Cheap Bstrd Thread

[Elektrishun]

Not sure I get the theme of this thread. Isn't this our SOP ? Isn't this why we spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on tools ?

Janger is simply creating a platform to network ideas for developing potential cost savings tactics which he can then actualize into concrete strategies in order to broaden his shop equipment purchase acquisition portfolio.

For example, telling your wife that you know women who would kill to have grey hair like hers. Then calculate how much you will save on hair coloring product = a new set of quality cobalt drill bits.

 

[Susquatch]

telling your wife that you know women who would kill to have grey hair like hers.

This is bad advice. My wife never has grey hair. Mentioning that I noticed some regardless of the positive spin only means that I will die in my sleep later that night.

 

[kevin.decelles]

You could just use no bag at all and then dump the bin into your garbage can. So I tried that, and the garbage trucker actually stopped and got out of his truck to chide me and let me know this is not allowed as it poofs dirt/sawdust all over his truck and the alley when they lift and empty the bin!

What a joke! The company I lease my dumpster said to 'use your head'. When I asked for clarification, he said...... don't dump used motor oil or gut a deer/moose in there.

Dust is a given! Not to mention garbage can after garbage can of swarf that I dump straight in. Bags are a commodity!

 

[Elektrishun]

This is bad advice. My wife never has grey hair. Mentioning that I noticed some regardless of the positive spin only means that I will die in my sleep later that night.

This is why we network. Run some ideas up the flag pole and see if they wave.

How about suggesting to her, "Gee honey, I wonder how many times you can reuse that ethically sourced tea bag containing hand-picked leaves from Sri Lanka you bought at the Farmer's Market for 10 times what a box of Earl Grey off the shelf at No-Frills would cost? Probably not many, eh?" Classic psychological tactic, now she has to prove you wrong and you can turn that tea money into tungsten carbide tips for your scriber tool.

 

[FatherWes]

Not sure I get the theme of this thread. Isn't this our SOP ? Isn't this why we spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on tools ?

Actually, I think you nailed it. I suspect most of us have spent thousands on tools and then proceed to spend hours and hours to repair broken stuff that we could just replace with brand new for a few bucks.
But where’s the satisfaction in that??
If we can cheap out and re-use discarded soup cans as shim stock. It’s just so much sweeter.

 

[Gippeto]

Dad was the farm "mechanic" early in life, an aviation mechanic and then back to farmer, repair guy and general all around "if it's broken he can fix it guy"...I like to think I was a reasonable student. A 3d printer is the "go to" for fixes on the cheap. The carb bowl gaskets for my VTR were $30 and a two week wait, printed out of 95D TPU for pennies...this is their fourth year of trouble free service. $5 generator at a yard sale...TPU gaskets for the carb bowl, carb to manifold gasket, fuel cap gasket and new air box gaskets...pennies. Didn't have a plug to match the 12V outlet on it, so printed a socket to accept Anderson Power Poles. Now it's a functional battery charger. No way I could count all the little projects for the wife that ended up with a 3d printed solution. 1969 boler trailer came with stamped stainless hinges that were worn out after 50yrs. Borrowed a set of the cast version and duplicated them. $130 ish +shipping to buy Scamp hinges, a melted piston to make new ones. Linear actuator broke? Good as new with a few dollars worth of on hand material.

 

[jorogi]

Janger is simply creating a platform to network ideas for developing potential cost savings tactics which he can then actualize into concrete strategies in order to broaden his shop equipment purchase acquisition portfolio.

For example, telling your wife that you know women who would kill to have grey hair like hers. Then calculate how much you will save on hair coloring product = a new set of quality cobalt drill bits.

Danged cunning bastard, what ?

 

[Elektrishun]

Actually, I think you nailed it. I suspect most of us have spent thousands on tools and then proceed to spend hours and hours to repair broken stuff that we could just replace with brand new for a few bucks.
But where’s the satisfaction in that??
If we can cheap out and re-use discarded soup cans as shim stock. It’s just so much sweeter.

Not only that but every time you attempt to fix something it's a opportunity to learn something new.

