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Thread: Diy

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Default Diy

    I was wondering, do many folks do their own work anymore? I understand that a person has to know their limitations but it seems in these modern times that people don't do their own work. When I was younger it seemed like folks were DIY motivated, not so much now. I'm thinking I grew up and live in a different world where this still goes on. With the www the world got smaller and I am exposed to regular folk that DIY is not so much. to each their own I reckon
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?


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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I do what I can but what I can is a lot less these days. Most folks around me are do it yourselfers. My sons and daughter are because I taught them to be. I think a lot has to do with income. If you can afford to hire it done then you might unless you just enjoy doing it yourself. When I was coming up I HAD to do it myself.

  3. #3

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    I've always done my own work until my back and hips started going. I hate hate hate asking people to do stuff for me whether I pay them or not. But right now I'm only able to walk short distances and can barely put my socks on... sometimes. I hope and believe that I am fixable and as soon as we get the insurance crooks to reinstate me I'm going under the knife.


    I am so looking forward to working on the house or in the yard in the mornings again. I can't believe I'm saying this but I look forward to mowing my yard again. LOL. Lotsa projects on my To Do list.

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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    I have noticed a resurgence of it on youtube. Young people are discovering it, after their parents having not taught them. However, as a percentage of the population, I would say it is getting smaller.
    I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
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  5. #5

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    I do what I can. Sometimes you don't have the time, energy, knowledge or desire to do some jobs. I justify those jobs with working extra hours to pay for it. Most of the time it's a win-win.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    I know how to do a lot of thing ....have better tools and knowledge......than I ever had.......

    Seems like I have lost my touch and stamina to take on those tasks these days.....
    Went from "I Know how" ....to "I know a guy"
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I realized it was time to change the plan when I finally got the chain saw fired up and had to rest for a while before I could use it!

    I can still take care of the small jobs in the shop or around the place but if it requires crawling under a vehicle, onto a roof, up a tree or involves chain saws, picks and shovels it is now out of my ability range.

    My FIL had it much easier. He moved to Phoenix during the Obama years and all he had to do was drive down to Home Depot and hire an illegal immigrant to do these odd jobs. Here in north Kentucky we do not have a crowd of them standing around in the parking lot waiting for work.

    We don't have anyone looking for work! Everyone is either fully employed, does not want to work, or is a junkie and can not work.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Like I have money to pay someone else?

    Heh, actually the people I live with aren't lazy so I don't do all the work, but we do most of our own work.

    I used to be a workaholic, though, and I'd work myself to death (On my average weekday in Selma, I got 4 hours of sleep a night. I often crashed hard on Saturday.) I'm taking it a lot easier now.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    The other day I went to visit with a kid that works for me. His granddad passed not to long ago and he wanted to show me his home place. Anyhoo the old boy had built two sawmills from scratch, a automatic stair chair so his wife could go in the basement and load the wood stove. He had taken a old power wagon and shortened the back, added hydraulics. Then made a dump trailer that coupled with the power wagon. That was just the tip of the iceberg. It seems like folks don't do much of that these days.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    A friend father made a Doddle bug....That what he called it.....

    Built on a Studebaker 4 X4 truck frame had two transmissions back to back...tractor tires all around and a snow blade....would walk up a tree.

    I used to get Farm Show Magazine ....cool stuff....if you have a built in junk yard and welders......LOL
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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    ahh yes studebaker, best oem springs made LOL That's the story of my life, I've posted our homemade forklift before. Not sure if I posted the homemade tractors my granddad made during ww 2. Couldn't buy a new tractor at that time.

    One of my favorite DIY stories is the time my granddad decided to make neatsfoot oil. He got a bbbiiiggg pot of hooves and such and commenced boiling them, outside of course. No matter, grandmother put the kiebosh to that endeavor. It was a stinky situation.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    So....There was a whole bunch of little "neets" running around on crutches?


    Was working on DIY project today....Water feature, 2 barrels with pump mounted and small submersed pump to circulate.
    Small barrel on the top finally just caved in...fake pump fell over......still running but in the barrel.

    So found a cedar planter barrel on sale....decide to mount the pumps and liner on it. ....
    Was well along....but battery drills kept running down....batteries are old.... 10 years maybe?

    Used to use them everyday...so they were always charged and ready...with new batteries waiting.
    Now not so much...so a project requires planning on charging them....before hand.

    Craftsman-2-- 18 v......dead...won't charge....Can't get new
    Dewalt.....2-- 18 v....do charge but run down fast....$100 buck for a pair...should have new.
    Milwaukee 5--18 v .....all dead also $100 bucks a pair.....Need new

    My progress was being hindered by lack of running tools

    Finished up using DW B&D Versa Pack 14 v...the oldest of all if them.

    Makes my DIY projects a I don't know If I want to mess with it....and do not really want to buy $500 buck worth of batteries.

    I seem to be losing my touch......I use to be better at this stuff....
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  13. #13

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    I think DIY is alive and well . Like everything else itbhas changed some . While we would build a set of cabinets in the garage , fix the car or repair the lawnmower the younger set builds and repairs their on computers , phones and other electronics if their urban . If they are rural well they still brake out the welder and cutting torch around here to make rock crawlers and race cars .

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    I used to do everything myself. I had a guy ask me how much money I thought I had saved by doing all my work and repair myself instead of having it done. I thought for moment and told him I didn't know because I didn't know how much it cost to have something done.

