In article ,
writes:
On Saturday, 10 March 2018 21:18:22 UTC, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
writes:
Starts on Monday, 6.30, BBC2. 15 progs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08...casts/upcoming

For those of you who enjoy diagnosing and repairing things,
you might want to look and see if there are any repair events
near to you. I've done these for many years and find them very
enjoyable and satisfying. Most people turn up thinking we will
repair their appliances, but the idea is very much to show them
how to do it themselves, giving them a level of confidence to
open and fix something which they didn't have before, provide
the tools, and making sure they do it safely. Of course, there
are many occasions when we end up doing it with them watching,
but it's still rewarding for them to see it being done.
For me, I like the challenge of diagnosing and fixing something,
and the reaction of the owner when you get it working again.

The two organisations coordinating the events in the UK a
The Restart Project - mainly in London, but also some other countries.
https://therestartproject.org/
Repair Cafe - mainly outside London, and also worldwide.
https://repaircafe.org/en/visit/
The Restart Project, Repair Cafe, and iFixit organisations all
work closely together.

Pretty well all events do electrical and electronic repairs,
and these are normally the most in demand.
Depending on local skills and local demand, you can also find
coverage for laptops, tablets, phones (these can be popular
where the repair skills are available), bikes, mechanical,
furniture, clothes, jewelry, and more.

In addition to repairers, each event also needs organisers,
so even if you don't think you are up to helping people
diagnosing and repairing their things, you can still be
very useful at an event. Some events also pride themselves
on the homemade cakes and other refreshments, and the people
who go to the trouble to make those for the events are also
much appreciated.

And of course, if you have something broken which needs fixing
and you don't have the skills or the tools, you can take it
along. Whilst I'm normally a repairer, I have taken a shirt
along to be repaired when it caught on something and ripped
a button-hole.

why do they have a thing about microwaves?

Some events won't handle them, others will.
Generally the Restart Project events won't handle them.

There are a number of pitfalls for the repairer which many
won't know about, specifically the HV capacitor charge, and
the requirement not to operate them with the cover off.
Very few people will understand the destructive interlock
failure most microwave ovens use, and that fuse replacement
is not an adequate repair for interlock failures.
There's also the safety of the visitors, usually including
children who in particular are amazed to see appliances opened
up, and there's a danger they'll stick fingers in. (I do take
the opportunity to explain how something works if the owners
are the slightest bit interested, and children always are.)
Microwaves have special requirements for PAT testing which even
many people who do know generally how to PAT test will not be
familiar with. Yesterday, I failed a microwave for a rusted
cavity, an issue which another PAT tester was not aware of.
None of the events carry microwave leakage testers for checking
the case and door have been reassembled correctly.

Quite simply, the unknown unknowns are too many for most
repairers to work safely on Microwaves.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]