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  1. #21
    Acer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Southern Indiana Wooded Hills
    Hammock
    WBRR, 35 inch dogbones
    Tarp
    WL Tadpole/OMWintr
    Insulation
    UGQ/HG/AHE
    Suspension
    Whoops/Dutch Bling
    Posts
    3,940
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    19
    Never been much into DYI as to the time constraints..If I had more time, I would spend it hunting, fishing, and hammocking. I really enjoy getting my gear from the cottage makers and then enjoying it and how they made my life so much more enjoyable. They put their sweat, and workmanship into really great products that I know, do to my limited time, couldn't be even closely accomplished, so I will be one of those, that spend my money with them and admire everything they do to perfection. And like I say, spend my time in the woods when I can.

  2. #22
    Senior Member uncle_ray_ray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baltimore MD
    Hammock
    WB DL 1.1
    Tarp
    WB superfly
    Insulation
    DIY-900 down UQ-TQ
    Suspension
    DIY Whoopie-
    Posts
    249
    Images
    54
    Much of it will depend on where your skills are, and what you're willing to commit to. Nothing is too complex that it can't be broken down into its component parts.
    Timing and planning are primary factors, more-so than the monetary aspects are, in my opinion.
    After being a designer for years, and being familiar with construction, it was a perfect fit for me. I essentially needed to aquire better sewing skills and familiarize myself with the variety of materials that are availiable to me. It's a matter of starting small and aquiring skills as proceed. I can't count all of the basic bags and sacks I've made since I've gotten into this D.I.Y. camp gear thing.
    I'm constantly perfecting one item, and altering another, that's just me, it's a passion. I don't think that you should get into it if cost is primary desire. It's a personal thing of finding patience and pride in your own creations.

  3. #23
    Senior Member turnerminator's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Peterborough,UK
    Hammock
    DIY Pertex
    Tarp
    DIY with doors on
    Insulation
    Down and synthetic
    Suspension
    Whoopies & hooks
    Posts
    1,252
    Diy- cost effective? Ha! Never!

    Worth doing? Always!

    Financially, most are better off working and paying the pros for their time instead. But...

    ...if you can make it, have the time to make it and will enjoy end result then do it.
    I love using my own made kit, much better than bought as it gives me a bigger grin.

    The only bits of kit that I've made that was cost effective was my Underquilts, single layer hammock and a few saws-I did save money, but only just. As they won't fetch much on resale, you potentially lose money there too.

    Homemade kit is terrible for the wallet, great for the soul.

  4. #24
    Senior Member BodhiKnight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Binghamton, NY
    Hammock
    DIY Easy Bridge
    Tarp
    DIY 12x10 Silnylon
    Insulation
    DIY Stuff
    Suspension
    Dyneema and a knot
    Posts
    159
    If you have the sewing skills and you can get your hands on materials for a good price, then DIY will save you cash.

    Its a hobby for me and I get satisfaction from using my homemade gear. Another good thing about DIY is doing repair and customization.

    If I wanted to make an all white setup for winter stealth I could, but wouldnt.

    You can also make things for other people and make a bit of cash on the side.
    Or you can trade for things you cant make.

  5. #25
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    alabama
    Hammock
    HH Expedition, DIY
    Tarp
    Maccat Deluxe
    Insulation
    DIY TQ, UQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    265
    Images
    53
    When I started looking at what I wanted I realized I could probably make some it. My stuff isn't as good as professional made, but I enjoy the challenge. Plus you can save money, if you already have sewing machine.

    Like others have said if you have the time it is rewarding, and habit forming, cause once you see what you can do other projects jump on the list...
    "truth is uncontainable, and inexpressible. It neither is nor is not.
    This unformulated principle is the foundation of the different systems of all the sages."
    Diamond Sutra

  6. #26
    New Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    florida
    Posts
    21
    to me, the major benefit of DIY is that i know how to actually make something. many of my friends cant fix anything. they dont know how anything actually works which is ok if you are in town and just drop by walmart and get a new one. i have been out 3 days from civilization and the 3 day trip turns into a week of hel.l. making your own stuff forces you to learn the basics...it is the reason a learned several knots for when i either dont have hardware or the hardware failed (or floated down the river).

    i just bought a hammock bliss no-see-um net because DIY would have cost me more so it isnt like i dont buy ready made stuff......since most people use hammocks out in the boonies, learning how to fabricate some basic kit isnt such a bad idea since your life may depend on it.

  7. #27
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    southeast WV
    Hammock
    DIY
    Posts
    4,816
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    208

    I like DIY

    That's why I do it - not to save money, though I think I do for the most part. It's hard to calculate because most of the things I make don't exist until I make them.

  8. #28
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    blue island ,Il
    Hammock
    DIY Cuben
    Tarp
    DIY Cuben
    Insulation
    down,over & under
    Posts
    340
    Images
    2
    I think as long as I have enough money to do the diy bit I will. If I want to save money I will use some of our fine cottage folk. also if I want something that looks nice and neat and elegant I will do the cottage bit every time! as my stuff usually works well but looks like it was made by a gnome, (pun intended!) diy is just plain fun!! As I work a lot in cuben, until the last year or two not much was available so I did a lot my self especially in the mode of glue stripping, (I have always been kinda afraid of sewing cuben, but I know several of our better cottagers do it successfully) enjoy,,,gnome

  9. #29
    New Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    florida
    Posts
    21
    what is funny but when i was a kid in the 1960's, probably half the stuff i bought was a 'kit'....like a leather kit from tandy. kids made stuff all the time....we also modified our stuff and that wasnt something special.today 'modding' is such a big thing but as kids we just did it...?

    i think that manufacturers have forgot that area...some like cold steel kinda promote their customers to mod their product (like the trail hawk tomahawk). kel-tec guns has a huge modding following.....i think they would sell more product if they gave us a product we could mod for our personal situation.

    i get the feeling that lawsuits might have shut this practice down.......

    i wouldnt call it modding but i think that everything i buy from china needs to be 'fixed' as i assemble it because quality control is so bad.

  10. #30
    Senior Member Orion X's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Eupora MS
    Hammock
    OXGEAR 1.1 dbl
    Tarp
    OXSHED
    Insulation
    OXGEAR 40º 3/4
    Suspension
    whoopie sling's
    Posts
    104
    I DIY because I like the challenge of learning something new. I enjoy the process of design and construction. For me creating a piece of DIY gear is almost Zen like for me. It's just me my tools and total focus on what I am doing, leaving the rest of the world behind me for a bit. Like others have said, cost wise for me it comes out to be a little cheaper for me just to buy the materials, than to buy from great Cottage Industry suppliers that are out there. That however doesn't include my time. Lately I have a lot of free time so... not an issue for me.

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