I just wanted to mention that, when you purchase anything that requires assembly, there is probably a Youtube video from someone showing how to assemble. I find them much more helpful that reading the cryptic Chinese wordless pictogram instructions.
YouTube is pretty much my go-to for instructions on anything, these days. I recently ordered a roll of Brodart book jacket covers (the clear plastic protective covers you see on library books). Found many YouTube videos showing how to install these.
YouTube is indeed an amazing resource. Not only for assembly instructions, but for maintenance and repair.
My dryer stopped getting hot, and I eventually found a video that showed me how to check that the igniter was working and how to replace the bad part if it wasn’t. And it worked!
My home heating system began shutting off randomly as the winter was just beginning. I found a video that showed how to clean and/or replace the heat sensor. That worked.
With no gym (pandemic), I had to buy a treadmill. The instructions on lubricating the belt were not the clearest–YouTube to the rescue!
Youtube, you say.
Without YouTube videos, I would have been calling a repairman to fix the ice maker in our freezer. Found videos for how to troubleshoot and install, ordered a replacement and installed it myself.
On the other hand, when the belt on the clothes dryer broke, I watched just enough of a how-to video to know I was in way over my head, and called a guy to fix it.
Even that is valuable. The tech would much rather work on something you didn’t already damage further. And it’s cheaper for you that way.
Back in October/early November I couldn’t go on Youtube because of the horrible campaign ads… things are much better now.
I have seen a few that gave bad advice, so you might want to watch more than one on the same topic.
I recall a cartoon I saw in the New Yorker. The husband is fixing something - a sink, maybe - and the wife is standing over him: “Do you know how to repair it? Or do you YouTube know how to repair it?”
Not that I’m knocking the 'Tube. I’ve lost count of how many YouTube-instructed repairs I’ve performed.
mmm
Totally! Just discovered this recently, years too late and hours wasted.
I like them if well done by a pro, or at least an experienced mechanic. But way too many of them have some guy holding each and every part in his hand and examining it closely as he turns it around to inspect. Pacing is important as it holds your interest.
I am considering doing a series of videos on repairing and maintaining a very specific kind of jukebox mechanism I work on as a hobby.
There are probably three guys in the country that care about this device, and there is absolutely no good “how to” content on YouTube for the repair and restoration of this device, so I would like to remedy that situation for the other three guys.
I’ll do my darnedest to get to the point, and explain the specifics about each adjustment without rambling on about my dog and cat and everything else.
It is a daunting task, which is why am still in the “thinking about it” phase.
One of the reasons why so many instruction videos are rambling and amateurish is because it requires some skills to do it properly. If you don’t have them, they take a bit of practice to acquire. You may also need some better equipment that you have at hand. Scripts, cameras, Video recording, lighting, microphones, audio and video editing, uploading - there is a lot there and each one is quite a rabbit hole to explore.
If you are not so interested in all that, another approach might be to find someone who certainly is, but is looking for a decent subject, a performer (the talent) and some interesting material that can be made into a script for a video. These are quite separate skill sets that would benefit from some collaboration. It would be a fine project for anyone trying to develop their video production skills.
When I watch videos or listen to podcasts that try my patience, I begin the develop a respect for the professionals who know how to do it properly. The technology has trickled down to be affordable to the consumer, but the skills that go with it are often too much for one person to handle.
Do not underestimate how many people will be interested in your subject. Out of the billion or so people around the world that can view a youtube video there will be a surprising number who share an appreciation for these iconic machines and would like to peer over your shoulder as you explain their intricacies and fix them. Who knows where it may lead.
In my experience, a high percentage of YouTube videos (especially those dealing with setup of consumer electronics) feature people who mumble and/or have difficult-to-decipher Chinese or other accents.
If owners’ manuals*/instruction sheets are a pain, you may be better off consulting manufacturers’
YouTube videos.
*assuming the company actually included an owner’s manual with purchase.
The thing about dryers (and to a lesser extent, washers) is that they’re not complicated, they’re just really big. Often times, the most difficult part is getting the cover off and finding somewhere to put something the size of a washer and dryer in the same room as your washer and dryer.