can anybody else use your appliances & fixtures?

Post Reply New Topic

Other people seem to have problems attempting to use things I own, but i've just sort of gotten used to their issues and problems that I don't think about them anymore. Some of the stuff I own is just a little compicated in order to achieve the desired results...like my home theater system. Other stuff has been "redneck engineered" when it breaks, and I've just not gotten around to properly repairing them! Do any of you all have confusing / compecated stuff that others have a hard time operating, or something that others just get annoyed because they can't use it??



Mom loaded the dishwasher, but the soap cup is stuck closed. I ususally just set the timer on the stove to go off when the wash cycle starts...I then open up the DW and sprinkle in the soap. She didn't know about this, and washed the dishes without soap! Earlier, she tried to use my mixer, but couldn't get it to run. Speeds 1 & 2 won't work, but the rest are OK.

A friend borrowed my Chevette. This car always starts right up for me since I rigged up the manual choke valve. He couldn't get the car to start because he wasn't aware of the choke. After calling me and asking me how to start it, he later complained that the car had really bad gas mileage...he was driving it around with the choke valve on after the engine had warmed up!

I've got an old phone system from an office in my house. People are always picking up my phones to use them and they don't work them right. For instance, they start dialing their number without hitting the outside line button. The result is that they just dial a phone extension within the house.

Absloutely NOBODY has been able to come over my house and turn on my complex multimedia system to watch TV. It requires one to power up three things...the projector, the stereo, and the dish receiver. Then, if i've been listening to a CD or my I-pod on the stereo, they won't get any sound till they hit "TV" on the stereo receiver.

Only three things? That's not so complex...'course, you're talking to a guy whose uncle once tried to load a VHS tape upside down AND backwards. I have to make up for him and the rest of my family who are all like that.

No comment on the Chevette.

Nobody can firgure out my ceiling fan except me. It has 4 light setting, 3 fan speed settings, all controled by two strings with no labels, plus it all turns off with the wall switch too.

It's probably quite a good idea to have stuff that discourages others from wanting to borrow/use it.

I have lots of things like that some thing I fix the proper way if I have time but that doesn't always happen or no some things especially if just me is using it and it gets the job done . I had Nova with a bad carb you had to put it in neutral when it idled or it would stall and give gas just so I was used to it my wife couldn't move it out the driveway I drove it like that for years every few months adjusting the carb so it wouldn't get worse never having the money or time for a new one. Our old washing machine had to be babied and was always ajusting something ended up just using sheet metal srcews though the front to hold it on becuse it was easier to get off than the way it was supposed to be held on. As far as old Phone the one in my worksop is an old black bakilte one with a real dial and confuses many people

Keep it clean, folks!

?


Re.difficult appliances and stuff.
My mum still doesn't know how to use a basic TV remote properly,let alone anything complicated.

Oh, excuse me. I seem to have the wrong end of the drill. I thought this thread was about something else. Carry on as before.

Eamonn, as mod.

I have a truck with a manual choke too, upside, people don't like to use it, of course it is labeled as a POS by these geniuses befuddled by the complex in and out motion of such an elaborate device.
I find it physically painful to watch these mechanically inept people clumsily rape their innocent victims blissfully ignorant to the trauma they are inflicting, and of course if anything goes amiss they are totally lost as to the cause and/or any possible solution. The object of their previous indifferent desire is now labelled as junk and cast aside.

Actually, on second thought I love these people, 90% of my possessions are purchased from or given by such outstanding citizens. May they go forth prosper and multiply!

I had a VW Bug that I re-wired with a kill switch hidden under the dash...it could actually be amusing at times.

so do I

Soon it will be spring bulk trash pick-up again think it's time to get a "new" lawn mower

Don't worry, there's plenty more! I just didn't mention all the "rigged" stuff to kee the post reasonably short!

parts, thats how my brother would find lawn mowers, about all other stuff i try to keep it simple as possible

lawn tractor, its battery is dead but i still run it i have to jump it with one of them jumper cable hot start packs

ceiling fan is on a 5 butten remote control, hi, low, med, off, and a light bulb symbol for dimmer.

garage door, i still have to lift that heavy wooden door, i dont go out there that much but its alot better then some sneaky code grabbing idiot opening garage door plus if electrical failure i can still get in without having to rely on remote or keypad or a genie garage door opener battery going dead or a motor shorting.

phone its call id shows up on tv screen(part of directv if u have the reciever hooked up to phone line)

also my dad has nextel and we use them.

I'll see that caller ID on your DirecTV and raise you a TV with a phone in it. Pick up the remote, dial the number you want to call on its keypad, and voila! The TV becomes a speakerphone (um, Space Phone) complete with on-screen display and memory for 2 numbers. It's so cool they haven't made sets with it in 20 years.

Hooked to that set is a special input selector that switches among 4 inputs with the TV's remote...sort of an early video monitor.

I'm a bit surprised nobody has mentioned thier computer configuration yet...

My workplace database setup (and the security schema protecting it) is byzantine enough that if anything of unforseen finality happened to me, I'm afraid they'd have to start over using just a spreadsheet. But they're not in the habit of hiring very computer-savvy people. They guy who keeps trying to crack the system deserves a laugh or two. [/brag]

Most people are afraid to touch anything of mine.

My car has a manual transmission. Needless to say, I hardly ever have to deal with friends asking to borrow it.

My TV is connected to the A/V receiver and my universal remote is set up so that the volume control always operates the receiver no matter which mode you're in, so you have to switch it to the correct input. Nobody can ever figure out that they need to switch the receiver to the correct input.

The VCR poses even more of a challenge. I connected it to the TV with a composite video cable for better sound/video quality. Nobody can ever figure out that they need to switch to the A/V input rather than going to channel 3.

As for my computer, my desktop is almost entirely full of icons, and I have all kinds of stuff in cryptically-named folders. I can find everything instantly. For anyone else... good luck.