Restoring old electronics for use

Simon Keller, an entrepreneur, demonstrating the restoration of electronic goods at the Samo Furniture Weekend Event in Kiulap. BT/Faiq Airudin

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - OLD consumer electronics should be restored for use, rather than thrown away as e-waste, an entrepreneur said yesterday.

Simon Keller said electronic goods were less durable nowadays, and restoring older equipment would helpprotect the environment.

“We live in a throwaway culture, and keeping things going is better for the environment,” said the 41-year-old Brit married to a Bruneian.

Keller was speaking to The Brunei Times on the sidelines of a demonstration on restoration of a telephone for Keliz Collectables at the Samo Furniture Weekend Event in Kiulap.

The company buys, sells and repairs vintage electronics, telephony and mechanicals.

“Things are easier with IT, we are all online which is great, but actually some of the equipment isn’t made well,” he said.

He finds the time tinkering with electronics relaxing.

Keller’s interest in electronics started when he was young and spurred a career in IT. He has carved out a career working for organisations such as the BBC and YouView, an online streaming service.

“My timeout is to get dirty with spanners, cotton buds, degreasers and work on the mechanics of stuff. For some people that is the most frustrating thing to do.”

He found things made pre-1970s more solid than how electronics are made currently.

“It is much more tactile using a 40-year-old phone, rather than a cheap plastic phone made in China,” he said, adding they were made from metallic parts and replaced by plastic parts which were easily broken.

Vintage telephones at the Samo Furniture Weekend Event.

During his demonstration, children were fascinated with the push button telephones and simple hand-held electronic games.

“Their world now is sliding, they are all iPod, iPhone or Samsung-centric. They were absolutely fascinated that you could dial numbers with a rotary dial,” he said.

His interest does not only extend to domestic technology, but the restoration of cars.

Keller restored a 1964 Volkswagen to its former glory, taking time to source spare parts from around the world.

In Brunei’s context, he viewed it more as a hoarding culture, rather than a throwaway culture.

“You see the amount of people here who keep their cars, it might be from an emotional point of view, but they are just parked outside, becoming rusty and getting into a worse condition.”

He advised those who want to keep things should maintain them in good conditions, but acknowledged the difficulty in a tropical climate.

Simon also said parents should be wary of children becoming too engrossed in electronics.

“They should be learning to interact in the physical world, the whole world isn’t through a touch pad and I think this is where vintage stuff is useful,” he added.

There are only a few shops that sell restored, second-hand or vintage goods. Samo Furniture in Kiulap sells vintage goods such as furniture, lamps and electronics.

In terms of recycling electronic waste, Daikyo Environment Recycling Sdn Bhd in Jalan Serasa, Muara accepts used consumer goods and sends it to Japan to be reused as parts for other electronic components.

The Brunei Times