The Object Ethnography Project investigates how objects accumulate stories as they move from one life to another. We are looking for donations of objects—any kind of object—and the stories that come with them. Members of the public will then adopt these objects during a week-long event in March, 2012. Participants will explain how they will use their adopted object in its new life before they take it home. Each story will be recorded, and the final online exhibit will include a photograph of the object, biography, and its adoption story.

- Open Call for Objects

We’re thrilled to partner with the Object Ethnography Project to help with objects that may need some fixing before moving on to their new life. We’ll have related fixing workshops on February 23^rd, March 8^th and March 22^nd, 2012 at New York University’s Kimmel Center, Room 901. If you would like to join a Fixers Collective workshop to fix any item, whether it is donated, adopted, or otherwise, please contact Vincent Lai (Vincent@fixerscollective.org).

Fixers will meet 7-10pm at Proteus Gowanus on January 19th. At recent sessions we’ve had a lot of folks on the front end, so feel free to come in the middle, especially if you have a smaller project!

Stay tuned for info on an upcoming collaboration in Manhattan.

Want to get things fixed up for the holidays? Think a refurbished item could be the perfect gift? Come join us for our last fixing session of the year – December 15th, 7-10pm, at Proteus Gowanus.

We welcome all kinds of objects, and work together to collaboratively fix broken items. You don’t need prior knowledge to come to the Fixers Collective, just a willingness to work and learn!

You can let us know what you’re planning to bring by emailing us at info [at] fixerscollective.org or commenting on this post. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday!

We had an excellent time at our November 17th session! Items we worked on included:

- Iron: Heating element fried when plugged into non-US electrical grid

- 2 DVD players: would not properly eject and receive the disk

- 2 small fans: One needed its spindle tightened up and other needed its spindle lubricated.

- floor lamp

- High end headphones

- Faucet

For more commentary and photos, check out our Facebook page. We hope for more fixing excitement and fun at our next session, December 15th at Proteus Gowanus.

At the November 3rd meeting, we worked on:

* Hand Cranked Paper Shredder
* Brita Pitcher
* Table Lamp
* Mulan Doll
* Vacuum Tube Radio (continued from Sept)

Check out pictures at our Facebook page, and mark the calendar for our next session, November 17 at Proteus Gowanus, 7-10pm!

Get Ready, Get set…FIX

This Thursday, Nov 3rd
123 8th Street, Ground Floor*
Gowanus, Brooklyn
Trains- F,R,G to 4th Ave & 9th St. Stop
7-10pm

 
Please come join us for our next fixing session this Thursday.We encourage people to bring in their items early, so we can devote the most time to the item.

We are about helping each other learn to fix and working collaboratively.

We suggest a $5 donation for each item, but no one will be turned away.

Want to let us know what you are bringing? Email us at info@fixerscollective.org

*Please note that this is not our usual location

Last night we fixed:

Two lamps, one fan, one yarn glove, one bean grinder, one bike pump, and one Apple Xserve (G4)

Pictures coming soon!

We’ll be having our next fixing session tomorrow, Monday, October 10th, 7-10pm at Proteus Gowanus. Hope to see you there!

Thanks to everyone who came out on Thursday for our Fall return!

We had:

• A robot fan whose lightbulb eyes wouldn’t light. It turned out to be a wiring problem. After much fun and some soldering, the eyes worked again! Only now she won’t quite turn…next time!
• A lamp whose on/off sensor wasn’t working. The fixers took out this sensor and replaced it with an easier to use manual on/off switch.
• A fan where the controls were stuck – taken apart and fixed with some adhesive.
• A boombox in need of a new band for the tape player.
• An ipod that won’t send out sound – we looked around inside and couldn’t see any problems, fixers suggested in might be a software problem.
• A toaster (details to come)
• A broken glass lam shade – Kristen decided to sand down the edges so that the sharpness wouldn’t cause injuries.
• An antique radio in need of several new parts.

Come talk to the Fixers at Maker Faire NYC – September 17th and 18th

Next Fixing Session: September 22 @ Proteus Gowanus, 7-10pm – Come early so we have time to work on your objects!

We are currently in the process of updating our website. Please stay tuned! For more information, email info@fixerscollective.org.