Rescue Your Stuff
We’ve scoured Honolulu for the quickest, easiest and most reliable repair ideas. If you don’t need this now, count your blessings and bookmark this story for future use—sooner or later, you’ll have to fix your stuff.
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Problem:
The dog mistook Grandma’s Hawaiian quilt for a chew toy.
Solution: Who do local institutions like the Bishop Museum rely on to repair their antique quilts? Textile conservator Linda Hee. With a master’s in art conservation, she applies her knowledge of both chemistry and art history to each case, from standard cleanings (for which she uses a special wash tank that allows the quilt to remain flat and undisturbed while removing soil and stains) to repairing tears and frayed edges. Hee’s recommendations can vary, depending on whether clients plan to display the quilt, use it on a daily basis or just need it to look good for a special occasion. “Everything I do is reversible, so it can be removed if, in the future, a better method is developed.” Hee’s services start at $400. To get in touch with her, contact the Bishop Museum or the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
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Problem:
While you were shopping for groceries, someone kindly swung his car door right into yours.
Solution: Jerry Rabago, owner of Dent Doctors Hawaii, sees this minor type of dent all day long. For around $75, Dent Doctors can have your car looking like new again using the “artistic” technique of paintless dent removal. Using special tools, the docs “sculpt and massage” dents away by hand from the inside of the car out. No repainting or replacing of parts necessary.
 Photo by David Croxford “Customers tell us it’s a miracle,” says Dent Doctors owner Jerry Rabago. |
The one-day service is also popular with car dealerships, such as BMW, who deal with bumped and bruised new cars coming off the boat. For dents or collisions of a more serious nature, the company also offers full service body and paint repair. 1372 Colburn St., 841-3368, or www.dentdoctorshawaii.com.
Problem:
Your garbage disposal unit won’t work.
Solution: We’re about to save you $100, because this is the first thing a plumber will do if you call one. You can manually clear a jammed GDU with a ¼-inch (or a 6 mm) Allen wrench. In fact, there’s probably one in the kitchen cabinet right now, lurking under some unused sponges, since one came with your GDU when it was installed. Insert the wrench into a socket at the bottom center of the GDU, then crank the thing around. You’ll feel and hear the blades grinding up the clog. When the wrench goes around smoothly, you’re good to go. Hit the reset button, run some water and turn on the garbage disposal. If it still doesn’t work, now you can call that expensive plumber.
Problem:
Car’s out of oil.
Solution: So you’ll come to the apartment and change the oil in the car? “Yes, ma’am!” says Mobile Lubers owner Paul Sailor, a former Marine Corps helicopter mechanic and crew chief. Mobile Lubers often works with fleets of business vehicles, but also handles requests from ordinary car owners, and covers all of Oahu. “We don’t need much space and can work in parking garages and parking lots,” says Sailor. A basic service ($55) takes about 35 minutes, and includes the oil change, tire inflation and topping off of fluids, before the technician takes away the old fluids and filters. The company will also track when it’s time for your next oil change and notify you. So next time that little light won’t be flashing. 554-2567, or www.mobilelubers.com.
Photo by David Croxford
Problem:
You let that bunker get the best of you, and you took it out on your brand-new sand wedge.
Solution: For more than 30 years, Tom Fukuzono has been repairing broken golf club shafts, in addition to smaller fixes, like replacing worn or ill-fitting grips.
“I ask customers a lot of questions, so I can fit the shaft to their swing,” Fukuzono says. “I ask about the ball’s movement and what they want it to do.” Having trouble controlling the ball? Is your trajectory too low? Or too high? Fukuzono can make recommendations that’ll change the way you play the game. Pro-Am Golf Shop, 1159 Kapiolani Blvd., 596-2911.
Problem:
You sat on your son’s ukulele.
