What do you do with defunct electronics?

BookishDreamer · 07-08-2008, 02:17 PM

Someone mentioned paperweight in a previous thread and it sparked an idea.

When the day finally comes (and I'm not expecting it for years and years) that my Sony 505 is no longer functional, I'm going to turn it into an art piece. Maybe decoupage it with passages from my favorite books? Paint it green and turn it into a picture frame? Remove the electronic bits and use the outer shell as the cover for a reading journal?

How about you? Do you get creative with your defunct and obsolete electronic gadgets? Send them off to recycling centers? Or do you just toss them in a drawer/closet/garage and forget about them until you need the space?

Dreamer

DixieGal · 07-08-2008, 02:18 PM

Drawer

BookishDreamer · 07-08-2008, 02:27 PM

I admit I've got several useless electronics just taking up space at my place too. But I'm a "crafty" person and the idea of turning a previously useful thing into something completely different is appealing. I think I should start with that old cassette recorder I used in college. Hmmm...depending on how the case is put together, it might make a nice trinket box.

Dreamer

RWood · 07-08-2008, 03:18 PM

I did collect them for a while (I still have a bunch.) A few years back I started to post them on eBay and sell them off. It seems that there are a lot of people willing to pay a lot more money for them than I feel they are worth. This makes for a great transaction with both parties happy.

There is a limit to the amount of stuff that I can keep before my wife will start to prune it herself. Then again I get to prune her sewing stuff when it gets (IMHO) out of hand. Mostly we just make a pile of the other's stuff as if we were going to dispose of it and they get the hint. Now where did that Psion battery charger go to?

BookishDreamer · 07-08-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWood

There is a limit to the amount of stuff that I can keep before my wife will start to prune it herself. Then again I get to prune her sewing stuff when it gets (IMHO) out of hand.

Love your word usage! I don't have someone to "prune" for me. And I'm not letting anyone near my sewing stuff. I just got it all spread out...er...organized and I never eat in the dining room anyway.

Dreamer

Steven Lyle Jordan · 07-08-2008, 03:46 PM

I used to keep everything I thought I might somehow reuse again someday, possibly cobbled together with other things for repurposing.

Then I got married.

Now, used electronics are either offered to someone else who can use it, or taken to the local recycling center.

slayda · 07-08-2008, 04:20 PM

Being a gadget freak, I usually upgrade before things become defunct, so I pass the old gadgets to my daughter who never throws anything away. Therefore I sometimes, in a pinch will borrow an old device from her if my newer one dies. If they truly die, I often "tinker" with them to see what I can learn. Usually I learn that I shouldn't tinker.

My wife never prunes my gadgets, just makes fun of them until one solves a problem for her. If I die before she does, she'll have a huge garage sale. If she goes first, I'll have a horse sale. Luckily I know several of her horse buddies.

BookishDreamer · 07-08-2008, 04:49 PM

I've never really tinkered with electronics. As a kid, I had a great time taking apart old (non-digital) alarm clocks and putting them back together...mostly functional. I don't know what to do with circuit boards except drill holes and make a mobile.

Horses, huh? That's an expensive hobby.

Dreamer

Ervserver · 07-08-2008, 05:22 PM

Recycle, Best Buy here takes electronics gadgets for free. No matter where ya purchased them

slayda · 07-08-2008, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookishDreamer

I've never really tinkered with electronics. As a kid, I had a great time taking apart old (non-digital) alarm clocks and putting them back together...mostly functional. I don't know what to do with circuit boards except drill holes and make a mobile.

Horses, huh? That's an expensive hobby.

Dreamer

I keep telling her it is a money sink but as long as her job will support the horse on her back, it's OK. I just hope she never gets sick or I'll be up to my knees in "you know what."

RickyMaveety · 07-08-2008, 05:52 PM

I mostly take it apart and store the various (working) pieces in my workshop. Every once in a while one of my neighbors will have a computer or piece of electronic equipment break, and often I've got the part that will fix it.

