Any other 'fixers' cursed?

a_kelley

a_kelley

mechanical fixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Location
Rutherfordton
How many of you 'fixers' have been (un) fortunate enough to be cursed with the words 'oh, Xxxxx can fix anything!' And what's the weirdest thing you've been asked to fix?

I do mechanical things for a living.. Oddest thing I've been asked to fix, I would have to say is a leg. I had to loosen a bolt in his foot, straighten it, and torque with loctite., and also a drill a hole in it to move a screw. Oh, it was a prosthesis lol, not flesh & bone.
 
Not quite a fix, but I thought it was going to be a welding job....

Just today, had my neighbor call me over, said he wanted me to take a look at his trailer....about a 10' landscape trailer. Just as I walked up, he got a phone call. I was casually looking at the trailer, figuring he needed something welded on it. After he got off the phone, he asks... "What kind of snake is that?"

Damn thing was on the trailer deck, about a foot from where I was standing, and I never saw it. Fortunately, he had dispatched it earlier.
 
I get called in to fix the things my friends (and their friends) can't figure out. I'm not a pro mechanic so it's not like I'm the guy who figures out what the pro mechanics can't. I seem to be the last resort for my friends, seemingly with the logic that if I can't figure it out, it's hopeless. I usually take a look, give an educated guess, and tell them to take it to a well equipped shop for an estimate. I think they expect me to fix it, but by the time it rolls my way it's usually serious enough that I don't want to touch it because of time and tool/shop constraints. No one brings me the easy ones.

My wife likes to offer my services to people she works with, goes to church with, etc. I usually don't know them.
 
a_kelley said:
How many of you 'fixers' have been (un) fortunate enough to be cursed with the words 'oh, Xxxxx can fix anything!' And what's the weirdest thing you've been asked to fix?

I do mechanical things for a living.. Oddest thing I've been asked to fix, I would have to say is a leg. I had to loosen a bolt in his foot, straighten it, and torque with loctite., and also a drill a hole in it to move a screw. Oh, it was a prosthesis lol, not flesh & bone.
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That's funny, I recently machined a new foot insert for a lady at work for her prothesis. She has a Carbon Fiber one and it's coming apart. Damn things cost her $3500!
 
I'm cursed with it. I have to keep hobbies and such very secretive or everything goes to shit. "Oh, you can do what??" My pay drops at work in the notion that I do more for the same hourly rate. I go home to get roped into looking at stuff, working on stuff, etc.
 
XJsavage said:
I'm cursed with it. I have to keep hobbies and such very secretive or everything goes to shit. "Oh, you can do what??" My pay drops at work in the notion that I do more for the same hourly rate. I go home to get roped into looking at stuff, working on stuff, etc.
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Yep. Computers, CD duplicators, DVD players, TV, monitors.. I usually tell them to go buy a new one
 
I was asked (volunteered by wife) to cut the legs off a couple mango wood bookcases last weekend so they would fit in a cubby hole in a friend's new office.
 
I attract crazy people. I'm also afflicted with "fixer's disease." This story kinda combines the the two. It's also a good reminder to keep my big mouth shut sometimes.

I was wandering through Home Despot one afternoon, looking for nothing in particular. Wandered back into the electrical tools section where I saw an older redneck couple talking to a salesman about the merits of some fine wire cutters vs. a set of heavy crimper/cutters. The salesman was obviously struggling with their questions. (Shocker, I know!) Due to my experience in the electrical field, I happened to have both sets and extensive experience with each, so I offered up my help. They said they were trying to pull some carpet staples out of a floor, but they had been hammered pretty flush and were trying to clip them in the middle so they could pry them up and get purchase with pliers. Made sense, sounded legit, I recommended the crimper/cutters as the tips are strong and should have no problems dealing with a staple. They thanked me for my time and I wandered on.

Fast forward to fifteen minutes later, I'm wandering around the power tools when they approach me again with both sets and more questions. They reiterate their story about the staples in the floor, which at this point is sounding a little suspect. Finally, Dooder fesses up. Turns out his wife had surgery and had staples in her stomach. They were "up from Florida" and claimed that the doctor there was supposed to have given them a removal kit of some sort, but didn't. And he said they couldn't find anyone to remove them, so last night he had gone at one with a pair of pliers and got it out, but it just hurt too bad. So he figured clipping them would be the answer, but "they're tight against the skin and...here! If you wanna see them... Honey, show him!"

I politely declined the gut shot and told them that they needed a doctor, not a technician. Said peace and was on my wandering way once again.
 
@Curtis_H has this problem. I have taken my share of problems to him. But he seems to get roped into fixing/building all sorts of things and never has time for his own.
Less than 3 weeks from a trip to Harlan and there is currently three 1 ton rigs shoved in his shop getting last minute overhauls, with his shoved in the corner being neglected and needing a few things lol.


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77GreenMachine said:
@Curtis_H has this problem. I have taken my share of problems to him. But he seems to get roped into fixing/building all sorts of things and never has time for his own.
Less than 3 weeks from a trip to Harlan and there is currently three 1 ton rigs shoved in his shop getting last minute overhauls, with his shoved in the corner being neglected and needing a few things lol.


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All I got out of this was "open invite to Harlan in three weeks"!!

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My ex asked me to fix our marriage. .me being the fix anything man, I recommend a divorce. I fixed many problems with that. [emoji38] What did I win?
 
seeing as all my tools and equipment are in the company van, i'm not "allowed" to work on anything unless i fill out a work order.... you know, conflict of interest kinda stuff.....

my neighbors don't ask anymore, its a good thing :D
 
And like you, I get all these people assuming that just because you have a Toyota uniform on you work on automotive. It gets really freaking old getting asked if I know what wrong with there pos car. I tell them I work on forklifts and they seem confused.

I too am not suppose to work on anything out of my van that isn't company business. I get so tired if turning wrenches I don't want to work on anyone else,s crap but my own.
 
Jason W. said:
And like you, I get all these people assuming that just because you have a Toyota uniform on you work on automotive. It gets really freaking old getting asked if I know what wrong with there pos car. I tell them I work on forklifts and they seem confused.

I too am not suppose to work on anything out of my van that isn't company business. I get so tired if turning wrenches I don't want to work on anyone else,s crap but my own.
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sometimes i don't even want to work on my own junk. I have a few independent shops I let work on my stuff as a result.

A lot of folks don't get that I get sick of working on stuff all the time " You're a mechanic...", yep, and you're a computer geek, wanna work on my computer today ? Oh HELL NO, I do that shit all wee.....AH HAaaaaa......yeah...

...and yeah, i get asked all the time about " my Corrola or Camry " I point to the van and say "FORKLIFT" I'm not mean about it, but I'm not nice either.

I'll watch you work on your junk, I'll offer advise while you're working on your junk, I may even heckle you while you're working on your junk, but I'm there for entertainment or just to talk to someone who might actually have a clue ( sometimes I need a refresher )
 
That's what I need to start doing, just point at the van and say forklift and walk off. Yep, I too get sick of doing it , turning wrenches is not really FUN to me anymore, its just what I do
 
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