intertwingly

Steven Frank: the New World scares the living hell out of a lot of the Old Worlders. Why is that? [via wingnut]

[clipart]Like everyone else, it’s become my turn to tell you how wrong everybody else is about the iPad and how right I am and why. Well, not really. I just thought I’d link to a few snippets and blather for a bit. You don’t mind, do you? Mark...

I never worked directly on a car, but hung out with my dad while he did all that work.

That said, I grew up tinkering with Radio Shack electronic sets and eventually an Apple ][.

[link]...

Same on the car stuff for a teenager in the 90’s, at least in my neck of the woods. Saved plenty of money doing basic stuff like alternator replacement.

Well I still regularly tinker with my car, but it was made in 1985 so nothing is sealed shut.

I have plenty of computers that age (and older) to tinker with too, but unlike the car I can’t claim to use them for any serious purpose.

I also tinkered with the washing machine last year when it broke down - figuring out what was wrong, ordering a replacement part, and fitting it. As well as saving us a fortune, it gets rid of the hassle of having to wait for someone to turn up to do it, and you know the job’s been done right - or at least, there’s nobody else to blame if it hasn’t.

The benefits of tinkerable items go way beyond the learning. I go out of my way to buy tinkerable things. If someone (e.g. a fruit-based gizmo manufacturer) has gone out of their way to make something untinkerable, I won’t touch it with a bargepole.

Proudest achievement:  clutch on a '67 Olds 442

(How else would I have learned to do all this Web stuff?)

Replaced alternator.
Replaced synchro belt.
Replaced bumpers.
Replaced engine supports.
Replaced springs and dampeners.
Replaced intercooler.
Replaced steering column.

I do let my brother replace my gearbox, however - he’s more used to it.