Mend, Don’t Spend!
Bring It to the Sector67 Repair Café on November 29th
Co-sponsored by Sector67 and the Madison Tool Library at Madison Hackerspace Sector67
Don’t throw it away! Sector67, Madison’s community hackerspace, is hosting its second Repair Café on Sunday, November 29th from noon to 4pm, and we want you to bring your broken things, things you might want to gift someone this holiday season. Whether it’s a lamp that stopped working, a zipper in need of zipping, a beloved small appliance on the fritz, or that pesky umbrella the wind grabbed and mangled! No appoinment needed.
What sets the Sector67 Repair Café apart is the breadth of things we can fix. In addition to the community-repair staples like electronics, furniture, clothing, and small appliances, we’ll be offering fixes for broken zippers! And we have Sector67’s full workshop that enables repairs not typically offered elsewhere such as welding, and even replacement part fabrication.
More event details and answers to frequently asked questions are below.
When and where will this event take place? The Repair Cafe will be held on Sunday November 29th, 2026 at Sector67 (56 Corry St. Madison, WI 53704) from noon to 4:00 p.m..
What is the purpose of a Repair Cafe? A repair cafe is a public event where volunteers work with people who bring in broken items to try to diagnose and repair the items. They offer an alternative to throw-away culture and promote sustainability, waste reduction, and community building through sharing repair skills.
Is the event free? Yes! There is no cost to participate.
I want to volunteer. How can I get involved? This is a volunteer-run event, so any help is appreciated. Please fill out our volunteer form at https://forms.gle/PcV1QqE9FsSZKk1C8.
I want to learn how to fix things. How can I do that? Fill out our volunteer form at https://forms.gle/PcV1QqE9FsSZKk1C8 and we’ll set you up with a mentor to work with during the event.
Can I attempt to repair my item on my own? Yes, attendees are welcome to do their own repairs on their own items while enjoying the atmosphere of the event and using tools/supplies that are available.
Can I attend if I don’t have an item to be repaired? Yes! This event is open to all community members to learn & connect.
Can you guarantee my item will be fixed? Unfortunately, no. While our volunteer repairers will do their best, not every item can be repaired. Sometimes the problem is too difficult to track down, damage is too severe, or parts are unavailable.
What if a repairer determines my item cannot be repaired during the event? Some items may be beyond the scope of this event in terms of timeframe, complexity, available supplies/tools, skill sets, etc. You can take the item home or Sector67 will work to recycle the item.
Who is responsible if something goes wrong? All repairs are at your own risk. Volunteer repairers offer guidance and help, but neither they nor Sector67 can accept liability for items that are damaged during the process.
Can I drop my item off for repair and pick it up later? No. This event is participatory, and attendees must remain at the event with their items – volunteer repairers will repair items with you, not for you.
What to Bring
What types of items can I bring? Items such as small appliances (toasters, lamps, coffee makers), electronics (radios, laptops), clothing, small furniture, bicycles, toys, etc. that are in need of repair and that you are able to transport to the event are welcome. Please keep in mind the scope of the event and the intention to help as many as attendees repair items as possible. Consider bringing items that need small repairs rather than items that are severely damaged (ie. resurfacing a table, assembling a bicycle from parts, or reupholstering a couch are repairs beyond the scope of this event).
Is there anything I shouldn’t bring? While we can’t guarantee that every item can be repaired, within reason if you can bring it here we are game to try and fix it.
How many items can I bring? Attendees can bring up to two items to be repaired.
Do I need to bring parts for the repair? If you know what’s broken and can bring the replacement part (e.g. a button, cable, fuse, battery, etc.), please do! It increases the chances of a successful repair.
I have a question not listed in the FAQs. Whom should I contact? For all other questions and inquiries, please reach out to Scott Hasse, volunteer Sector67 repair cafe coordinator, at [email protected].