Fix or replace?

I hate throwing out stuff that can be fixed.

The glass top on our outdoor table broke, so I called a glass company about a replacement. Ballpark price for the glass was about $220. So I checked our local home improvement store: brand-new, glass-top table for $110.

Today is trash day, so last night we dragged the old frame to the curb. It was gone by this morning.

I was in the same boat. Of course I held on to that aluminum patio table frame for at least a year before I scrapped it. Pondered tile, plexi, and many other materials to replace the broken glass. But after that year I figured I did all right with no table at all.

We live in a disposable society now. No one fixes anything except us weird guys with old cars. Even we replace sub assemblies rather than fix them in many cases. Just look at electronics. Remember when TV repair shops existed? Most computer repairs are nothing more than virii removal services, and even at that, it is frequently easier, cheaper and more effective to just buy another one at wally world.

Really a shame, perfectly good items that could be kept out of landfills and used for another 5 years. That being said, the frame was probably scrapped for $$ and recycled.

That is exactly what happened to us. The aluminum frame is still sitting in my utility trailer.

Dr. Hess wrote: We live in a disposable society now. No one fixes anything except us weird guys with old cars. Even we replace sub assemblies rather than fix them in many cases. Just look at electronics. Remember when TV repair shops existed? Most computer repairs are nothing more than virii removal services, and even at that, it is frequently easier, cheaper and more effective to just buy another one at wally world.

I remember going into a Rexall drug store when I as a youngster and seeing the tube testing station. Lift up the board and new tubes were underneath if yours tested bad.

Meh it costs that much? I have an entry way table with a semi circular glass insert that's cracked. If it's over $100 for a replacement piece, it's going to the trash too.

But... but... but... this is GRM! where's the "sandblast cut a piece to fit?"

Enyar wrote: perfectly good items that could be kept out of landfills and used for another 5 years.

[smug]

How about:

Buy the new table for $110, take the glass, put it on the old one... FIXED and for half price. Throw the new frame in the trash, or take to the recycler or stuff in the corner for when you need a piece of metal like that.

The new table isn't exactly the same shape as the old one--the old one tapered in the corners where the new one is a traditional rectangle. I thought about replacing the glass with plexi, but figured it would flex too much.

My biggest reservation about replacing the glass with new glass is that we've already had two tops shatter. The glass is kind of pinched by the frame, and I'm wondering if that's causing it to shatter. With the new one, the glass sits on the frame, not in the frame.

Tonight I'll unpack it. Tomorrow, hopefully, we'll eat dinner outside.

And yes, I'm also guessing that the old one went to the recycling yard. At least that's not so bad.

I've been a hoarder most of my life, but I'm finally at a point where I've realized I only enjoy"projects" in small, infrequent numbers - or larger 4-wheeled ones with no concern of a completion date.

That has really caused me to reevaluate my "stuff", and think twice about bringing more home. But I figure that by tossing it out to the curb, you're actually helping society. It gives someone else opportunity - whether it be to scrap/salvage it, repair it, or use it for their own project.

I have an outdoor table frame with no glass in the yard. Doesn't everybody?

petegossett wrote: I've been a hoarder most of my life, but I'm finally at a point where I've realized I only enjoy"projects" in small, infrequent numbers - or larger 4-wheeled ones with no concern of a completion date. That has really caused me to reevaluate my "stuff", and think twice about bringing more home. But I figure that by tossing it out to the curb, you're actually helping society. It gives someone else opportunity - whether it be to scrap/salvage it, repair it, or use it for their own project.

You know, I have been thinking the same way.

Last year I went to France for LeMans Classic. Awesome, right? The vendor village was huuuuuuuuuuge. You name it, they had it.

While in France I bought two Porsche magazines and a necklace for my wife. That was it. I came home with unspent euros.

