What's the latest development in your do-it-yourself adventure ?

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What's the latest development in your do-it-yourself adventure ?

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Started 1 year ago by TomOver
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TomOver
herenowbeyond.org
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For me, it's cutting my hair myself. Sure, it's not an accomplishment on the level of Leonid Rogozov's 1961 DIY appendectomy in the Artic.

But I expect the savings from all of those haircuts I don't get over the upcoming months and couple of years to far outweigh the $40 I spent on the electric clippers. And eventually that sort of blunt look to my hair will go away as my skill increases.

As someone who's still learning basic bicycle repair, I don't underestimate the resourceful and clever folk who use this forum, though my guess is that none of you are venturing into DIY heart surgery or even DIY dentistry.

But how about making one's own candles or soap or repairing one's own clothing and accessories ? I'm almost sure their are folk out there using vegetable oil to power their autos or to power maybe an auxiliary furnace.

Posted 1 year ago #
vestanpance
Harrison West/at work OSU
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still searching for the agenda in this post.

Posted 1 year ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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i was waiting for him to tell us how he takes the hair and braids voodoo dolls of rush limbaugh or makes floss for the poor.

Posted 1 year ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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Ok, ok...I'll bite...let's see what happens. I started making my own cleaning supplies. Everything I use is some combo of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon juice. Cleans everything from tile to sink to carpets and all that jazz.

Posted 1 year ago #
JimL2

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My air conditioning is broken so I've been covering myself with a thin layer of sweat and waiting for the evaporative cooling effect.

My girlfriend is out of town, too, I just want to get this joke out of the way because everybody thought of it at the exact same time and this thread deserves classier answers.

One time I made "beer" by letting bread sit in a plastic bag on my counter for over three months.

Posted 1 year ago #
joev
Merion Village
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Snarf wrote >>
i was waiting for him to tell us how he takes the hair and braids voodoo dolls of rush limbaugh or makes floss for the poor.

The hair can be made into a shirt, popular among flagellants.

Posted 1 year ago #
Talcott
Clintonville
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osulew wrote >>
Ok, ok...I'll bite...let's see what happens. I started making my own cleaning supplies. Everything I use is some combo of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon juice. Cleans everything from tile to sink to carpets and all that jazz.

I'd like to try that. Is it just a matter of mixing things in the right amounts? Is there a website or book you've been using as a guide?

Although I would have to get over the fact that vinegar is the worst smell in the world (and yet I like the smell of bleach).

Posted 1 year ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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Talcott wrote >>

osulew wrote >>
Ok, ok...I'll bite...let's see what happens. I started making my own cleaning supplies. Everything I use is some combo of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon juice. Cleans everything from tile to sink to carpets and all that jazz.

I'd like to try that. Is it just a matter of mixing things in the right amounts? Is there a website or book you've been using as a guide?
Although I would have to get over the fact that vinegar is the worst smell in the world (and yet I like the smell of bleach).

Well there's a great thread on CU about green cleaning somewhere, but my computer is being SO hateful right now that I can't find it. Some of the borax formulations are right on the borax box. The all purpose cleaner I use is about 2 c. hot water, 3 or so T borax, another 3 or so T white vinegar, a big squeeze of lemon juice, and sometimes a squirt of dishwashing soap (I use method dish soap). Works like a charm and just smells fresh. My kitchen floor grout gets really grody so to clean that I use about a gallon of water with about 1/3-/1/2 cup of vinegar. The smell goes away fast and that will knock out any grout stains. Wear gloves though because it will burn the hell out of your hands after scrubbing an entire floor.

Posted 1 year ago #
10sun
Columbus, OH
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Learning to take apart, fabricate/replace parts, and repair 50 year old Sturmey Archer 3 Speed hubs. I've got a beautiful condition one from the late 50s that needs new pawls from the previous owner failing to oil it.

After that it is learning to lace my own bicycle wheels this fall.

That would be about it for now.

Posted 1 year ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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osulew wrote >>

Talcott wrote >>

osulew wrote >>
Ok, ok...I'll bite...let's see what happens. I started making my own cleaning supplies. Everything I use is some combo of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon juice. Cleans everything from tile to sink to carpets and all that jazz.

I'd like to try that. Is it just a matter of mixing things in the right amounts? Is there a website or book you've been using as a guide?
Although I would have to get over the fact that vinegar is the worst smell in the world (and yet I like the smell of bleach).

Well there's a great thread on CU about green cleaning somewhere, but my computer is being SO hateful right now that I can't find it. Some of the borax formulations are right on the borax box. The all purpose cleaner I use is about 2 c. hot water, 3 or so T borax, another 3 or so T white vinegar, a big squeeze of lemon juice, and sometimes a squirt of dishwashing soap (I use method dish soap). Works like a charm and just smells fresh. My kitchen floor grout gets really grody so to clean that I use about a gallon of water with about 1/3-/1/2 cup of vinegar. The smell goes away fast and that will knock out any grout stains. Wear gloves though because it will burn the hell out of your hands after scrubbing an entire floor.

