I've fixed A LOT of things around my house for little or nothing. I HATE paying a repairman - especially one that doesn't actually fix the problem but manages to replace a lot of parts.

Cheap Bob's Tips are for those of us who just don't want to part with a buck. Many jobs around the house, or to your car, can be completed for under $25 if you really want to. And there's a good chance you'll get hurt if you're not mechanically inclined. Nonetheless I've posted them. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: These articles are not warranted, not tested, and not suggested and are merely a documentation of things I've repaired myself.

Articles:

Changing Smaller Tires On Roto Tiller ( or Garden Tractor, ATV, etc. )

Television Repair - Vertical Problem / Picture Squashed

Where to get parts and stuff cheap?

It's easy to get parts for FREE if you're willing to put in a little effort. Many people throw away perfectly good items on any day of the week - many of which contain the PARTS you need. For example say you need a switch for your ceiling fan because it only works on high speed.. You'll find a lot on the curb side just about any day. Also, you could always post a WANTED ad on Freecycle or Craigslist. I got a lot of neat stuff on both for free!. Need a computer power supply? Check CraigsList for local items or Ebay for obsolete computers or just wait until a neighbor tosses out their perfectly fine last year's model machine. ( Well, maybe not neighbors who know you  - go a few more blocks down the street if you're embarrassed ).

Some things, however, must be new like spark plugs, light bulbs, etc. Most items that aren't a major safety concern can be acquired. In another lifetime I used to pick up broken televisions and repair them. Mucho good profit 15 years ago - not so good anymore. In any case I always had a big screen tv when no one else did. Likewise with cars - many repairs can still be done in the driveway. I cry every time I see folks getting raked over the coals and charged $500 or so for a simple alternator or starter or even a couple hundred bucks for a 'tune up' ( plug in the computer, get a readout, change the plugs (maybe), and suggest more expensive sensor replacement like O2 sensors (common).

HDTV

One of the biggest rip offs I've seen over the last few years is HDTV.. Sure, HDTV is great - providing you're actually seeing HDTV programming. Most cable and satellite providers offer limited true HDTV programming and what they do is OVERLY compressed. Also, many people who've purchased HDTV units use the NTSC video or RF inputs when they need to use the RGB or Digital connections. The cheapest way to get FULL NON COMPRESSED HDTV is to either hook up an antenna - yes - an antenna to your HDTV or buy an HDTV tuner if your tv doesn't have an HDTV tuner. FREE for life - HDTV uncompressed. Just make sure you hook it up correctly. I sat down with a neighbor who was excited about her new HDTV. She told me how great it was. I went to look. The compression was so bad you could see the banding in the sky scenes from 20 feet away. And the artifacts around the words on the screen looked worse the snow from a set of your grand mother's rabbit ears.

Buying Tools ...

While there are actually cases you might like a new tool, like an electron microscope for a clean room, there are few reason to buy a new screwdriver or hammer. If you find a new one cheap in a dollar store there's a reason. I said I like cheap - not crappy. The BEST place to buy tools bar none is a local flea market or garage sale. You'll always find someone dumping a few hundred dollars worth or Craftsman ratchets, sockets, screwdrivers, etc. for a few dollars. While I said the flea market is good just make sure you're buying from the weekender - not the guy who makes a living selling tools at the flea market - his prices are not so good. Tip: A good quality screwdriver should cost no more than 50 cents. Make sure it's a well know brand name like Craftsman. Be wary, however, of power tools. Thoroughly test them as often times people like to dump worn out power tools. Stay away from stuff like Black and Decker. Look for brands, again, like Craftsman, Hitachi, or other well know brands.

Hiring A Repairman...

If you must hire a repairman ask you neighbors first who they've used and what they did or didn't like about them. If any two neighbors recommend the same guy there's a good chance he's ok. Don't ever hire someone from an ad offering a discount - if a repairman needs to advertise that heavily it usually means they don't get much repeat business.

Some guys do repair work but aren't really that experienced. You'll find these guys posting ads in supermarkets, Craigslist, classified, etc. Be cautious. I once hired a guy to replace an axle on my car. His Craigslist page advertised $75 for the to job. He arrived and parked on my lawn. He proceeded to cuss with a vulgarity not seen since Scarface. Every other word from his mouth was F***. He looked at the car and said he needed an axle ( no duh, Sherlock ) but didn't have the cash to buy one. I had to drive him to the parts store and get one. Also, he did not have the axle nut socket. So I bought the socket and axle. He put it in easy enough but did not notice that the boot was rubbing against the frame. He asked for $125 and said the web site was outdated - Heck - a real shop only charges $150. He left and 2 minutes later the boot tore off. I wound up replacing the motor mounts to lift the motor - they were shot - which was the ultimate cause of the boot rip in the first place. An experienced mechanic would have seen this. Also, if I had done the repair myself, which I eventually did, I would have seen it immediately. In any case it's done and it's for this reason, and many other similar reasons, I'm posting these pages.

On the flip side, I heard an ad on the local radio for a company that comes to your house to change tires. I phoned and got a quote - $10 less than Tire Kingdom ( a local discount tire outfit ). The guy showed up with a large truck complete with all the tools required to mount and balance my tires. It took less than one hour and I didn't have to wait at a tire shop location. Kudos to The Tire Brigade for a great job! It was like watching an Indy pit crew in action. I recommend him to all my friends.

Coming Articles...

I never realized how many people do not even know how to change oil or spark plugs. This includes MEN who consider themselves handy. I plan to document my regular maintenance to my vehicles and home as the need arises. I'm due to clean the leaves from my gutters and from my tile roof. The handymen around here charge up to $200 to clean the debris from a tile roof. Admittedly, changing oil doesn't cost to much to have someone do it but it's a good thing to know. Spark plugs, on the other hand, have OUTRAGEOUS prices for changing. People close to me have been ripped off by service centers. I have to repair an electric side mirror soon.

When Should You Do It Yourself?

Is the job safety critical like a gas pipe? hire a pro

Is the job potentially dangerous like cutting down a tree? hire a pro!

Does the job require too many special tools like air conditioning repair? hire a pro!

Are you overly concerned you'll break it or just want to see how it's done? hire a pro!

Do you have so much money that all this is beneath you? have your secretary hire a pro!

Otherwise, if you thinks you've got the aptitude and can risk potential damage you might cause ( like needing new rims if you bend them while changing your lawn mower tires ) then, by all means, attempt it yourself. Just don't be stupid and do things like electrical, plumbing, or gas work if you don't know anything about the rules and regulations - they're in place for a reason. The black, white, and green wires are used for a reason!

More to come...

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