How to Fix Damn Near Everything [Hardcover]

Franklynn Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 1996

With the help of this manual you'll soon be repairing kitchen and garden appliances, plumbing, furniture, even cameras and radios like a pro! Over 150,000 sold copies are testimonies to this title's lasting success. Over 300 diagrams and illustrations. 480 pages.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

With the help of this manual you'll soon be repairing kitchen and garden appliances, plumbing, furniture, even cameras and radios like a pro! Over 150,000 sold copies are testimonies to this title's lasting success. Over 300 diagrams and illustrations. 480 pages.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 469 pages
• Publisher: Gramercy (July 8, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517662000
• ISBN-13: 978-0517662007
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,278 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Check the Date!, February 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Fix Damn Near Everything (Hardcover)

This book seems up-to-date until you see the original print date. It hasn't been updated much since the '70s, and although some procedures haven't changed (e.g, fixing an electrical connection) that much, others have (eg, electronics equipment).

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A first alternative to throwing it away or calling in a, August 30, 2000

By 

Jim Carson "http://www.jimcarson.com" (Bellevue, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Fix Damn Near Everything (Hardcover)

professional. However, the biggest pitfall of this book is it's dated. At best, I think the book is useful for when you're (a) desperate or (b) about to throw a broken thing away. For example, if your toaster oven breaks, odds are this will provide enough general information to convince you it's OK to take it apart and fish around, then call the manufacturer (e.g., Black & Decker is great about this) and order replacement parts.

On the other hand, as many appliances are solid-state (e.g., no tubes) AND individual parts are difficult to procure if the manufacturer doesn't support this. [In 1977, when the book was published, you could go to your local Radio Shack and buy a 100 ohm 1/4 watt resistor. It's increasingly difficult to find such things as the business models have changed to the more lucrative cell phones.)

This is a useful book if you want a general idea of how common things work and aren't afraid to use a screwdriver. It's not going to be as helpful as it was 20 years ago, however.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1996 Edition, January 11, 2003

By 

Kate's Mom "lisacarole4" (Radcliff, Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Fix Damn Near Everything (Hardcover)

Explains the logic of troubleshooting and repair with 300 illustrations. Helps you talk to hardware store clerks and avoid wasting money on unnecessary items by buying the proper equipment.