Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears. So,
I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available. My
delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching landfill,
when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.

"Charles" wrote in message
. ..
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears.
So, I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available.
My delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching
landfill, when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes
of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.


All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit, in
relative terms at the very least.

"C & E" wrote in message
...


All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.

Charles wrote:

"C & E" wrote in message
...



All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.


Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.



But are suitable gears available elsewhere?

McMaster-Carr, for example?

Even if its not a "Fellows part", if it is just a pair of stripped gears
as you report,
there are a hell of a lot of gear makers out there.

Given the size of the powerhead on my Fellows PS 25, I'd go look at Nort
West Shortline, folks who make gears for O scale model trains.

On May 30, 11:24 pm, "Charles" wrote:
"C & E" wrote in . ..

All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.

Charles I agree. I fix whenever I can.
Like you I feel that there is a moral/ethical issue involved. As we,
humans with an expanding world population rapidly use up the
resources of this planet, it does not seem right to just dump
something because it is a few years old, not the latest style, parts
are too expensive etc. And our recycling efforts to date are
pathetically inadequate in most part so of the world. Recycling cost
too much? Well one of these days it won't and we will be mining old
trash/garbage dumps!
People with commercial/business with an ethos that we must ever
increase consumption, use more of everything, buy the latest model,
keep up with the Jone's and so forth may not agree. But we are now,
much more rapidly seeing the results of pollution, poor air quality
(and what is more basic that the air that all mammals etc. breathe),
deteriorated water quality and potential shortages of it; and yes it
IT is true, global warming. But don't worry parts of Florida and
Bangla Desh will be under water and hurricane Katrine will be thought
of as a minor problem as Venice endures a couple of metres more depth
of water and downtown London England has water in the streets during
some high tides.
I won't be around; but fifty to one hundred years from now it will be
different.

On 31 May 2007 04:12:10 -0700, terry wrote:

Charles I agree. I fix whenever I can.


I am still debating whether i should buy a $600 lathe to make my own
parts as well as for hobby projects. I'll never use it often enough
to make it pay for itself though.

PaPaPeng wrote:

On 31 May 2007 04:12:10 -0700, terry wrote:

Charles I agree. I fix whenever I can.

I am still debating whether i should buy a $600 lathe to make my own
parts as well as for hobby projects. I'll never use it often enough
to make it pay for itself though.

You don't need it to pay for itself, you just need it to do enough jobs
to justify it's existence and lead to future purchases like a mill,
welder, plasma cutter...

On May 30, 8:24 pm, "Charles" wrote:
"C & E" wrote in . ..

All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.

If you feel that strongly about, take them to a local machinist and he
can make you new ones -- for a price, of course...

Or, more realistically, if you can find a machine shop that does work
for laboratories or similar small machine stuff they may have other
sources of supply...

On Wed, 30 May 2007 21:24:40 -0400, "Charles"
wrote:


"C & E" wrote in message
...


All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.

Back in college, I bought all the guts for an electric percolator,
spending I think almost as much as the whole thing cost.

I had found the perc in the trash, and I didn't even drink coffee. So
I gave it to Goodwill after it was fixed.

I have other stories like that, but also have stories where I
controlled myself.

Right now, people here slowly but easily convinced me that when the
motor in my roof fan fails it would be cheaper to buy a whole new fan
than to buy the motor at the local motor store. I have the receipt
and paid more than 80 dollars last time. But what will I do with all
the other parts? In theory I could use a spare thermostat (the
current one is 24 years old), but in practice I think it could last
until I die (OK, not really, I probably do need a spare thermostat, so
I guess that is what I will do, but let's pretend that wasn't there.
What would I do with the spare housing and fan blade? )

One thing I could do is call the motor store and negotiate with them.
I'm sure I paid retail last time, but they'd probably sell it to me
for wholesale or close if they believed that I planned to go buy a
whole fan complete at the bigbox.

The motors last between 4 and 12 years and the OEM motors were at 12
and 4, and the others were in the middle. So I can't work off of
that.

On Jun 4, 3:01?am, mm wrote:
On Wed, 30 May 2007 21:24:40 -0400, "Charles"

wrote:

"C & E" wrote in message
...

