Visited a repair cafe in Portland and saw a coffee maker fixed with a paperclip

I went to this community repair event last Saturday at the old library on Belmont. Some guy brought in a 90s Mr. Coffee that wouldn't heat up at all. One of the volunteers just bent a paperclip into a U shape and wedged it against the heating element contact. Fired right back up after sitting dead in a garage for 3 years. Cost zero dollars and took maybe 45 seconds. Never would have thought of that myself but now I'm saving every paperclip I see. Anyone else ever fixed something with random office supplies?

3 comments

3 Comments

lunah1225d ago

Did you see the guy reattach a broken vacuum belt with a rubber band at that same kind of event? I fixed my toaster with a bent paperclip last year after the latch broke off and it wouldn't stay down anymore. It's wild how much you can fix with just a little creativity and stuff you already have lying around.

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diana_kim6625d ago

Once tried to fix my blender with a rubber band and ended up with banana smoothie all over the kitchen ceiling. Pretty sure the blender was laughing at me before it completely gave up. Have you had any repair attempts that went hilariously wrong?

the_paul25d ago

Oh man, that's beautiful. So @lunah12 you fixed a toaster with a paperclip? That sounds like a fire hazard waiting to happen, but I'm also impressed. I once tried to unclog my vacuum by jamming a coat hanger up the hose and sucked a sock right off my foot from the other end, nearly broke my ankle tripping over the cord. Was the paperclip just to hold the latch down, or did you actually get inside the toaster to do something more risky?