In the indie or DIY world, learning how to fix something yourself can save a lot of money. Certainly, there are cases where an item might be better off with a professional -- like the internal electronics of your camera -- but there are are plenty of fixes anyone can make with a little knowledge. John Hess of FilmmakerIQ (also a frequenter of this site) guides us through the steps of soldering on new XLR heads. This is great not only if you break a cable, but if you want to make a new one.

Practical knowledge like this is important if you want to want to save money. It's also important, however, to learn the right way to do something so that you don't hurt yourself or anyone else in the process. Electrical currents and massive amounts of heat (in the case of a soldering iron) usually present an inherent danger, so if you don't understand what you're doing, take the time to familiarize yourself with the process and talk to someone who actually does know what they're doing. Knowing how to fix an XLR cable could be an invaluable skill in the field, but most importantly, you will feel better knowing that you don't have to rely on someone else -- an embodiment of the DIY spirit.

[via FilmmakerIQ]

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