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Thread: DIY cheaper?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Holger's Avatar
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    DIY cheaper?

    I have a question for you DIY'ers. I love to make a lot of things myself, from furniture to leather goods. But when it comes to outdoor gear I am not sure.
    I was looking for the materials to make my own zliner for my Clark.
    I am no Threadinjector guru by any means, not to say I have no clue at all, but I was perpared to give it a go to safe some money and for the personal satisfaction when it's done and you know you've done it by yourself.
    Now- I was chasing up the materials, like and high qualety insulation (Primaloft Sport 200g) and suitable nylon(Ripstop-Nylon, downproof, ultralight, 10den, 26g/sqm). Here:
    http://www.extremtextil.de/index_en.html
    and maybe here:
    http://www.diygearsupply.com/cgi-bin/isle.cgi?type=all
    After adding all the materials ( incl. all the small things like velco and shock cord) and added the oversea shipping costs (couldn't find a Australian supplier) I was $58 cheaper than getting the original zliner shipped to my door. Seeing that I am such a sewing noob and had to borrow a Threadinjector (possibly with the helping hands of my friend still attached to it, which would cost another carton of beer) I went ahead and bought the real zliner, that way I knew the sowing is well done, and it will fit perfectly.
    So is it really worth doing things like TQ, UQ and so on yourself? Small things like organizers or peak bags ok, but big things?
    Same is true for a Cuben Tarp (which I devinitely can make myself by glueing, not sewing), after pricing all the things needed, there's not that much left to a bought HG one. (and you know that it is done well, and you know you won't make a wrong cut and ruin it all).

    So- is it worth it from a finacial point of view?
    Last edited by Holger; 01-26-2012 at 21:49.
    yakass.net

  2. #2
    Senior Member streamline's Avatar
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    I don't have an exact price but I figured up all the materials to create a full length UQ that will be good down to 20 and it came out right below $100. Yep it can be cheaper.
    Now that is if you don't count your time, which I don't since I would be vegging in front of the tv otherwise.
    Plus it annoys the crap out of the wife when I take over the dining room for days on end, that is worth every penny in it self.

  3. #3
    Senior Member bloomgorge's Avatar
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    gotta look at time vs. money. if i was in australia and looking at a $58 delta i'd probably just buy it because i could spend 6-8hrs making a tq or uq. there is something send though for making your own gear, if you've done your research and know you want to make minor tweaks to a design to improve your outdoor experience then yeah, the $58 is worth it.
    being state side, one can usually save anywhere between $75 - $150 depending on which quilt you make and where you get your materials.

    scott at diygearsupply is great to work with
    http://smartoutdoors.webs.com/ elephant trunks, tarp keys and crosses

  4. #4
    Senior Member USMCStang's Avatar
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    You have some extra variables that we here in the states don't have, namely, international shipping rates. You also don't have your own thread injector, as stated. Some DIY items have a much higher "break even" percentage than others.

    Take a simple stuff sack, for example. I can buy a stuff sack for $5 here, or I can make 5 of them for $1 worth of materials. Percentage wise, that's a huge difference.

    I just made a full length winter UQ with 16oz. of 900 fill power down. I went through DIYGearSupply for most of the materials. It cost me about $150 to make after all was said and done. To buy a HammockGear incubator in the equivalent fill power would is $264. Not as big of a percentage difference, but in raw dollars, that would pay for a low range thread injector.

    Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form comparing the construction quality of my simple "bag-o-down" UQ to one of Stormcrow's masterpieces. They are truly works of art, and the sheer amount of "unseen innovation" that he puts into them is amazing.

    My thread injector was free (hand-me-down from my mother), so I can't rightly add that to my costs.

    Point being, if you're planning on purchasing a lot of different types of gear, then perhaps buying and learning to use your own thread injector instead will be cheaper (and more fun) if you can source the materials down under. If you only need one or two things, perhaps purchasing them commercially would be more cost effective (and less fun).

    TL;DR: Yes, it is worth it from a financial point of view to make your own gear. Only you can judge if it is worth the time.
    Mike, Backcountry Mentor
    https://backcountrymentor.com
    Check me out on YouTube!
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuhqpe2xIWBXRVtpB5dxAJA

  5. #5
    Senior Member JPsax's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by USMCStang View Post
    You have some extra variables that we here in the states don't have, namely, international shipping rates. You also don't have your own thread injector, as stated. Some DIY items have a much higher "break even" percentage than others.

    Take a simple stuff sack, for example. I can buy a stuff sack for $5 here, or I can make 5 of them for $1 worth of materials. Percentage wise, that's a huge difference.

    I just made a full length winter UQ with 16oz. of 900 fill power down. I went through DIYGearSupply for most of the materials. It cost me about $150 to make after all was said and done. To buy a HammockGear incubator in the equivalent fill power would is $264. Not as big of a percentage difference, but in raw dollars, that would pay for a low range thread injector.

    Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form comparing the construction quality of my simple "bag-o-down" UQ to one of Stormcrow's masterpieces. They are truly works of art, and the sheer amount of "unseen innovation" that he puts into them is amazing.

    My thread injector was free (hand-me-down from my mother), so I can't rightly add that to my costs.

    Point being, if you're planning on purchasing a lot of different types of gear, then perhaps buying and learning to use your own thread injector instead will be cheaper (and more fun) if you can source the materials down under. If you only need one or two things, perhaps purchasing them commercially would be more cost effective (and less fun).

    TL;DR: Yes, it is worth it from a financial point of view to make your own gear. Only you can judge if it is worth the time.

    Like your summary says, you save money PERIOD. example; I need a top quilt for a trip 3 weeks from today. The materials come in, lets say, 10days in. you have less than 2 weeks to make a quilt at YOUR OWN PACE. this is about the same time most of the cottage makers take, now you add in shipping time from the vendors and its longer. You can spend 3 days back to back, lets say Fri-Sun, and get it done. You have paid about half the price MAYBE LESS for an equivalent.....it might not look as nice though but then comes this next sentence.

    Im not saying dont buy from them....Please buy from the Vendors they are skilled at what they do and can maybe sew circles around you. We support them and they us. but you figure that out when you make something like a top quilt yourself or a tarp or a hammock, tarp, AND TQ. If you want perfection you go vendors or spend 24 hours in all those 3 days meticulously on your project.
    Every time I hang in a tree I get a coconut to the head.....stupid coconuts

  6. #6
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    DIY isn't cheaper... because you'll never be satisified...

    I made a bugnet sock... then a side zipper entry... then a DL hammock with attached bugnet. Now I'm working on a 1.1 SL, with a HUG net...

    Had I purchased a Blackbird and been done... It would have been cheaper.

    Not to mention the 2 UQ's I've made, numerous other kid-hammocks that were then outgrown . . .

    John
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


  7. #7
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    If you are disciplined and purchase only the materials you need for a fixed set of projects, and measure cost after the projects have finished and the materials entirely used...you save money.

    But if you need 4 yards to make a hammock, and figure, "well, maybe someday I'll want to make a couple more, and if I get 12 yards I lower the
    per unit shipping cost", or buy a dozen cord toggles when only 4 are needed, or, ....

    voice of experience speaking

    My better half burst into laughter once when I told someone in her presence that DIY was cheaper.

    But in all seriousness, the payback for me in doing DIY is the joy of actually making the project, and satisfaction later when using it of having made it myself.
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  8. #8
    Senior Member Holger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnSawyer View Post
    DIY isn't cheaper... because you'll never be satisified...

    I made a bugnet sock... then a side zipper entry... then a DL hammock with attached bugnet. Now I'm working on a 1.1 SL, with a HUG net...

    Had I purchased a Blackbird and been done... It would have been cheaper.

    Not to mention the 2 UQ's I've made, numerous other kid-hammocks that were then outgrown . . .

    John
    I like that!
    yakass.net

  9. #9
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    But in all seriousness, the payback for me in doing DIY is the joy of actually making the project, and satisfaction later when using it of having made it myself.
    Nicely said, Grizz... I enjoy the process of assembling fabrics and other things into useful gear. The sound of the sewing machine is relaxing... That satisfaction of having done it, and later using it and showing it off.... it's a good one...

    Quote Originally Posted by Holger View Post
    I like that!
    But in hindsight, I've Pif'd out a lot of gear I outgrew, and picked up some nice stuff, too... (Pack for the kid, headlamp, stoves, Heiney pots, etc.) And even made some friends along the way... someday I hope to meet many of you here.

    John
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


  10. #10
    Senior Member default's Avatar
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    but also keep in mind that, as gear is used it tends to need repair. knowing how to fix it and having the right tools to do so when the time comes can save you a bundle.

    for example: ULA Circuit backpack is $200 (and dog knows what to ship to you) and lets say that after a year of hard wear, something tears. your faced with the choice of buying another $200+ pack or fixing it and making it last another year, you save a good bit and you get better at your fixing and DIY skills

    OR you have the same pack and after 2 trips with it you feel that you just cant live without, say, a big mesh pocket and 2 more straps. what do you do, sit the pack in the closet to take up space and buy another and eat that cost too, try to sell it and pay thru the nose on shipping on top of losing money since its a "used" pack, or do you figure out how to make it work with $5 worth of materials?

    its not just a here and now instant gratification thing. the more you learn, and the better equipped you are in the future the more you will be able to save in the long run.
    Give a man fire and he's warm for the night.
    Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life. Dante

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