Cleaning a Laser Printer

11 April 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos, SuperSaver | 6 comments

PrinterIf you’re still using an inkjet printer, you have my sympathies. If you’ve taken the plunge and purchased a laser printer, you’ll probably want to keep it in tip-top shape for years to come. After all, they’re a lot cheaper than they used to be, but not that cheap!

Most printer problems are caused by gummed up inner workings. A lot of people simply chuck their malfunctioning printer in the trash can and buy a new one. With the economy the way it is, that isn’t the best move for most of us.

Lucky for you, it’s actually surprisingly simple to clean out a laser printer and make it work like new!

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Squeezing a Bit More Life out of that Clunky Old VCR

21 March 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos | 0 comments

VHS CassetteLet’s face it: in this dawning age of high-definition video, a good old fashioned VHS tape seems rather, well, ancient. Nevertheless, a lot of people have movies on VHS that they can’t get on DVD. And sometimes, there’s even a bit of nostalgia attached to certain video cassettes.

It has become more and more difficult to find an inexpensive VCR that doesn’t include a DVD player as well. If you already have a DVD player and you want to save some money (who doesn’t these days!), you may find yourself out of luck.

VCR repair is also a dying occupation. So if you can’t buy a new VCR, and you can’t get your current one repaired, what do you do?

Why, you open up your current VCR and fix ‘er yourself!

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How to Save that Cell Phone, MP3 Player, or Other Gizmo that you Just Dropped into the Water

20 February 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos | 0 comments

Did I break it?So, you’re merrily using your cell phone, MP3 player, or other electronic gizmo when it just happens to slip out of your hand and fall into the bathtub, ocean, river, a bowl of soup, etc.

After panicking and maybe swearing a bit, what the heck are you supposed to do?

With a little ingenuity, the proper tools, and a dash of bravery, you CAN bring your device back to life. Unless it’s a digital camera – in that case, you’re probably screwed. Sorry.

The first step is the most important: REMOVE THE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY!!!

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