Here are some pictures
What kitchen drawer does not contain at least one favourite utensil with a wobbly handle? They can be unsafe to use so they might just sit there, unused, occupying space, or they might get thrown out and replaced. They are often quite easy to repair given the right tools and experience. We love making wobbly things stable and diverting them from waste.
If you're having trouble with your computer, digital device, or the internet, it might just be a matter of getting some friendly advice about the simplest way to do things, especially now that many digital functions are identified by obscure symbols rather than intelligible words. Many problems can be solved without delving into the innards. We're always happy to have a look and suggest possible solutions.
Our Repair Cafe The Grove October workshop was another successful event, despite the wet weather, with lots of different items fixed. We don't call ourselves a Repair Cafe for nothing - our volunteers also bring along some choice delicacies for the kitchen to make sure our visitors don't go away hungry.
You can be sure that every time we fix something it puts a smile on our face as well as on the visitor who brought it in. Unfortunately some items just aren't made to be repairable but our visitors always appreciate seeing the process and, even if it can't be fixed, having a good explanation about why not.
Our Repair Cafe The Grove workshop on Saturday 23 July dealt with an interesting range of repairs including furniture, a mantle clock and a brushcutter as well as the usual electrical appliances, tool sharpening, computer hardware and software, and clothing and fabrics. This brushcutter was the first 'Small Engine' repair we have undertaken so far. It would be a shame to throw it away and buy a new one if a simple repair by one of our volunteer 'fixers' can keep it going. We can certainly check it out and let you know if it is repairable.
Modern battery clocks with 'Quartz' movements are wonderfully accurate. Unlike traditional clockwork movements the gears inside are only plastic so they often become unreliable after a few years. Replacement movements are cheap and usually easy to fit. We can help you purchase the right replacement (on-line) and fit it for you.
Computers and digital devices have become an important part of our lives and can be very frustrating when they start performing erratically, like this digital radio. An unreliable USB power socket meant that its internal battery sometimes failed to charge so it would randomly go silent for no obvious reason. Our Repair Cafe The Grove volunteers are always happy to take a look, explain the problem and, in many cases, fix it for you.
At every Repair Cafe The Grove workshop there are always lots of electrical repairs brought in. We can only assign these to one of our licensed electrical contractor volunteers and they are a very scarce resource so there can be quite queue. The best way to reduce waiting time is to book a time-slot for your repair but the time-slots fill up very quickly.
Our 'Clothing/Textiles/Craft' work-space can help with clothing repairs and adjustments along with other fabric items. Sometimes it even extends to help with sewing machines and overlockers. We weren't able to fix this old overlocker but investigated the problem and provided advice. Sometimes just a small adjustment, can make all the difference.
When we fix your broken stuff at Repair Cafe The Grove we involve you in the process so that you understand what was wrong and how to keep the item ticking over. Folks are often surprised about how simple some repairs are once you 'have a go'. Sometimes chatting with our team of repair enthusiasts comes up with novel ideas about how to extend the life of an item.
Our repair categorie sare