    I took my bottles, torch and welding machine to #1 son's shop and dropped it off for him to use. It's actually easier that way. If I need to use it or need something done, I just get him to do it. He's a better welder than I am anyway.

    Now, It takes me five min to find the dipstick on my 2017 Tundra. On my old Tundra (08) I was looking for the transmission dipstick one day. I couldn't find it. I asked around and found out it didn't have one……. Plus, there is nothing I can do to work on or fix any more. I had a 13 F150 that I gave to #3 son. It was running rough and I went through all the usual things it could have been. Didn't take long because I didn't know want anything was. #1 son came over and said, "Oh, it's probably the relay for the blah blah blah.." huh? Out a new relay in and the problem was solved. I even have my oil changed these days and I give the grease monkey a tip. I have to go find other things to skin my knuckles on. Since I start dubbing Toyotas and their kin, my home repair (or any car repair) has gone way down. When #1 side had Suburbans, I was working on the damn things all the time.

    I still do basic home repairs but additions, remodels, most anything but painting or faucets, I call a contractor.

    I still do minor repairs on small engines (no more overhauls) and once in a while when the mood hits me I will take on a major repair job.

    I mow my own grass.

    I load my own ammo and do my own gun maint and repair. If it involves altering a chamber I have it done.

    I made a knife the other day.

    Alan

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    When I walk around I look at all the stuff I have built and fixed over the years.....and all the tools, and gear.....better stuff than I ever had.


    The cabin was empty when I had it delivered by truck....then did all the plumbing, wiring and carpentry.......3 third complete bathroom and second kitchen....and built all cabinets.
    Built garage and sheds, ...redid the basement twice (flood)....
    Built a custom '54 Chevy, 2 Formula V and built and rebuilt the Karmann Ghia twice....

    Last project was a set of steps at The Place....and 3 trees cut...I just called "My Guys".......
    I have no patience...????
    Grumpy gimpy geezer I guess.....LOL

    Could tell y'alla funny oil change story....
    Last edited by hunter63; 09-14-2017 at 11:17 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    ...

    Could tell y'alla funny oil change story....
    Go ahead, I know lots of "not so funny ones".

    Alan

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Neighbor.....Oil change....."mind you this was a while back"....Hated paying $25 bucks for a oil change.

    Was a union Electrician...and a good one....but anything else ....not a clue nor naturally mechanically inclined.
    Everything he knew was learned from a 6 year apprenticeship.

    Has a older Buick...that he ran back and forth across the state as he was a Boomer electrican...for the big bucks....want to say was about 25 bucks an hour.
    Needed a lot of oil changes...so took his Buick to a "15 min Quickie Change"...they told him...$25 bucks.

    Now he had a problem with a high school kid making $100 buck an hour...15 min X 4 X $25 bucks.....and decided he would get all the stuff and save himself a bunch of money.
    Goes to Farm and Fleet buys drive on ramps, case of oil, a pan, pour spout...grease gun and grease....Maybe $150 buck?

    Next thing I know he is at my back door (2 houses away),... rings the bell with his elbow because his favorite leather jacket is covered with oil and grease....as was his hands.
    Misjudged the direction the oil drained out.....ran about 1/2 all over the driveway.
    Didn't have the correct filter wrench..and wanted a ride back to the store...as he had blocked DW and kids car in...with no filter.

    Got back...away he goes....20 min later he's back....can't get the grease into the zerk fitting (told ya older) with a straight fitting...back to the store for the hose extension.

    Comes back again... to tells me that the 2 fitting on the top, won't take grease.....So lent him my high lift jack to get the weight off.
    Worked on one side.

    So now he wants to know how to force grease into the last fitting....
    Told him, "Well....you can replace the fitting(didn't have any) or buy a hammer grease gun...put on fitting and hit with a hammer"...(didn't one of those either.

    OR
    Take to the Quickie Change and have them shoot it in with 150 psi of pressure.
    So he backs off the ramps in his oily jacket, pants shirt all over the front seat....but hadn't put in the oil...light came on....WTH?

    Shut it off...refilled with oil.....and ask if I would go with him to the Change place.....I had been hanging out since the high lift jack...drinking his beer and "supervisin'"....was about 3:00 PM...had been working on it all day.....

    Pulled into the $25 buck oil and grease change place....they shot a squirt in the fitting (was a pita to get to)....and he went in to pay.........


    Guess What?.....Was $25 bucks...lift charge and being PITA when he told them I wasn't gonna pay for the oil change to start with....Bhohahaha

    That was the last time he ever change anything on any of his cars...I bought his ramps at his yard sale 10 years later...
    Still have them

    Know yous limitations, pay the man when necessary...May cost More....but is a much better deal.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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  18. #18
    Senior Member Graf's Avatar
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    I do a lot of my own work because I've noticed such a lack of pride and shortcuts many times when you hire someone.
    Semper Paratus

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    And that, my friends, is an honest truth! There are those that will do the work but do not want to sign their name to it. Pretty sad.

  20. #20
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    And that, my friends, is an honest truth! There are those that will do the work but do not want to sign their name to it. Pretty sad.
    Agreed......100%

    That's why you try to find "That Guy".....that won't screw you over.
    Still grates on you to know you know how, have done whatever, ...have the tools...but just can't do it any more.

    And I still have to watch and restrain myself from "helping" when they are doing something.....LOL
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

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