Types of Work Undertaken.

Although my experience is mainly in Electrical Engineering, my engineering training was wide ranging, and the the basic engineering ethos is a systems and problem oriented approach.  This has enabled me to successfully tackle a wide range of problems, ranging from computers to grandfather clocks.


In general I prefer work which I can complete fairly quickly on the customer's premises.  Generally I hope to make a survey of the problem and then solve it in one or two hours.  If the problem appears complex and its solution lengthy I will probably refer the customer to one of the Grahamstown service agencies.


Sometimes I am approached by customers whose problem has been declined by local agencies due to the age of the equipment and the unavailability of spare parts.  Sometimes I will take on such work on an "as time permits" basis.  My engineering experience sometimes allows me to manufacture parts otherwise unobtainable.


During the market survey which I conducted I identified several broad areas of need:

  • PC FIXit
This has included repairing PCs,  networking PCs and setting up sharable peripherals.  I have considerable resources for this kind of work.  I have worked with computers since 1971.

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  • Household FIXit
This has involved me in a wide range of work from gas stoves and electrical food processors to grandfather clocks.  In the process I have developed a technique for repairing plastic parts.  Adhesives alone will rarely restore a plastic part to its original strength.  My technique does.  I have worked on 30-year-old sound equipment which required that I fabricate unavailable parts, and even successfully repaired loudspeakers.

I will consider a wide range of household repairs but I exclude any kind of original installation of a service (reticulation), be it water, electrical, gas or whatever.

 


  • Motor Car FIXit
As I shall explain in a later section I have no wish to compete with established repair agencies in Grahamstown.  I do not do routine service and repair of motor vehicles.  I do however consider specific problems when other agencies are not interested.  For example I Assisted one client to convert his 40+ year-old VW Combi from 6 to 12 Volt electrics.  In another case I repaired a plastic door seal on a car that was taking in water while parked in heavy rain.  I have also repaired plastic "trim".

After making a number of mistakes while attempting the private sale of one of my vehicles I finally managed to sell it and, in the process managed to learn a great deal about making cars saleable and then selling them.  I am willing to help anyone who is starting down this road!


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  • Business Ad Hoc Personal Assistant FIXit.
There are a number of small businesses in Grahamstown, often one-person businesses.  These people sometimes become overloaded by success.  They find they have to be in two different places at the same time, or they have two coincident customer's deadlines to meet.  As long as the tasks do not require specialized skills I am often able to assist.  Generally I prefer that the task not take more than 1 or 2 hours.

Amongst other things,

  • I collect and deliver local parcels,
  • I collect / deliver visitors from / to local airports and bus depots,
  • I conduct visitors to local accommodation such as B&Bs and Guest Houses,
  • I conduct 'Show Houses' and other services for Estate Agents (I worked in the industry for a while).

My fees for this kind of work are negotiated with the customer on a case-by-case basis, dependent upon the type of work and the possibility of repeat engagements.

 

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