All too often even when the parts are available they are so expensive that
there's little difference between their cost and the price of a new unit,
in relative terms at the very least.

Thanks. I forgot to mention that. I am so adamant about this issue that I
often buy the parts anyway just to keep the stuff out of the landfill and to
feed my ego. I feel good when I restore something to service.

Back in college, I bought all the guts for an electric percolator,
spending I think almost as much as the whole thing cost.

I had found the perc in the trash, and I didn't even drink coffee. So
I gave it to Goodwill after it was fixed.

I have other stories like that, but also have stories where I
controlled myself.

Right now, people here slowly but easily convinced me that when the
motor in my roof fan fails it would be cheaper to buy a whole new fan
than to buy the motor at the local motor store. I have the receipt
and paid more than 80 dollars last time. But what will I do with all
the other parts? In theory I could use a spare thermostat (the
current one is 24 years old), but in practice I think it could last
until I die (OK, not really, I probably do need a spare thermostat, so
I guess that is what I will do, but let's pretend that wasn't there.
What would I do with the spare housing and fan blade? )

One thing I could do is call the motor store and negotiate with them.
I'm sure I paid retail last time, but they'd probably sell it to me
for wholesale or close if they believed that I planned to go buy a
whole fan complete at the bigbox.

The motors last between 4 and 12 years and the OEM motors were at 12
and 4, and the others were in the middle. So I can't work off of
that.

WW Graingers mark up on much non competive stuff like motors must be
twice cost.

search around now on line for best price motor then put in stock for
when needed

Charles wrote:

Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears. So,
I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available. My
delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching landfill,
when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.


Don't fret, Corky. Google is your buddy.

http://wheelermachines.com/fellowes_parts.htm
http://www.compax.com/shredders/parts.html
http://www.psds.com/partssearch/td-fellowes/index.htm

"Clancy Wiggum" wrote in message
...


Don't fret, Corky. Google is your buddy.

Sorry Porky, apparently you don't understand the concept of a model number.
I guess that wasn't covered in your college.

Charles wrote:


Don't fret, Corky. Google is your buddy.

Sorry Porky, apparently you don't understand the concept of a model number.
I guess that wasn't covered in your college.


Ah... Now, now, Corky. Let's not shoot the messenger. Why don't you
call the distributors and actually find out for sure if they can get
your part. I was trying to help.

"Clancy Wiggum" wrote in message
...
Charles wrote:


Don't fret, Corky. Google is your buddy.

Sorry Porky, apparently you don't understand the concept of a model
number.
I guess that wasn't covered in your college.


Ah... Now, now, Corky. Let's not shoot the messenger. Why don't you
call the distributors and actually find out for sure if they can get
your part. I was trying to help.

Thanks. I did call. There are available parts for some (much more
expensive) Fellowes shredders, but not the low-end units designed for home
use.

Charles wrote:


"Clancy Wiggum" wrote in message
.. .
Charles wrote:


Don't fret, Corky. Google is your buddy.

Sorry Porky, apparently you don't understand the concept of a model
number.
I guess that wasn't covered in your college.


Ah... Now, now, Corky. Let's not shoot the messenger. Why don't you
call the distributors and actually find out for sure if they can get
your part. I was trying to help.

Thanks. I did call. There are available parts for some (much more
expensive) Fellowes shredders, but not the low-end units designed for home
use.



Good luck then.

In article , "Charles" wrote:

Thanks. I did call. There are available parts for some (much more
expensive) Fellowes shredders, but not the low-end units designed for home
use.

In other words... you bought what was basically a disposable product, and now
you're griping that you can't find repair parts it. Sheesh. I bet you complain
to BIC when you can't find refills for a thirty-nine-cent ball point pen.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Charles wrote:

Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears. So,
I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available. My
delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching landfill,
when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.

If schools were still actually teaching instead of mostly baby-sitting
and people still had workshops you could fabricate your own replacement
parts. Unfortunately those skills have been outsourced to China, where
people still have tools and repair things. In short the problem is not
with parts legislation, it's with schools.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...


