this post was submitted on 15 May 2024
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Right to Repair

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Whether it be electronics, automobiles or medical equipment, the manufacturers should not be able to horde “oem” parts, render your stuff useless if you repair it with aftermarket parts, or hide schematics of their products.

I Fix It Repair Manifesto

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Summary video by Marques Brownlee

Great channel covering and advocating right to repair, Lewis Rossman

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Obscure screw added so appliance cannot be disassembled (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by an_onanist@lemmy.world to c/right2repair@discuss.tchncs.de
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Basic blender went bad (motor ran but spindle wasn't rotating). I wanted to disassemble to see if it could be repaired. Three of the four screws were Phillips head. I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth. It was a slotted spanner.

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[–] EndOfLine@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Thought they might sell these specialty tools online, but 3 minutes of searching came up with nothing. Might be time to get creative.

Do you have the room to get a Dremel in there the cut it so a regular flathead will work?

If not, maybe try to use needle noise pliers as your screwdriver.

As a last resort, pick up a cheap screwdriver and cut it to make it slotted.

Edit: I love how quickly several people have commented with links to the needed tools. Thanks to all of you!

[–] jws_shadotak@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

https://www.ifixit.com/products/mako-driver-kit-64-precision-bits

iFixit sells kits like this that have every screw head imaginable. No need to get creative.

Edit: fixed link

[–] EndOfLine@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Nice. Thanks for the link.

FYI: There is an "s" missing from the end of that url. https://www.ifixit.com/products/mako-driver-kit-64-precision-bits

[–] jws_shadotak@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago

FYI: There is an "s" missing from the end of that url. https://www.ifixit.com/products/mako-driver-kit-64-precision-bits

Thanks, fixed

[–] aniki@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Hows the durability of their stuff? I've been intrigued.

[–] jws_shadotak@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've had this kit for about two years and it's been excellent. I don't use it for much outside of electronics, which is not very taxing on these tools.

[–] aniki@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Awesome appreciate the insight! Next time I need something weird I'll grab a kit and chuck the rest of my amalgamation of random one-offs.

[–] twack@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If you snap one, they will send you a replacement for free. I chipped one of the security torx once, and was surprised at how easy it was to get replaced.

[–] aniki@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

thats whats up!

[–] steal_your_face@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have this kit and I remember seeing a similar head in there. Highly recommend it. I’ve used it a bunch.

[–] kernelle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Same, and I bought one over 6 years ago. Would buy again 11/10

[–] GluWu@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

...

[–] KazuyaDarklight@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Depending on the size, I've absolutely gotten small versions of these bits in IT/Electronics repair kits.