Since the only computer/electronics repair place is a bit of a drive, and they charge a lot for repairs, are closed on Sundays (and overcharge for parts), it's nice to be able to easily take care of problems inexpensively for those few neighbors that I have.

07-08-2008, 02:17 PM	#1
BookishDreamer Cultural Artist Posts: 1,128 Karma: 12829 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Georgia Device: Sony 505, Kindle 2	What do you do with defunct electronics? Someone mentioned paperweight in a previous thread and it sparked an idea. When the day finally comes (and I'm not expecting it for years and years) that my Sony 505 is no longer functional, I'm going to turn it into an art piece. Maybe decoupage it with passages from my favorite books? Paint it green and turn it into a picture frame? Remove the electronic bits and use the outer shell as the cover for a reading journal? How about you? Do you get creative with your defunct and obsolete electronic gadgets? Send them off to recycling centers? Or do you just toss them in a drawer/closet/garage and forget about them until you need the space? Dreamer

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07-08-2008, 02:18 PM	#2
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Drawer

07-08-2008, 02:27 PM	#3
BookishDreamer Cultural Artist Posts: 1,128 Karma: 12829 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Georgia Device: Sony 505, Kindle 2	I admit I've got several useless electronics just taking up space at my place too. But I'm a "crafty" person and the idea of turning a previously useful thing into something completely different is appealing. I think I should start with that old cassette recorder I used in college. Hmmm...depending on how the case is put together, it might make a nice trinket box. Dreamer

07-08-2008, 03:18 PM	#4
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	I did collect them for a while (I still have a bunch.) A few years back I started to post them on eBay and sell them off. It seems that there are a lot of people willing to pay a lot more money for them than I feel they are worth. This makes for a great transaction with both parties happy. There is a limit to the amount of stuff that I can keep before my wife will start to prune it herself. Then again I get to prune her sewing stuff when it gets (IMHO) out of hand. Mostly we just make a pile of the other's stuff as if we were going to dispose of it and they get the hint. Now where did that Psion battery charger go to?

07-08-2008, 03:46 PM	#6
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I used to keep everything I thought I might somehow reuse again someday, possibly cobbled together with other things for repurposing. Then I got married. Now, used electronics are either offered to someone else who can use it, or taken to the local recycling center.

07-08-2008, 04:20 PM	#7
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Being a gadget freak, I usually upgrade before things become defunct, so I pass the old gadgets to my daughter who never throws anything away. Therefore I sometimes, in a pinch will borrow an old device from her if my newer one dies. If they truly die, I often "tinker" with them to see what I can learn. Usually I learn that I shouldn't tinker. My wife never prunes my gadgets, just makes fun of them until one solves a problem for her. If I die before she does, she'll have a huge garage sale. If she goes first, I'll have a horse sale. Luckily I know several of her horse buddies.

07-08-2008, 04:49 PM	#8
BookishDreamer Cultural Artist Posts: 1,128 Karma: 12829 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Georgia Device: Sony 505, Kindle 2	I've never really tinkered with electronics. As a kid, I had a great time taking apart old (non-digital) alarm clocks and putting them back together...mostly functional. I don't know what to do with circuit boards except drill holes and make a mobile. Horses, huh? That's an expensive hobby. Dreamer

07-08-2008, 05:22 PM	#9
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	Recycle, Best Buy here takes electronics gadgets for free. No matter where ya purchased them

07-08-2008, 05:52 PM	#11
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	I mostly take it apart and store the various (working) pieces in my workshop. Every once in a while one of my neighbors will have a computer or piece of electronic equipment break, and often I've got the part that will fix it. Since the only computer/electronics repair place is a bit of a drive, and they charge a lot for repairs, are closed on Sundays (and overcharge for parts), it's nice to be able to easily take care of problems inexpensively for those few neighbors that I have.

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