3rd world industrial electric motor rebuild

Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
16,704
Location
Suburban Washington DC
If you got 2 hours to kill (it's in 2 parts) its kinda interesting to see how mechanical repairs are done in the 3rd world. Everybody wearing slippers would drive osha crazy. And the hand operated lathe makes it seem like the 1800's. Would this even be done here or would that part just be replaced?

 
Likely just replaced over here. A machine can wire that up faster, cheaper and better than by hand.

But if your labor costs are basically nothing like what you see in alot of developing countries then hand can be cheaper.
 
They can fix most things in the 3rd world. We had a microwave fail a couple of weeks before the extended warranty was up and the store sent over a tech to check it (to make sure we weren't just pretending it had failed, or the plug in was dead, or the plug had come out or something like that). He was obviously very new on the job and an immigrant as well.

We overheard him talking to his supervisor. The microwave didn't work but all it needed was a simple switch replaced. Why didn't he just repair it? (which would have been fine with us). But no, the supervisor decided to scrap it and replace it with a new one under the warranty. Such a waste.

We've seen much the same thing in Mexico. It seems that auto parts can be rebuilt or made from scratch in little shops all up and down the street. My theory is that if our modern society fails for some reason, cars will be running in the 3rd world for decades after those in the 1st world.
 
Last edited:
They can fix most things in the 3rd world. We had a microwave fail a couple of weeks before the extended warranty was up and the store sent over a tech to check it (to make sure we weren't just pretending it had failed, or the plug in was dead, or the plug had come out or something like that). He was obviously very new on the job and an immigrant as well.

We overheard him talking to his supervisor. The microwave didn't work but all it needed was a simple switch replaced. Why didn't he just repair it? (which would have been fine with us). But no, the supervisor decided to scrap it and replace it with a new one under the warranty. Such a waste.

We've seen much the same thing in Mexico. It seems that auto parts can be rebuilt or made from scratch in little shops all up and down the street. My theory is that if our modern society fails for some reason, cars will be running in the 3rd world for decades after those in the 1st world.
Just like the cars in Cuba. :)
 
Don’t have time to watch this video right now, but I’ve either seen it before or one just like it. The problem with rebuilds in this country is that it just cost too much (in labor and materials) to get the cores back to the rebuilder. There’s also the possible litigation factor. Who wants to be around brake shoe cores that might have asbestos in them? California already thinks that every single product on planet earth causes cancer. There is obviously no OSHHA near the rebuilder. There’s a reason that this country throws everything away.
 
I've used guys like this back in Pittsburgh. They learned the skill in the steel mills and kept at it as a side job. Excellent work, never an issue. Of course the was in the 1970's and things have changed a lot since then. They did it all in a small shop, and all by hand.
 
My dad used to work as a machinist in a dingy mid rise factory building for mom and pop shops back in the days. He basically squat on the ground grinding welding hammering and bending "custom made" stuff for restaurant and hotel kitchens, that each one has different size requirement and off the shelf stuff won't fit efficiently.

Once in a while he would get a cut that needs to go to ER for, usually minor stuff that would just need a few stitches about once every 5 or so years. He was cautious about stamping and always use a tong he made out of scrap instead of using his own arms like some of the other coworkers. He was right, there was a time the stamping machine malfunction and drop down twice instead of once as he was expecting the rhythm to be, and his tong took the hit and his arms were saved.

Regarding to the US and developed world about repair vs replacement. I would think material cost is about the same but labor / customer expectation are different. Customers in 3rd world expect things to break down once in a while and repair be done cheap, but 1st world it is easier to buy something new so no labor is involved. I cannot get anyone to come to my house to do anything for less than $400 these days but in 3rd world you probably can get people to come fix something simple for $20 USD a trip. This is why these days used cars are sent elsewhere instead of rebuild here, and this is also why we swap modules if we are frugal and we buy a new one if we are lazy, but in the 3rd world they would take things apart, replace / custom fab just the worn pieces, and reassemble.

Unless of course if it is a Crown Vic and you are replacing engine / tranny like it is a hobby. If you pay someone to do it you will probably never recoup the money back in the US.
 
Top