If schools were still actually teaching instead of mostly baby-sitting
and people still had workshops you could fabricate your own replacement
parts. Unfortunately those skills have been outsourced to China, where
people still have tools and repair things. In short the problem is not
with parts legislation, it's with schools.

Pete, I appreciate your response but must point out that gears usually
cannot be made in home workshops.

As to schools, they have mostly caved in to pressures from parents and
politicians (today's school administrators are mostly politicians). Many
modern parents are all to quick to blame everyone else but themselves.

Charles wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

If schools were still actually teaching instead of mostly baby-sitting
and people still had workshops you could fabricate your own replacement
parts. Unfortunately those skills have been outsourced to China, where
people still have tools and repair things. In short the problem is not
with parts legislation, it's with schools.

Pete, I appreciate your response but must point out that gears usually
cannot be made in home workshops.

Incorrect. A great many home metalworkers can and do make their own
gears. Additionally, factory made gears of a great many types are
available inexpensively from a number of sources. A person with a
properly equipped home shop can measure the pitch and pressure angle of
the gears in question, order a suitable replacement gear and machine the
hub connection appropriately to match the application.

I have personally fabricated a number of replacement parts for consumer
products where a factory replacement wasn't available, was only
available in a large expensive sub assembly, or the factory replacement
had the same design flaw that caused the original failure. My
refrigerator is still happily running with an all metal motorized damper
door that I fabricated to replace a poorly designed plastic one that
failed.


As to schools, they have mostly caved in to pressures from parents and
politicians (today's school administrators are mostly politicians). Many
modern parents are all to quick to blame everyone else but themselves.

Yep, parents share a lot of the blame as well, as do teachers unions.

Pete C.

right now I have 75 von weise / dayton gear motors 4z536 sitting in
my shop needing 10 bucks of parts each mostly gears and shafts. the
motors retail for at least 120 bucks.

von weise apparently quit supplying parts

Dayton is the WWGrainger brand and von weise refuses to sell them
parts either.

so sad, any on line sources for small gears?

" wrote:

right now I have 75 von weise / dayton gear motors 4z536 sitting in
my shop needing 10 bucks of parts each mostly gears and shafts. the
motors retail for at least 120 bucks.

von weise apparently quit supplying parts

Dayton is the WWGrainger brand and von weise refuses to sell them
parts either.

so sad, any on line sources for small gears?

MSC, McMaster Carr, various vendors of Browning gears, Stock Drive
Products and many others. If you find the online Thomas Register they
should have a huge listing of the various suppliers.

What's the spec on those motors? I could probably use a few.

Pete C.

On May 31, 8:58 am, " wrote:
right now I have 75 von weise / dayton gear motors 4z536 sitting in
my shop needing 10 bucks of parts each mostly gears and shafts. the
motors retail for at least 120 bucks.
....

Is there an actual market? If so, would seem worthwhile to have them
manufactured and supply them either as parts kit(s) or refurb the
motors/drives on your own...

--

Might be a long shot but check out www.freecycle.org.

My wife stumbled across this site a few months ago and we've used it
to get rid of a lot of junk....excuse me, to give pre-loved items a
new home. Once you sign up, you can list that you are looking for a
shredder (working or not) and if someone in your area has one, all you
have to do is go pick it up. Might at least be able to come up with
the gears you need.

We've done this with the kids old toys, a fish tank, pet rabbit, books
and movies. Keeps everything out of the landfill, and the one
stipulation is you can't freecycle to resell or sell on freecycle.
Wait, I think that was 2 stipulations.

Good luck, Ed

"Charles" wrote in message
. ..
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears.
So, I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available.
My delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching
landfill, when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes
of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.


Charles-Might try here, not a "what's your model number" place but a great
source for all kinds of small machine parts:
http://www.smallparts.com/

Also, if you like pulling the things apart, strip the items you can't fix of
bits that may come in handy later for another repair.

Dan

"Charles" wrote in message
. ..
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died

One other thing, a terrific NG for the repair of all things electronic is
Sci.Electronics.repair

"Dan" wrote in message
...
"Charles" wrote in message
. ..
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died

One other thing, a terrific NG for the repair of all things electronic is
Sci.Electronics.repair

Thanks Dan. I do indeed save parts and it often pays off. I am a regular
on the sci.electronics.repair group.

