The Art of Fixing Things, Principles of Machines, and How to Repair Them: 150 Tips and Tricks to Make Things Last Longer, and save You Money

You may not have realized it yet, but survival is now the new normal for many families. There was no nuclear war, super disease, or mutant virus, just years of junk products that has left many of us broke and dependent on others. This is the book you must read before you read any other ‘how-to’ guide to repairing cars, household appliances, garden machines, and farm equipment, or doing home improvements. It is a resource for smart people who have never had the opportunity to learn the basics of tool use, maintenance and repairs. It contains useful information not found in any other publication, and is the first new book in many years on this subject. Written by the third generation, in a family of self reliant do-it-yourself people, many of these 150 Tips and Tricks come to you from a time when we repaired our possessions, rather than throwing them away. For the complete beginner, and the more experienced home repairer, it contains 185 crisp black and white photo illustrations, direct, and simple explanations, and easy to follow directions, for doing repairs, and making things last longer. The information presented in this book will give you the courage, and information, to tackle simple and complex repairs. In this book, find out HOW TO: • Get your car to start. • Sharpen scissors, blender blades, pruning shears, lawn mower blades. • Start that lawnmower in the spring and snow blower in the winter. • Make new threads. • Get your fax machine, or copier to work better. • Hold a screwdriver, hammer or pliers. • Fix things with random parts. • Persuade your car’s engine to last longer. • Make fittings leak proof. • Tighten and loosen things, without damaging the machine. • Find the best appliances at the best prices. • Repair household lamps and appliances. • Buy the right nuts and bolts. And much more. IT IS EASY, YOU CAN DO IT !

Lawrence Pierce grew up in Missouri and Texas and currently lives on Hornby Island, BC. His career of fixing things started at age 9, and continued through high school, with a variety of English sports cars, which needed constant attention.

During the late 1960's he lived in San Francisco, and was a journeyman mechanic at a Volkswagen dealership in the East Bay. In the 70's he tried farming, without much success, except to learn more about fixing his machinery, which constantly broke down. The summer of 1982 found him in Whitehorse, Yukon, repairing any vehicle that got that far on the Alaska Highway.

During the last 23 years, he spent his weekends fixing things, and renovating several houses. During the day, he was a litigation lawyer in downtown Vancouver, specializing in personal injury and disability insurance claims, representing people denied by insurance companies.

He is now an organic farmer, with a small vineyard, and 3 acres of blueberries. He grows grapes, makes wine, runs the winery, and fixes things.