Solution: Nathan Ching of Guitar Smith has seen and fixed it all—dinged-up ukulele, guitar bridges that have come unglued, even a vintage Martin K5 ukulele that needed a complete restoration. Since 1992, the former carpenter has channeled his love of woodworking and music into repairing and building stringed instruments. But you don’t have to wait till something goes wrong to pay Ching a visit. “Almost any guitar or ukulele could be improved in its playability,” he says. “When it’s brand new, it might sound good, but it’s not set up for the particular person. It’s like tuning a car so it runs well.” 1265 Kuuna St., Kailua, 263-2358.
Problem:
The treadmill isn’t in the mood for a workout.
Solution: Heavy Metal Barbell in Kaimuki. The local company is a licensed dealer for Life Fitness equipment, but it will troubleshoot any brand of machine—even if you didn’t buy it there. While cheap elliptical trainers may be beyond repair, higher-end machines usually have interchangeable parts that can be easily swapped out to get you and your treadmill running in no time. Heavy Metal Barbell makes house calls; troubleshooting starts at $50. 449 Waialae Ave., 734-1267.
Problem:
Your board had a run-in with the reef.
Solution: “We fix anything,” says Ding King Neriya Birman. “Anything!” With locations in town as well as Kailua and free North Shore pick up and delivery, The Ding King Surfboard Repair is here to serve clumsy or unfortunate surfers all around Oahu. From minor dings to broken boards, it can have you back in the lineup within a few days for most repairs. You can even rent a replacement board for as little as $5 while they repair yours. Estimates are free. 545 Kamani St., 596-2324.
Problem:
No time to get to your to-do list.
Solution: You need a good, old-fashioned handyman, such as Denis Shigemura. “I started as a regular carpenter on job sites, but when the jobs got slow, I went out on my own,” says Shigemura. “I’ve been busy ever since.” Most often, homeowners and property managers call on Shigemura to repair termite damage, remodel kitchens and bathrooms or install or repair windows. “I do just about everything, add electrical outlets, fix leaky pipes, reroute plumping, lay down ceramic tile and wood flooring.” He works by the hour, with a four-hour minimum. Rates vary from $20 to $75 an hour and up, depending on the complexity of the job. Custom Carpentry and Repair, 282-6090.
Photo by Sergio Goes
The wheel deal, Benjamin Takayesu helps bikes get back in gear. Problem:
That ecofriendly bike has a flat tire.
Solution: Just down the road from McCully Bicycle and Sporting Goods is its warehouse. When we ask for directions, the woman on the phone tells us we can’t miss it: “You’ll see a bunch of guys fixing bikes.” Those guys, three full-time and several part-time mechanics, will tune up any kind of bike, including triathlon bikes, racing bikes, beach cruisers and mountain bikes. A simple tune-up of the breaks, shifting and bottom brackets will set you back around $20. Walk-ins—or ride-ins—are welcome. 932 Hausten St., 946-1192.
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Problem:
Your piano’s sound is way off-key.
Solution: For more than 20 years, Yoshi Nishimura has not only serviced the instruments of concert pianists performing with the Honolulu Symphony, he’s traveled the world to cater to such classical music stars as Vladimir Ashkenazy. Nishimura studied at the Yamaha Corp.’s Piano Factory Apprenticeship Program in Japan, the world’s leading piano technician school, before opening his shop, Mozart House, in ‘Iwilei in 1976. “They do everything from A to Z,” says local producer and pianist Pierre Grill. “This is not a ‘fix it’ business, it is a total devotion and an art.” 720 Iwilei Road, Suite 324 , 537-3441.
 Photo by David Croxford Fixing furniture is a family affair for Trent Toma (left) and his uncle, Francis Furusho.
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Problem:
Your couch collapsed under you. We’re not asking how.
Solution: “If they want their furniture repaired, we’ll somehow repair it—we can take care of anything,” says Trent Toma, president of Gilbert’s Furniture & Piano Refinishing, which handles minor fixes, such as broken legs, as well as restorations. Toma represents the third generation of includes his grandfather, Gilbert Furusho, and uncle, Francis, who still helps out with repairs. “People want to restore antique furniture, rather than buying new because of the quality of the workmanship,” Toma says. “Recently, we saved a pair of Queen Anne loveseats that were very termite-damaged—they were almost completely hollow. We were able to redo them by using new materials.” 1632 Silva St., 841-5207.
