I tend to go both routes. I DIY for myself if I have something specific in mind or I buy from HF vendors for others. Otherwise, I DIY for my neices and nephews, friends, family, god children and who else I can gift and get out hammocking!
I tend to go both routes. I DIY for myself if I have something specific in mind or I buy from HF vendors for others. Otherwise, I DIY for my neices and nephews, friends, family, god children and who else I can gift and get out hammocking!
The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. - St. Augustine
Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.
- Bob Marley
I love making gear, I love tinkering with different designs and coming up with new solutions, I love the pride I gain from my projects, I love how crazy it drives my wife when I say, "Darlin could you help me with this down? It'll only take a sec.", and I LOVE the amount of money I save.
I got to admit that I also love it when I sell something on the forum that I made so that I can fund the next project or get rid of excess and I get compliments on my work from people that know what it should look like.
I got into DIY to make a few things. I'm a remodeling contractor by trade and consequently like playing with tools. A thread injector is a tool and it's been fun/interesting/frustrating/frightful learning to use it properly. So far, I've copied some of what's available, but now I'm working on some designs that may or may not work, but look promising for my needs. Have saved some $$$ on bug nets & hammocks for all my grand children who requested them. Have a few things I'd like to sell, but am too embarrassed to have them seen. Good for hanging in the back yard practicing my dark of night set-ups.
Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.
I have found that in the beginning, DIY was not cheaper, but for my projects I always buy a little extra material and supplies than I need. After time, and many projects, I have a good stash of surplus raw materials. Now I have all the necessary items to make projects for nothing. It feels like it is cheaper now, and as far as my wife is concerned, it is….don’t tell her anything different! The cost all balances out in the end. It is worth it to me, I enjoy making items for myself and others.
+1 to those who have talked about DIY not for the sole purpose of saving money but for the pride factor.
I started DIY projects about 6 years ago as a means of learning new skills and passing those barely learned skills on to others in our BSA troop. You can tell it's my gear beause the stitching is not perfect, but I take pride in knowing my hands made that gear and subscriber to the notion "she may not be the belle of the ball but I'd marry her time and time again".
I have less than $200 invested in all my gear combined, however I am as comfortable as those who have spent thousands.
I confess to looking at cans of soup, beer, string beans, etc. completely differently since I started to turn them into stoves.
Happy Trails to one and all.
Enjoy the outdoors wisely and elevate your perspective.
Modified Penny Wood Stove instructional Video-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fPlHqsYy38
Hammock Wheel https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...09#post1035609
Another Really cool JC Penny Puffer instructional- https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...141#post953141
Just had a thought-------its kind of like a business,-- some things it makes sense to take care of in house---------in other cases out sourcing is the wisest choice! A good balance would be some diy,some new store bought items, and maybe even some used items.
FYI: If you want to know what type a certain bear is, sneak up behind it and kick it. Then,
run like crazy and climb up a tree. If the bear climbs the tree and eats you, it's a black
bear. If the bear just pushes the tree over and eats you, it's a grizzly bear : )
Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me, either, just leave me alone.
--unknown
My DIY experience....In my opinion DIY is what you make of it (pun half intended). I've got a fairly decent down underquilt for about $30. Try to buy one for that price, I dare you. $15 for 1.1 nylon and shipping from DIY Gear Supply, $10 thrift store blanket and $5 in shock cord. If you count your time though (especially on your first big project)...researching, deciding, 2nd guessing your diff. cut calculations, staring blankly at your fabric before you cut, being frustrated, spending the next month finding down floating in random locations of your home, and you're suddenly looking at (100hrs*$8/hr) an $800 underquilt. Then you finish with it and realize you love it, but want to create another one with a couple mods. Then you have the following "priceless" 6conversation with your wife.
Wife: So what is it?
You: An underquilt.
Wife:huh?
You: It goes under the hammock and keeps you warm.
Wife:It looks small, it can't even cover you, how is it going to keep you warm.
You: It's a 3/4 underquilt.
Wife: huh?
You: Lemme just set it up and show you. (After it's all set up)
Wife: Oh, that's neat, can you do the dishes now?
In conclusion, DIY can save money, it can cost more money, can leave you satisfied or not.
Thanks, now the dishes please. LOL.
I took a sewing class so I can make some of my own gear, repair (hopefully) stuff I broke and understand how something was made.
I don't think I am saving much if any money overall by the time I factor in my time and cost of materials (lets face, the cottage vendors are buying in bulk so they are getting better prices that I can ordering small quanitites).
As others have stated I can now make some things that I want that are not offered from any vendors.
I will continue to order from the cottage vendors as there is still much gear out there I know I will never be able to make myself ( Dutch Gear for examble )
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
I started making my own stuff 2 years ago. I got really serious about a year ago. I spent $18 on a nice Singer 201 I found in Goodwill. I buy ripstop seconds from DIY Gear Supply.
For me personally, it's to save money and more importantly to learn new skills that interest me. Yes, "projects" can be expensive sometimes, but that's part of the fun. My time is worth something only to me.
Anything you do that brings you or others joy, is certainly worth it - whether it cost alot or not.
Now not only do I look at trees while I'm driving or cycling and say "Oh - that's a good hanging spot", but I am always looking at fabrics in stores to see what I can make from them.
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