Solder-darity forever: how ‘fixit’ clubs are helping Americans save money and make new friends

Community repair clinics around the country are teaching people how to fix their belongings and push back against throwaway culture

On a recent Monday night, a volunteer-run workspace in Brooklyn, New York, bustled with dozens of fixers. Some tinkered with sewing machines while others soldered circuit boards at a workbench. Caleb Young, co-founder of the Brooklyn Spark space, fit a DIY suction device on to the handle of a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

It's in our culture to throw things away, but sometimes the fix is easier than you'd think," Young said.