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Problem:
The fridge isn’t running; meanwhile, your washing machine looks like it’s walking away.
Solution: Although Ace Appliance Service has been around for nearly 30 years, the family-run business stays on top of modern-day demands, says general manager Daniel Moa. It services most major appliance brands and is factory-authorized to repair such high-end lines as Sub-Zero, Viking, Fisher and Paykel, and Thermador. The company also schedules weekend appointments, which can be booked through its Web site, and provides emergency service 24 hours a day. “Our technicians go through about nine training classes annually,” Moa says. “Appliances change every year—most appliances run by a computer circuit board, which requires a lot of troubleshooting—so it’s important that technicians keep up.” Service from Kapolei to Queen’s Gate in Hawaii Kai and on the Windward side, between Lanikai and Temple Valley. Honolulu, 737-2346; Leeward, 483-1444; Windward: 233-1444; www.aceappliance.net.
 Photo by Sergio Goes Searching for an obscure watch part? Rick Alhadeff has collected a large inventory of new old stock (n.o.s.) watch parts and crystals over the years. |
Problem:
It took a licking, and now the watch isn’t ticking.
Solution: Modern watch batteries often die and simply need to be replaced. Antique and vintage watches, on the other hand, need a little more finesse. Rick Alhadeff, of Watch & Clock Service & Repair in Hawaii Kai, specializes in such service. “The oil in mechanical spring watches, for example, can get old,” Alhadeff explains. “The lubrication commonly dries up and congeals.” The watch needs to be taken apart, cleaned and re-oiled. Other times, age or shock damage can takes their toll on a vintage piece. Whatever the case, Alhadeff’s love of antiques makes him eager to tackle any of your timepiece troubles. 6650 Hawaii Kai Drive, Suite 109, 395-8834.
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Problem:
Your tree is towering over your house—and hurricane season is coming up.
Solution: Rest easy, says Abner Undan, president of Trees of Hawaii. “People perceive that a tall tree is a dangerous tree. They see a 40-foot tree and want us to reduce the size, but actually, a tall tree has its own architecture and structure, and reducing the size can make it less sound. Our job is to fix tree problems, not create them.” When pruning is called for, Undan’s staff of arborists will remove deadwood and trim branches, to keep them away from power lines and roofs. Treatment for an average size tree is about $500 to $600 per tree, but you only need it every other year or so. “Excessive pruning can cause excessive growth,” Undan notes. 682-5771.
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Problem:
Auntie’s beloved jade bracelet is cracked in half.
Solution: Jade doesn’t break often, but when it does, don’t worry. Most breaks—both clean and jagged—are relatively easy to fix as long as you don’t expect your repaired jewelry to look exactly the same as before. Pacific Jade House repairs all kinds of jade jewelry on a case-by-case basis with the use of gold sleeves, mountings or even carvings, depending on the break. 1078 Alakea St., 536-3227.
 Photo by Sergio Goes Vacuum cleaner legend Norman Schneider with a vacuum from 1911. |
Problem:
The vacuum’s lost suction.
Solution: Does your vacuum crisis sound like a Dyson commercial? Blame the filter. “Filters in bagless vacuums often get clogged,” says Barry Schneider. Eventually the dirt and dust can get into the fans and motors and wreak havoc on your machine by decreasing all-important airflow and its ultimate efficiency. Schneider, son of Vacuum Cleaner Center founder Norman Schneider, has pretty much seen it all. The center has been selling, servicing and repairing vacuums since 1953. Most people probably don’t realize they need to service their vacuum from time to time. Is your vacuum hard to push? You might want to try having the rubber belt cleaned out or changed once a year. The center carries a stock of hard-to-find parts and supplies, and is a warranty station for several popular brands, including Eureka and Bissel. 1116 S. King St. 593-2530.
