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Keith:
Hi Andy,
As long as you don't expect to get rich doing it, you should scratch a living.
I opened my shop in 2010 in a totally new area after being out of the trade and the UK for 8 years! I hope to be in profit next year, maybe even this year. Which isn't bad as I started from scratch in an area where I wasn't known. If you are good and reasonably priced, word soon gets around.
As for test equipment, stick with what you have for now. You won't know what you need until you see what equipment you are getting for repair.
I set up as an electronics repair shop, with a view to repairing LCD's, Plasma's and some high end hi fi stuff. Didn't go that way! Most of my work is electrical, vacuum cleaners, espresso coffee makers at the moment, microwave ovens, even table lamps easy stuff no one else wants to repair. I actually find repairing this more profitable that TV's! I no longer take in plasma sets for repair because of the hassle trying to get parts, and I found my customers didn't like the thought of having used parts fitted.
Vintage repairs are nice, but would you get enough? Or is it to be more of a hobby?
Good luck, and there plenty of people here to help you on your way.
Hi Tony,
I've seen the GQ4X on the other site, what's so special about it?
I use a cheap Chinese jobby!
Keith
Restorer79:
Hi Keith & thanks for the reply. Good luck with the Business mate, hope it goes well for you.
I actually like repairing small appliances & things like that, I don't do White Goods as such anymore I just don't see the point. But things like Kitchen Mixers, Microwaves or Hairstyling stuff etc is fine by me, i'll look at most things Electrical within reason. Restoring Vintage stuff is hopefully going to be part of the Business, apart from anything else cabinet restoration makes a nice change from Electronics from time to time & i still repair CB radios as well & that can be profitable but seems to go in cycles, So hopefully i won't get bored & as you say may be able to scratch a living from it :thumbup:
Andy
Turnip:
Hi Andy,
Hate to be down'ish but most stuff you mention is available new from Tesco at a groat - A new microwave costs less than a repair magnetron so suggest contact with Council recycling sites, for cheap spares.
There's always cash to be made from odd, non mainstream stuff - have a cust who repairs duff Greyhounds with magnetic resonance - not a believer meself, but mend his gear and take the cash.
Scratching (Fleas) - All true and paid, though it seems totally sad for us WW2 surviving heros - Chris
Restorer79:
Hi Chris: Your not putting a downer on at all mate. It's nice to have other peoples input & ideas, But i think maybe we're thinking of different qualities of stuff mate. There's quite a lot of pretty expensive gear floating about on the Domestic side that needs repair from time to time & there seems to be quite a bit of it around here (e.g: A friend of the missus bought herself a new Mixer the other day & that was £350). But I was'nt actually thinking about Domestic stuff, I used to repair Light commercial & Catering equipment as well. You might get 1 or 2 of the local takeaways buying cheap Micros but most of them use good quality stuff & things like commercial Microwaves, Mixers, Slicers, Scales etc are easy enough to fix normally & apart from the test equipment listed in my first post i've still kept all my test equipment & tools for doing that sort of thing as well. (Can't stand getting rid of tools or test gear) :93:
Andy
Turnip:
Hi Andy,
Appreciate your thoughts - In the early days there were folks who mended things in every village around here - at a price, using new bits when there were stacks of good reclaimed stuff at the tip.
Eventually it came down to cost, and as I had many friends in low places, became the only repair chap left in the district.
Don't know if was good or bad, but I liked mending and didn't want to change career as I mend from home and spend most summer time growing tasty vegetables and wine for the winter.
Admit - never, ever, get expensive stuff to mend - Norfolk, perhaps- Chris.
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