That triangle screw thing bugs me too. Last summer I tried to swap a battery in my kid’s toy robot—ended up on the floor with three different bit sets and not one of them fit. Ended up using a pair of pliers and, surprise, chewed it up anyway. Sometimes I wonder if the folks designing these things ever had to fix them themselves.
I get the urge to leave stuff alone. I’ve opened up a solar path light just to see why it wasn’t working, only to discover I couldn’t get it back together right. The seal was never the same, and after the next rain, it was toast. Lesson learned: if it ain’t broke, maybe don’t poke at it.
But there’s also that satisfaction when you do pull it off. Like, I managed to fix a leaky garden sprayer last month with a random O-ring from my “junk” drawer. It felt like winning the lottery. Makes all those weird tools almost feel worth it... sometimes.
Man, those triangle screws are the worst. I’ve run into them on a couple of cheap fans and a blender, and it’s like they’re daring you to even try. I get why they do it—probably to keep people from hurting themselves or whatever—but it just feels like overkill sometimes. I’ve chewed up more than one screw head with pliers too, and then you’re stuck with a half-open thing you can’t even put back together.
I hear you on the “if it ain’t broke” thing, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. I see something not working right and I want to know why. Last month I tried to fix my old Bluetooth speaker. Got it open, poked around, and then realized I had no clue what I was looking at. Put it back together and now the buttons rattle. Still works, but it’s not the same.
But yeah, when you actually fix something with what you’ve got lying around, it’s a good feeling. I had a busted hose reel and used a random washer from an old faucet kit. Worked like a charm. Makes me wonder, though—at what point do you just give up and buy a new one? Like, is there a line where it’s just not worth the hassle? Some stuff feels like it’s made to be thrown out if it breaks, which kind of sucks.
Curious if anyone’s actually bought one of those weird screwdriver sets with all the triangle, star, and square bits. Are they worth it, or do you just end up with a drawer full of stuff you never use?
Those triangle screws are a pain, no doubt. I’ve run into them on kids’ toys and a humidifier, and it always feels like the manufacturer’s just daring you to give up. I get the safety angle, but honestly, if someone’s determined to open something, they’ll find a way—usually with more damage than if they’d just let us use a regular screwdriver.
I’ve got one of those multi-bit sets with all the weird shapes. Picked it up after getting stumped by a security screw on a toaster. I don’t use it every week, but when you need it, you’re glad it’s there. It’s saved me from mangling more than a few screws. That said, half the bits have never seen daylight. Still, I’d rather have them than be stuck mid-project.
As for when to give up and buy new, I usually draw the line at stuff that’s glued shut or where replacement parts cost more than a new unit. But I get a kick out of fixing things, even if it’s just for the challenge. Sometimes it’s about the satisfaction, not just the savings.
I get where you’re coming from about just replacing things when the parts or repairs get ridiculous, but I think sometimes it’s still worth fighting through the hassle. I’ve had a couple of humidifiers and a blender that were glued shut, but with a heat gun and some patience, I managed to get them open and fix a simple wiring issue. Definitely not always easy, but for me, the cost savings add up over time. Plus, I kind of appreciate the challenge—sometimes it’s less about convenience and more about stretching the budget as far as it’ll go.
- Totally agree on the satisfaction of getting something working again, even if it’s a pain.
- Heat gun trick works wonders, but I’ve had a few cases where the plastic warped or cracked—sometimes it’s a gamble.
- For me, if replacement parts cost more than half the price of a new unit, I usually move on, unless it’s something I really like or can’t easily replace.
- Manufacturers are definitely making things harder to open up these days... not sure if it’s safety, planned obsolescence, or just cost-cutting.
- Still, nothing beats the feeling when you fix it and avoid tossing more stuff in the landfill.
