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Old 19th Jan 2019, 7:11 pm   #1
G6Tanuki
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Default Historic Repair or Replace?

Growing-up with parents who were reared in the WWII 'make-do-and-mend' mindset [and who never managed to break this poverty-zeitgeist despite owning our house and driving round in a Humber Super Snipe] I have an instinctive rejection of not-having-the-best.

Yet, a few years back, when the plastic handle broke-off the lid of my "Haden" jug-kettle, I did a rework. The intention being that it would be a workround until I could get to the shops to buy a new kettle.

The doorknob I used is a solid-brass Victorian example. It had a thread which I couldn't work out so I re-tapped it to take a 10mm coarse-metric stainless-steel bolt, and used a chromed 4-point screw/nut to blank the other hole.

I'm happy to have prolonged the life of this kettle - it's a good'un - I descale it every couple of weeks by emptying all the water out and powering it up: the scale 'pings' from the heated baseplate then whrn it switches-off i take it to the tap and flood it with cold water which flakes-off more limescale.

How much longer will it last? I'm happy to have used a part 100+ years older than this kettle to have given it a new life.
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Old 19th Jan 2019, 7:27 pm   #2
CambridgeWorks
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Default Re: Historic Repair or Replace?

A man of my own heart when it comes to prolonging life of items. Almost class it as a "steampunk" kettle!
XYL often protests at my antics. About 15 years ago I made a new flat hook door catch out of brass sheet soldered together for our old Zanussi tumble drier. If you don't press the catch when closing the door it may snap it. It has happened more than once, but I keep mending it, much to her dismay!
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Old 19th Jan 2019, 9:09 pm   #3
ben
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Default Re: Historic Repair or Replace?

I remember fixing my folksĀ“ Beko dishwasher by using a replacement control knob off an old turntable!
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Old 19th Jan 2019, 9:28 pm   #4
mark_in_manc
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Default Re: Historic Repair or Replace?

G6tanuki - I see you're in Wiltshire. My rellies in Corsham and Calne used to get through kettles like nobody's business (and where I grew up in Essex it was almost as bad). Here in Manc, there's no scale - I've used a K2 for nearly 30 years, and it was old when I got it. Still clean inside.

I really like your door knob. I appreciate a fantastic 'as new' restoration, but I'm more inclined to the baroque and eclectic (and free) myself
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Old 19th Jan 2019, 10:08 pm   #5
kirstyd
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Default Re: Historic Repair or Replace?

back in the 70s my mum had a Hoover conquest cylinder vac that had a strange sort of cantilever handle that inevitably snapped off making the thing impossible to pick up with one hand .An8 inch length of old leather trouser belt pop riveted across the body of the machine [rather like that on an old Electrolux] made a new and much more durable handle thats still going strong even though the poor old thing is now bolted to the wall in the garage with a 15 foot hose attached and is only used for cleaning cars
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