Found the thread - http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/green-cleaning-thread

There's awesome info there... it's always shocking the first time the natural cleaning thing works better than the $4 bottle o' chemicals. Pretty damn satisfying too.

Posted 1 year ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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totally. There is NO cleaner on the market that can do the job on tile and grout that a strong vinegar and water mix can do. It's amazing and it's damn near free.

Posted 1 year ago #
TomOver
herenowbeyond.org
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osulew wrote >>
Ok, ok...I'll bite...let's see what happens. I started making my own cleaning supplies. Everything I use is some combo of water, borax, vinegar, and lemon juice. Cleans everything from tile to sink to carpets and all that jazz.

and vinegar and baking soda, followed by some boiling water has unclogged the bath tube drain. It took some patience, but I refrained from using Draino or some other toxic product.

Chlorox has some greenwashed cleaning products. (There's a small scandal about that concerning Sierra Club's bought endorsement, according to some investigative reporting in Mother Jones or some other publication. See also the book "Green Inc." regarding greenwashing.

Posted 1 year ago #
TomOver
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10sun wrote >>
Learning to take apart, fabricate/replace parts, and repair 50 year old Sturmey Archer 3 Speed hubs. I've got a beautiful condition one from the late 50s that needs new pawls from the previous owner failing to oil it.
After that it is learning to lace my own bicycle wheels this fall.
That would be about it for now.

Cool, despite all of the downsides to industrialization, being able to invent, repair, and operate gadgets and machinery sure as hell is a rush. I say that based on my limited experience with its operation. I have no experience with inventing any of it, and little with its maintenance.

Posted 1 year ago #
TomOver
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joev wrote >>

Snarf wrote >>
i was waiting for him to tell us how he takes the hair and braids voodoo dolls of rush limbaugh or makes floss for the poor.

The hair can be made into a shirt, popular among flagellants.

I'm thinking cycling shorts.

Posted 1 year ago #
vestanpance
Harrison West/at work OSU
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osulew wrote >>
totally. There is NO cleaner on the market that can do the job on tile and grout that a strong vinegar and water mix can do. It's amazing and it's damn near free.

and if you want a "green" locally made reusable scrubber... you can get it here :p

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OhHelloMagpie?section_id=6974254

(shameles plug for the wife)

Posted 1 year ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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vestanpance wrote >>

osulew wrote >>
totally. There is NO cleaner on the market that can do the job on tile and grout that a strong vinegar and water mix can do. It's amazing and it's damn near free.

and if you want a "green" locally made reusable scrubber... you can get it here :p
http://www.etsy.com/shop/OhHelloMagpie?section_id=6974254
(shameles plug for the wife)

Oooh. I did tell her I needed to grab some of those. :)
The "flippers" she made me are totally changing my life. I love those damn things. I think when I get back from Chicago, I'm going to have her make me another pair...one for upstairs and one downstairs so I'm never without em. :) I need to pick up one of those market bags too. So cute.

Posted 1 year ago #
vestanpance
Harrison West/at work OSU
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we're going to be at the parking lot blow out so maybe you can work a deal hehe

Posted 1 year ago #
TomOver
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vestanpance wrote >>
still searching for the agenda in this post.

If by agenda you're referring to the main point at the root of this post, I would say it's the pursuit of a wiser type of inter-dependence.

The term 'self-sufficiency' connotes not needing community for attending to ones wants and needs. So I use the term 'inter-dependence' instead.

Perhaps cutting my own hair would be a better DIY example if I had somehow made my own hair cutting device. I somehow mentally associate some parts of doing-it-yourself with environmentalism and social justice.

Perhaps I'm reaching for something I'm not quite grasping. But at least in my mind, cutting my hair myself was connected--when I first made the post--with riding my bike instead of driving, buying local, growing some of my own food, and so on.

I'm comfortable with revealing my thought processes for what they are. Sometimes I miss the mark, sometimes I hit it. At any rate...onward we go.

Posted 1 year ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Posted 1 year ago #
myliftkk
Columbus, OH
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10sun wrote >>
Learning to take apart, fabricate/replace parts, and repair 50 year old Sturmey Archer 3 Speed hubs. I've got a beautiful condition one from the late 50s that needs new pawls from the previous owner failing to oil it.
After that it is learning to lace my own bicycle wheels this fall.
That would be about it for now.

You should look into the Columbus Idea Factory. You may be able to fabricate your needed part there with their CNC equipment.

Posted 1 year ago #