Man vs. Dryer

I totally expected to have a blog out yesterday but things have picked up at work. I have employees to train and preparations to make for our students to come back. I have been so busy as of late that I have not even thought about this blog, which is bad! I am really aiming to get at least three posts a week. I am also not going to write about love today! Amazing! It probably wont last long.

I know that in the beginning of the year I was posting everyday. I am at the point that I would prefer quality over quantity. As a matter of fact, I am barely able to finish this blog due phone calls, texts, and me finally fixing this damn dryer...

So a few months ago, before my trip to Miami. My dryer broke, with my clothes in it. So imagine my surprise as to what they smelled like in the morning. So, since then I have been dragging my feet to fix this thing I figured the washer still worked, I could wash them and then go to the laundromat to dry them.

So, there had to be a reason why it broke. The motor does turn on but the drum does not spin. That usually means the belt is broken. Even as a kid, I have always had a knack for fixing this. As, a matter of fact, I used to break stuff, just so I could put it back together. But, I felt that a dryer is a complex machine and since I paid for it, I do not want to mess it up further. I begin to search the Internet for the answer.

Once I started, I found a site that gave me detailed instructions on how to fix this thing. I had to open up this bad boy. All dryers seem to have a sequence of strategically place bolts on the outside and screws inside (i.e. the lint trap). So, I go into my handy tool bag and pull out a socket wrench with all the different sized sockets. I figured, I am good, I will just take out the bolts and see what I have to do. I get the first 2 bolts off and I move to the back of the dyer. I go for the next few and the bolt is too big. No problem...I just get another size socket. That doesn't fit either. Come to find out that none of them do.

This delay of course stops me from getting back to this project. Come to find out that my socket wrench and all the sockets are measured via the metric system. Who knew? The bolts on this American Made, Kenmore, dryer is obviously measured using the standard measuring system. Which means that I have to buy another set of sockets. Which I eventually do. I open up the back and for some reason I cannot remember I stop and just leave the dryer not working for awhile.

So, weeks later, I come across a video on YouTube on how to fix a dyer. I knew it was the belt, but I wasn't sure how to get to it. I watch the video and my jaw drops and not because of the sure ease of how to replace and install the belt, but because I opened the wrong side of the dryer! I was none too happy about that. But, I figured the belt would cost be some loot as well, which was another reason for the delay. I end up going to Lowes this past weekend and come to find out belt was $4. I wanted to slap myself.

So yesterday, I decide that I am going to install this dryer belt. I take apart the front part of the dryer (so now it is completely taken apart now) and prepare to install. I take out the broken belt that snapped in two and then I look at bottom of the dryer and there is money! So much change that I could actually do...laundry (whomp!). I must have found close to $3 in change and a button. I put the belt in and all I need to do is put the damn dryer back to together.

Putting this thing back together took longer than installing the damn belt. But, I did it and plug it in and it works! I mean, I will just ignore that it spins funny, but fuck it. I go to wash my hands and it turns out I sliced my finger on the left hand. No big deal, just a flesh wound. A mark of a job well done. Josie commences washing sheets. Puts them in the dryer and...that shit doesn't work. I roll my eyes because I know exactly what I did wrong.

Wet sheets go back into the washer. I open this thing up again. I put the belt on wrong. I had to invert it, which means...flip it over so that it can grip the motor. Ok! So I attempt to put the dryer back together. This time it would not cooperate. What I found out the hard way is that the front part of the dyer has sharp edges...which means I end up slicing my right hand...lol. After the injury delay, I finally manage to put the front part of the dryer back together.

So for now, it works and I have given enough blood to satisfy any Aztec God...lol