Have you ever broken an expensive piece of electronic equipment?

If so, remember, fragile things break. The best thing of course is to be careful with them in the first place. But accidents do happen.

While computer manufacturers attempt to create more resilient hardware, drops and accidents result in dents, dings and broken screens.

If you are even marginally electronically inclined, you may be able to repair these expensive items yourself.

The first step is to do a bit of research on your make and model of device. There is nothing worse than paying for a part that does not fit, forcing you to attempt to return the wrong part before locating the right one.

Once the correct part is identified, try to find it for sale at the best price via an online auction site.

If you are in a hurry these sites may offer a “buy it now” option, allowing you to skip the long process of bidding.

Once it arrives, you now have the task of figuring out how to disassemble your very expensive and (again) fragile piece of hardware.

The key here is to take it slow, and do plenty of research. The Internet offers tutorials about almost everything. You may get lucky and find a video tutorial. If the broken device is your only access to the Internet remember you can perhaps visit a friend or your local library where computers are available and the Internet is free.

You may want to print out the instructions. Keep in mind libraries have to charge for printing.

Keep your research handy. It is best to refer to the instructions often.

Remember to take it slow when disassembling any electronic device. Electrical connections are frail, and breaking one can lead to an even more costly repair.

Of course if the repair is beyond your skill level, take your broken device to a specialist to ensure it is repaired correctly.