In article , "Charles" wrote:
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears. So,
I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available. My
delight was short-lived.

This is a thirty-dollar shredder.
http://discountofficeitems.zoovy.com...=bizrate-39159

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching landfill,
when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

Most folks don't do that, especially for something so inexpensive. The
manufacturer very likely figured that so few people would ever bother
attempting to repair a thirty-dollar shredder, instead of replacing it, that
it was not cost-effective to stock extra parts.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.

What, you'd have the government force manufacturers to produce and stock spare
parts that would likely never be purchased? What's the point in that?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Charles" wrote in message
. ..
Case in point. Our Fellowes DM8C shredder died so I took it apart and was
delighted to find that it was easily serviceable. Two stripped gears.
So, I jumped on the Internet only to find that parts are not available.
My delight was short-lived.

So here goes 25 more pounds into a stinking, bulging and leeching
landfill, when it could have been repaired for a few bucks and 20 minutes
of my time.

I usually take stuff apart before I throw it out and about half the time
find that repair would be easy if the parts were available.

I hate the baggage of more legislation but think that something might need
to be done in this arena.

Thanks to some who responded ... those who offered constructive feedback. I
sense a feeling of shared frustration with many of you.

To those who questioned my expectations for product life versus product
cost, I feel that you missed the point. This shredder is one of the most
repairable items that I have recently disassembled. It was obviously
designed for repair. There are no rivets, no welded plastic seams, no
proprietary fasteners of any kind. It comes apart quickly and easily. If
the gears were available, it would be duck soup to put this bad boy back
into service.

Sadly, it goes to the curb for recycling in 4 days and will contribute 25
more pounds to our choked, stinking, seeping and unsightly landfills

In article ,
"Charles" wrote:


proprietary fasteners of any kind. It comes apart quickly and easily. If
the gears were available, it would be duck soup to put this bad boy back
into service.

Have you looked into other options for getting the gears.
Sometimes, for instance, these are fairly standard size gears that might
be available through hobby shops or other similar places. Might want to
look around a little more.

On Jun 1, 5:19 pm, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article ,

"Charles" wrote:
proprietary fasteners of any kind. It comes apart quickly and easily. If
the gears were available, it would be duck soup to put this bad boy back
into service.

Have you looked into other options for getting the gears.
Sometimes, for instance, these are fairly standard size gears that might
be available through hobby shops or other similar places. Might want to
look around a little more.

That was my reaction -- for being so adamant about repair/recycling/
etc., seemed to give up and toss it in the trash awfully quickly.

--

dpb wrote:

On Jun 1, 5:19 pm, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article ,

"Charles" wrote:
proprietary fasteners of any kind. It comes apart quickly and easily. If
the gears were available, it would be duck soup to put this bad boy back
into service.

Have you looked into other options for getting the gears.
Sometimes, for instance, these are fairly standard size gears that might
be available through hobby shops or other similar places. Might want to
look around a little more.

That was my reaction -- for being so adamant about repair/recycling/
etc., seemed to give up and toss it in the trash awfully quickly.


Corky does not seem to be so sensible. I think he just likes to
rattle his cane in the air and shake it. He reminds me of the guy
who shakes his fist at the "young punks" whom knocked over his garbage
can.

"Clancy Wiggum" wrote in message
news
dpb wrote:

On Jun 1, 5:19 pm, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article ,

"Charles" wrote:
proprietary fasteners of any kind. It comes apart quickly and easily.
If
the gears were available, it would be duck soup to put this bad boy
back
into service.

Have you looked into other options for getting the gears.
Sometimes, for instance, these are fairly standard size gears that might
be available through hobby shops or other similar places. Might want to
look around a little more.

That was my reaction -- for being so adamant about repair/recycling/
etc., seemed to give up and toss it in the trash awfully quickly.


Corky does not seem to be so sensible. I think he just likes to
rattle his cane in the air and shake it. He reminds me of the guy
who shakes his fist at the "young punks" whom knocked over his garbage
can.

Yawn!