up and the routine is replace them entirely. People blithely buy a whole set of new supposedly guaranteed windows.
This whole industry is a lark. The "sealed argon-filled double pane window" is a lark. I want good old-fashoned storm windows - not maintenances free, but at least you do not have to throw them away every decade.
Anyway that's my rant. Now the question I have for you good folks: Has anybody ever fixed one of those supposedly sealed windows? I am going to try: One option would be to roast them or subject them to a vacuum to draw out the moisture and then re-seal them with some kind of low viscosity compound. Another solution i have been considering is to drill vent holes at the corners of the outside pane. You would still have a still air sandwich but not perfectly still - I think the moisture will eventually leave. It would still probably be necessary to seal them to prevent moisture transmission from the inside but it would be easier since the window will no longer be "pumping" air from temperature changes.
I really don't want to plunk down thousands for new windows when I know that if there is a will there is a way to accomplish this.
***
Apparently not :-)
Unfortunately, there is no repair for clouded insulated glass. When the seal around the perimeter of the two panes fails (not IF, but WHEN, because they all fail eventually), moisture enters the gap and condenses on the inside of the glass, giving it a foggy appearance. This is irreversible. The only repair is replacement of the panel.
You may be able to obtain an individual replacement glass panel, or have to purchase an entire replacment sash or door. A rule of thumb... metal windows and doors can usually be disassembled, wood sliding doors can normally be disassembled, and wood windows usually must be ordered as a complete sash. You should contact a local representative of the manufacturer (home stores and lumberyards have relationships with many window/door manufacturers) and find out for sure.
If the window/door is a "stationary" unit, the un-installing becomes more tedious. Most have mechanical fasteners that keep the unit stationary, and they are often caulked also. The large manufacturers, such as Pella and Andersen, offer help with the mechanics of uninstalling their products. They also have replacement glass available for all their windows... and you can order new panels without even disassembling the old ones for measurement.
"Mr. Cheap" brands may require some improvisation and trial-and-error to free them up. This is especially true if the mouldings are painted, since all evidence of nail heads and order-of-assembly is lost beneath multiple layers of paint! Also, you may have to order custom-made glass to fit the "no-name" frames.
After a long time, condensation can etch the inside of the panes. Perhaps you can take them apart and clean the glass with a flourine compound like:
A serious vacuum might break the glass...
Connecting the airspace to the outdoors seems like a good idea, but there might be condensation at times. You might more easily drill through the spacer between and parallel to the panes.
How about a hole in a spacer near the bottom and another near the top in an opposite corner? Unplug the holes and push air through the window with an aquarium pump at the end of 50' of 1/4" tubing in an ice brine basin? This might dry the window desiccant and avoid condensation for 5 years.
Nick
How will you clean the film of shmutz that is all over the inner area? I tried to open one up some years ago to clean and reseal it. Seemed a shame to have to chuck it out. While the sealant was not particularly tough to get to, it was quite a thin layer. Everything I tried, knife - got stuck, windshield sealant cutting wire - just resealed after about a foot away, and lastly cutting and prying - broke the glass. I looked at the milky film on the inside and some came off OK and some looked like it was baked on or etched.
Interesting to hear from others on this.
Pete
There is a technique for repairing & cleaning these units. It involves drilling a small hole at the top, and another at the bottom. The space is filled with a cleaning fluid. (Effectiveness is dependant on how bad the filming is, & how long it has been there). The fluid is drained & rinsed. The holes are plugged with "one-way" valves, that allow dry air movement (thermal expansion) but do not allow for moisture. If anyone is interested, I will try to find the vendor's (franchise seller) web site.
In the particular example of which I wrote, we would not replace the windows because of the leak, but because the wooden window frames are badly rotted. The contractors we have discussed this with are not convinced that the windows could be saved and cleaned well enough for reinstallation (extra labour costs) to be cost effective in new frames. I personally have little confidence in the quality of the work to be expected with the lowest price (rebuild frames) received. Then there is still the maintenance issue. With the owner's past history of poor exterior maintenance, I am afraid that rebuilding rotting wood frames is asking for continuing trouble.
I am not that farmiliar with the Panasonic line as they are not retailed widely in my area but I can tell you that the Ah does stand for amp hour and tells how many amps are delivered for one hour by the battery or vise versa
1 amp for x number of hours. So the higher the number the better, but no cordless tool will be able to compete with a good corded rival. As for prices on the Panasonic site I would think like most manufacturers they will publish the full list price on their site so their resellers can always sell for less than that price. Many manufactures don't list any prices and thoese that do usually put up a high recomended list price which no one sells it for and that price makes every reseller's price look good. I personally like Porter Cable the best . hope this helps Jay
Amazon seeks to have the best prices on Panasonic drills. That's where I got mine several years ago and still love it.
-jj
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