Wired for Sound

This is the post that will make Dad pop the top three buttons off his shirt. Dad is the champion tearer-aparter-and-put-'er-back-together-better of ALL TIME. Seriously, the man once swapped the engine out of his Dodge pickup with the one in his Grandmother's cadillac (and back!) in one weekend, just because he could. He builds stuff on his lathe for people who can't get the parts they need, made anywhere else. I remember dozens of Polaroids scattered on the living room floor with pictures of various electronic components , in various states of disassembly, so that he would know how to re-assemble whatever it was he took apart. During one such session, I was given a brief lesson in looking for cracks in the soldering on the insides of a stereo. It lasted maybe 30 seconds, and "OK, whatever Dad, get on with your bad self".

Fast forward 20 or so years, when my computer speakers stopped working and I suspected a problem with where the power cord attached to the speaker. I did a quick search on E-bay and discovered my stereo speakers were still selling for about $70. That's a no-go with the budget lady in me. I put off tearing the thing apart for a couple months, but finally broke down and did it today. When I popped off the cover, lo-and-behold, the familiar sight of soldered wires on a board, and it took me no time at all to discern where the problem was. After talking M out of trying to heat up a screwdriver with my stovetop to repair the solder, I went and purchased a handy-dandy soldering iron. Upon returning to the house, M's men-only, new-tool-in-the-house-senses drew him out of his room to "complete the repair" for me. After he mucked up the soldering job, and I reassembled the speaker, only for it to break moments later, I took it apart again, and fixed it myself. Yes, Dad, all by myself, I tore apart my speaker, (twice!) cleaned and soldered up the connections and put it all back together. And it works. And there are no parts left over. And thanks, Dad.