Funny you should mention contactors.

Back in the electromechanical days of telephone exchangess there were thousands of relays used in the switching systems. The cleaning and adjustment of relays (which in some cases could have a dozen or so contact sets) was a regular maintenance item. The old Post Office relays were also designed in such a way that one could easily add, change, or remove contacts to build up the required unit.

Just look at the cheap domestic VCR that can now be picked up in the likes of Asda for £34.99. Cheap and nasty doesn't even begin to describe them in my mind. The mechanisms are thrown together using the cheapest possible plastic gears and levers, then after a year or so of constant use they're starting to wear out. Getting the unit back to full specification would involve rebuilding most of the deck.

Not that that really matters, because nobody is going to pay even £20 for a repair when they can go buy a new one with a warranty for £35. [Linked Image]