/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.121770]

[spoiler]So /diy/, I come for you for some tangential help. I have little space and little money so space is premium. I want to learn to become a maker but don't want to fill my home with projects and pieces that I build for fun but have no real practical use. The radio in the pic is a fantastic example. Crystal radios have some good learning value and it would be fun to then iterate and change but how often do I want to listen to grainy AM (Answer: Not often). What does everyone here do with their past projects. Do they part them, toss them, enshrine them?

TL;DR What do you do with past projects with limited space (or I suppose minimalist hipsters would have the same problem)</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.121771]

[spoiler]Dismantle, trash, give away, or put in storage.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.121777]

[spoiler]Programming. You don't need any special hardware; just a computer. Later you can move into microcontrollers.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.121778]

[spoiler]Only build things you'll use.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.121801]

[spoiler]I'm sorta in the same boat as you OP.

It doesn't end with just the projects, it's the materials and tools as well. There's lots of shit I want to do but just don't have the room for containing the project nor the proper tools.

Anyways I've come up with a solution. First I'm being very realistic. Even though its DIY there's still some money involved so I'm cutting back to save money and really putting more thought into what's feasible. Second, I only do projects I know I'll use or spend time playing with, for example I really want to make a telescope. It's really easy and it can be done fairly cheap. However I live in the city and don't have much time to get out where you can see the night sky properly so I'm putting that project on hold until I'm able to regularly make the time to do so. Also I've just said no to many of the super cool projects that require something like a lathe or mill. Really want to make a cnc but honestly I can't spare the space (as well as cash).

Now what I'm left with is a very short list of things I can do. From where I'm not focusing on "space saving" projects. I've made my own bookshelves and currently planning on making my own "deck" in my room to put my mattress on and store things under. Hopefully when this is done I'll have a little more room and it will change the criteria a little to be able to do a little more projects.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.121802]

[spoiler]>>121778
this. and sell it (or trash, as applicable) when you're done with it.

but holy shit, I dont know how I lived before I built my shop (24'x16', full attic, concrete floor) the bigger the shop, the bigger the projects, so you always need just a little more.</spoiler>

[Radiofag No.121846]

[spoiler]Depends.

Variable air capacitors are tough to find and expensive. Same with crystals.

I don't save small toroid transformers since I don't have an L/C meter, and they're usually unlabeled.

Most of my stuff, I buy to restore and use.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.122221]

[spoiler]I usually go to the community centre and give it to the guy in charged he usually gives it to the kids as prices
KIDS LOVE THEIR PRICES
and it keeps them busy

I really think its the best way the guy always make the kids send me letters to me saying thanks (its a nice touch) this way i can sleep at night knowing that someone is having fun with something i made.
cheers hopes it help
the image is my last model of a boat</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.122236]

[spoiler]Dismantle, reuse parts for later project.

If I can hack a purchased device, I can hack my own device too.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.122243]

[spoiler]make only stuff i need, or can do (money wise) wanted to make a tube amp but that's quite expensive and i only have shitty speakers, so this is a "i'll do it in a few years project". i might make a tube headphone amp in a few weeks as that can be done way cheaper and i have a decent headphone.
i've wanted to make a nixie clock for some years, learned a lot about electronics and when i was able to build it i suddenly found a great kit at the price i could build one with far less functions (like DCF77 receiver) so i bought that one. and i can use it it's a great clock</spoiler>

[Mid-south Maker No.122320]

[spoiler]>>121770

Simply start with making things that allow you to store things in smallest amount of space.

pic related - also good practice</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.122330]

[spoiler]well if something is more of a decoration than a functional item, then put it on some sort of shelves on the wall. If it's a rarely used but still useful item that's not so pretty to look at, keep in box somewhere. If it's ugly and useless, throw it away.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.122442]

[spoiler]>>121801

WTF.... are you me?</spoiler>

[Mid-south Maker No.122462]

[spoiler]>>122320

in travel mode</spoiler>

[Mid-south Maker No.122466]

[spoiler]>>122462

here it is between wall and bed</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.123004]

[spoiler]It really comes down to practicality for me, but these quick questions are something a lot of us can think on before we start a project,

1: Can I use it long term?
2: Is it being built as a scale model for research prior to making a full scale model?
3: Can I reuse the parts for something else once I'm done with it?
4: Can I sell it?
5: What do parts cost over just buying?
6: Will making this project allow me to gain skills I can use for other things?

It is practical usages all the way with a minor amount in purely toys. For instance, my main projects right now are,

---

For practical applications,

-Wind Turbine projects and research (to make electric)
-Passive Solar projects (for heating water, growing food, and making electric)
-Stirling Engine research (for making electric)

For entertainment,

-LED-lit LCD projector (1280x1024 res; from a 17" LCD; shooting for 4000+ lumens using LEDs)

For money and entertainment,

-kites from used materials (sale price $2 each, cost to make $0.05 each)
-kalimba (sale price $40 to $100, cost to make $15 to $20)
-metalophones (sale price $30 to $50, cost to make $15 to $20)
-xylophones (sale price $30 to $50, cost to make $5 to $20)
-hand drum research</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.123095]

[spoiler]Sometimes when I'm through with a project I reduce it to spare parts, sometimes I put it in a box in the basement (which by now it getting to look like the warehouse from Raiders of the Lost Ark).
Sometimes if it's useful I'll donate it to the school or give it away to someone.</spoiler>

[Anonymous No.123494]

[spoiler]Build, record tutorial, send to youtube, send to instructables, dismantle, recycle</spoiler>