You’re Ready to Try Fixing Your Own Stuff. Now What?

Now that we’ve convinced you you should try to fix your own stuff (see main story), here’s a rundown of what you need to know before you get started.

Tools

Ain’t no way around it: To fix things, you need tools. They can be expensive new, but there’s plenty of cheap options and sources for loaner tools.

Every home should have a collection of essentials (screwdrivers, pliers, etc.). To assemble one at minimal cost, buy them used at a place like ReStore. Harbor Freight is a decent source for cheap hand tools—but anything with a motor is generally weak and burns out early. It’s better and cheaper to buy a built-to-last 1970s drill from ReStore than a brand-new one from Harbor Freight.

There’s a half-dozen neighborhood tool libraries throughout Portland with every imaginable tool for free. Inventory varies by location—you can check online—but they’ll have everything from cement mixers to garden tools to welders. They require that you live within a certain boundary of that library, but if you don’t, maybe you have a friend who does.

Most national chain auto parts stores offer free loaner tools, which is great when you need something specialized and expensive that you’ll only use a couple of times in your life, such as an AC manifold gauge or ball joint press. They typically charge you the retail price of the tool, then refund it upon return.

Knowledge

Usually googling your appliance problem or the make and model of a vehicle and issue will lead you to numerous DIYers who have made a video. It’s not unusual for me to watch five vids on fixing something before I tackle it. There’s also a few auto repair channels that are my inevitable go-tos:

Scotty Kilmer is the ancient guru of car repair, having been a local TV news repair guy for decades. More general than instructional, he has a great attitude with a hatred of wasting money and disgust for automaker scams.

ChrisFix provides excellent, clear, step-by-step instructions for fixing every car problem. He’s inspiring and down to earth, working in a driveway with consumer tools.

Eric the Car Guy works on real-life problems in his shop, detailing the diagnostic process and repair. He also teaches mechanical concepts with easy-to-follow whiteboard style.

Project Farm started years ago as a repair channel but morphed into a unique product testing lab, answering “What’s the best wrench brand?” or “What’s the best leak sealer?” I love his clever testing and measuring methods with detailed Excel charts. Ten out of 10 geekiness score.

Assistance

Sometimes you just can’t figure it out. Or maybe you don’t even want to figure it out. Repair PDX is a great organization on a mission to stop consumer waste and encourage DIY culture. It hosts multiple repair cafes each week where skilled volunteers offer their services for free, fixing everything from appliances to clothing. They also hold instructional events covering things kintsugi (Japanese art of pottery mending) and sashiko (Japanese art of clothing mending). Visit repairpdx.org to learn more.

Besides being a great source for salvaged building materials and used appliances, the ReBuilding Center (motto: “Reuse, Repair, Resilience”) also hosts instructional workshops on topics like plumbing and electrical repair. Check out its website for the schedule—rebuildingcenter.org.