In reply to petegossett:

I love finding junk on the curb and giving it a new life, sometimes just reselling it. We have a glass now coffee table top that someone threw away. I made the legs and frame for it, an easy ~$4 coffee table. I found an antique camel back trunk on the curb a while ago. Turns out people loves these things, they go for a few hundred on Ebay. Oh and pallets and crates so many projects, I have made pens to railing for our front porch.

I try to fix and recycle everything I can, saves money and its an excuse to buy new tools and learn something new.

Dr. Hess wrote: How about: Buy the new table for $110, take the glass, put it on the old one... FIXED and for half price. Throw the new frame in the trash, or take to the recycler or stuff in the corner for when you need a piece of metal like that.

If you are like some people you can box up the rest of the pieces and return it. The first few vanities we bought for a friends bathroom were boxes of scrap wood and sheetrock resealed and returned.

spitfirebill wrote: I remember going into a Rexall drug store when I as a youngster and seeing the tube testing station. Lift up the board and new tubes were underneath if yours tested bad.

Thats awesome

Just had my 27" CRT TV fixed for $60 today. Cheaper than a new one right?

Not to take this on a political turn, but this is the problem with having a minimum wage when we are so willing to do business with countries that have none. The thing that really comes to mind is shoe repair. You used to see those places everywhere--there were 3 in my home town when I was a kid. Now there is 1. Why repair an old shoe when you can buy a new one for $68.75?

David S. Wallens wrote: I hate throwing out stuff that can be fixed. The glass top on our outdoor table broke, so I called a glass company about a replacement. Ballpark price for the glass was about $220. So I checked our local home improvement store: brand-new, glass-top table for $110.

I had to check the date on this. It sure seems like I'd read this post before.

I dunno. I just got the glass quote yesterday, and last night we bought the new table.

If it matters, we are replacing the glass on one of my grandma's old end tables. Those you can't get at Target.

I've had multiple drunken psycho maniac big bear parties at the house over the years. Never a busted piece of glass. (Yes, I know I just jinxed it.)

Stuff costs money. "Custom" stuff costs more money. $110 sounds like a steal, keeping in mind it's not being cut & polished by an 8 year old chinese girl sitting on a cardboard box for 16 hours a day.

You want "cheap," get it from china, or dump minimum age/wage requirements in the US. Even better, let's have trade embargos against countries who don't treat their workers as well as we treat ours.

I digress.

$110 is a steal, assuming we're talking tempered. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts they're using illegal labor at that price point. I can cut you a 36" round piece of single strength glass for around $50. WHEN it breaks, it'll be a berkeleying bloodbath.

If the original table top hadn't already broken twice, I would have fixed it. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I think the old table top design was not optimum, so I was loathe to spend money to fix it again.

why does it have to be glass?

what's wrong with plywood?

David S. Wallens wrote: If the original table top hadn't already broken twice, I would have fixed it. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I think the old table top design was not optimum, so I was loathe to spend money to fix it again.

Oh, and I misread your post. $220. Still a deal. Custom > Makee in Chinee. Was there a high spot in the table? A nasty weld or something?

And acrylic would've been a berkeleying HORRIBLE idea, especially in Florida. Good call on NOT doing that.

I probably should have added, after it broke the first time, we replaced the glass and its frame. We originally got the table from one of the big box stores, and they offered the top and frame as a replacement part. So, based on the fact that two broke, I'm assuming there was some kind of design flaw. Of course, we all know what happens when you assume.

On the plus side, I think we'll be eating dinner outside tomorrow.

mtn wrote: Not to take this on a political turn, but this is the problem with having a minimum wage when we are so willing to do business with countries that have none. The thing that really comes to mind is shoe repair. You used to see those places everywhere--there were 3 in my home town when I was a kid. Now there is 1. Why repair an old shoe when you can buy a new one for $68.75?

And. Um. Wow. Missed this, but it seems as though we're on the same page. People just don't seem to think about that stuff until they need custom work done. Nothing political about it.

Troof: The shop next to mine used to be a shoe repair shop. They sell real estate now.