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.

 

[KeeponDragon]

1st point of my CB'ing....
I have a very, very old Craftsman shopvac. It has to be at least 80's vintage. It's red if that means anything.
The original filters long gone, and the unit is so old, nothing on the market fits. So I took 2 of those yellow, microfiber clothes for cleaning (the 10 pack from Costco just keeps giving) wrapped them around the filter stump cage and cranked 6 zip ties to lock em' down. I used 2 so I'd have layers, for better filtration
Now I can use this antique to remove junk off the floor, and even wet stuff at that. Sure the clothes will get wet, but so what? I just pop the top off, flip it up side in the sun for half n hour n they're dry again.
So to sum up the investment...The bag of costco clothes was 4 or 5 bucks about 5 years ago. The zip ties I liberate from work, and they only cost the shop about 4-10 cents a piece depending on width n length...so zero. When I get them wet, the power of our solar systems star does the work to dry them for free.

2nd exercise in CB'ing...
I collect the all the spent drill bits my mechanics toss on the floor. These guys are entitled AF.
"Why would I spend a min to sharpen one, when I can pull a fresh one from the Wurth cabinet?"
I take them home, and sharpen them myself. I believe they're made for Wurth by Norseman.
They look identical. The cut the same. And they're free to me.

3rd times a charm...
I will rebuild almost anything I can get a kit for. The front calipers for my Gen 1 Tundra, are priced from 115$ to 245$ depending on reman supplier. And that's my wholesale discount. Suggested List is as high as $488...
The seal kits are under 50 bucks for the both sides, again, @ wholesale. I can have them off, cleaned, apart, and back together in a couple of hours...If I don't bother to paint them.

last but not least...
My free to me Yamaha 2wd ATV...I got it out of a fella's backyard, with 3 flat tires, a spare frame n front plastic, and 3 extra parts engines. It had sat, up to the belly pan in mud for almost a decade.
I took one engine apart to see how it went together, then took the one in the bike apart with the knowledge I'd gained from the parts unit. I used the parts unit as a donor, to repair the bike. The timing chain was stretched really bad.
I also reconditioned the rear axle shaft with some Devcon Titanium putty (again, donated by work) turned it down on my old 9x20 and put new bearings n seals in. I have had to make a few online purchases to get it up to snuff to ride though...but even still, I'm into this machine for less than 500 bucks. PLUS, I've learned a bunch about ATV's that I didn't know. And that is priceless in itself. Knowledge is power.