As well, some of the things we fix are better quality than the newer replacement.

Just recently I repaired the water tank for my wife's 10 year-old carpet cleaning machine. The adhesive at the seam of the water tank had softened over time and water was slowly leaking out. I found a slow setting 2 part waterproof epoxy and then began the process of separating the tank along the seam and removing the old adhesive. In the meantime, my wife decided to try a new machine and bought the best model in the store. After trying it she claimed it didn't pick-up the water as well as her old machine. Once the tank repair was complete and adhesive fully cured her old carpet cleaner was back in business. Saved almost $600.00 and had a better performing machine.

 

[trevj]

Awright... Lets talk vehicle mileage...

Any y'all got more than two vehicles that you had over 750,000 Km's on? That's my record to date.

Had a 1986 Mazda B-2000 truck, had over 750k Kms on it when I gave it away. I still remember all the 'organ donor' models to look for in the U-pick wrecking yards... B-2000, B-2200, Mazda 606 and Turbo 626, as well as late 1990's Kia Sportage engines... At 10 bucks each at the wreckers, I ALWAYS had a spare starter and alternator behind the seat.

And, a 1992 VW Jetta, that cost me 220 dollars to buy, that I put another half million Kms on, before I gave that away too... 790,000 range, for that one. Just did not want to spend the time needed, on the cold floor of my garage, to change out the fried clutch.... The dude I gave it to (along with a spare engine and transmission) had it on the road the next week.

Life is cheap, when all you have to pay out, is consumables!

 

[slow-poke]

This is bad advice. My wife never has grey hair. Mentioning that I noticed some regardless of the positive spin only means that I will die in my sleep later that night.

And even if she is not the murderous type, the cost of divorce lawyers.... that's going to put a serious dent in the machine purchase budget.

 

[Upnorth]

Awright... Lets talk vehicle mileage...

Any y'all got more than two vehicles that you had over 750,000 Km's on? That's my record to date.

Had a 1986 Mazda B-2000 truck, had over 750k Kms on it when I gave it away. I still remember all the 'organ donor' models to look for in the U-pick wrecking yards... B-2000, B-2200, Mazda 606 and Turbo 626, as well as late 1990's Kia Sportage engines... At 10 bucks each at the wreckers, I ALWAYS had a spare starter and alternator behind the seat.

And, a 1992 VW Jetta, that cost me 220 dollars to buy, that I put another half million Kms on, before I gave that away too... 790,000 range, for that one. Just did not want to spend the time needed, on the cold floor of my garage, to change out the fried clutch.... The dude I gave it to (along with a spare engine and transmission) had it on the road the next week.

Life is cheap, when all you have to pay out, is consumables!

When I hear about people getting mileage like this I always think they must live out on the prairies. Where I live in Nova Scotia we get salt on our vehicles 12 months a year. I live 7 km from the ocean but I still get salt on my house windows during certain windy conditions. My 2009 Tacoma has a bit over 300k on it but is showing signs that it's going to be very expensive to maintain a few year.

 

[MrWhoopee]

ah.. no. see this is the clever bit. put the motor intake part right in the bag, not on the other side of the bag which is of course the usual way. The disposable bag filters the air more than this approach. I do have a filter thing on the intake so it's not horrible. maybe it will need more maintenance to clean out the intake filter more frequently. You could just use no bag at all and then dump the bin into your garbage can. So I tried that, and the garbage trucker actually stopped and got out of his truck to chide me and let me know this is not allowed as it poofs dirt/sawdust all over his truck and the alley when they lift and empty the bin! He didn't see me that week, he actually remembered and stopped the next week when I was out in the alley. tsk tsk John behave better.

Something I fortunately learned before I got my own machines, was to bag the chips. They end up everywhere (i.e. tires, bare feet) once they get loose in the garbage can.

Back on topic, I bought a full set of 1/2" shank carbide round-over router bits for less than the price of one HSS radius cutter.
For bonus points, if necessary they can be sharpened by the local saw shop.

I'm sure there's more, I'm a cheap economy minded SOB.