Make it or Pay for it?

[Ashley Burton]

Time & time again I fall victim of its cheaper to buy things prefabricated rather than make myself

I love making stuff, But time vs cost seems to be a regular equation!

Anyone else fall victim to this?

 

[dobbslc]

The older I get the more I relish my time!

 

[Ashley Burton]

The older I get the more I relish my time!

I'm in my 20's & already thinking the same! Just don't see the point in spending x amount of time making something if it's going to cost me more in actual time than its worth.

 

[brightspark]

depends on what it is. if it doesn't interest me I buy stuff as I can earn twice as much and have the goods . if it is interesting il spend a day making it and get satisfaction .no point in having all the gear if u don't use it

 

[Ashley Burton]

If it's under £10 & I can't make it in under an hour I buy it. Anything which is £10 + I weigh up how long it will take me to build vs cost saving

 

[Screwdriver]

I nearly did that today. I needed a couple of 100mm fence post stakes. Easy to make with a bit of sheet but clearly you need the material to hand. Not going to buy the material then make paint and fence in anything like the time it takes to nip down to Wickes...

 

[gaz1]

im a maker of things

many a stuff i will just build it up and enjoy building it

it does help being a skinflint or just plain skint which i am most times so i have to build many a stuff due to it

basically from nothing or scrap pieces to hand

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

If I can find something off the shelf or can be modified to suit I will.
Time is money and freetime is non exsistent

 

[angellonewolf]

im not as good as most members on here but if making some thing for the same cost as buying as long as time allows as making something normaly means better made (unless theres welding involved by me )

 

[Richard.]

I think your thinking about things in the wrong way. If your making something that can be readily bought and your trying to save money but your including your time into the cost equation then that’s never gonna happen. You are better off buying.
However how often do we make something and not change the design slightly to make it so much better than the bought item. We never copy it like for like and this is where I like making things. I look at what I need and where I can buy it then I look at how I can make it and be even better. Certainly somethings just need to be bought and got on with. I’m not gonna waste hours making a set of hinges for a fabrication when I can buy weld on hinges for £2 a piece and not really improve them too much. Ill make other stuff that I can buy mind and I’ll always make it that bit better just to justify the time and effort spent.

 

[Screwdriver]

I seriously considered making up a couple of post stakes but even with a lifetime supply of rebar on hand and some 100mm U channel, I don't think I could have made a better stake. Plus we have the weather on our side so buying a couple of stakes gets the job done in minutes as opposed to getting it done over the next couple of days just in time for the rains...

Twenty quid though. It was a close call.

 

[daleyd]

If you particularly enjoy making it, or it’s expensive to buy, or if you want to learn the skills involved then why not?

For something run of the mill that you’d get no satisfaction from, then buy it. You’ll never get your time back after.

 

[Richard.]

no point in having all the gear if u don't use it

This. ^^^^^
Super dooper point.
There ain’t many of us on here that can say our lathes, welders, shears and folders are completely relied on for putting food on the table.
So why did we buy them.
Why are we worrying about actual time as money. Yes I charge an hourly rate when I’m using them on a paying job but if I charge 2 hours and it takes me 3 I haven’t lost any money because it’s my private kit in my own time and I enjoy using it.
A business is different. Costs inc hours must be kept to a minimum to be profitable. Home kit for a hobby needs to be fun and used. If not used then what’s the point.

 

[Allthegearnoidea]

Although it’s can be expensive and the result aren’t alway good I do try and make things where practical. It’s good to have an excuse to practice engineering skills whenever possible and I alway learn even when it is a failure. It’s always a good excuse to buy more tools often costing considerably more than the item I’m making.

All The Gear No Idea!

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Making things is a mindset and is a perishable skill, the more you do the easier it gets until you can it without even thinking about it.

Colin

 

[addjunkie]

This. ^^^^^
Super dooper point.
There ain’t many of us on here that can say our lathes, welders, shears and folders are completely relied on for putting food on the table.
So why did we buy them.
.

To make the things I couldnt buy off the shelf. And Or refuse to pay the price for one off stuff made by others..

Also like the rest to satisfy my tool fetish.

But for cheapish stuff just buy it and put the time saved to good use doing something else!

 

[MattF]

But for cheapish stuff just buy it and put the time saved to good use doing something else!

Depends. If it's a tuppence ha'penny item available everywhere, and for a bog standard job, then pointless making it. If you want something unique, or even just a little bit better than bog standard fare, then make it. Whether the job is worth making something or not is an individual choice.

 

[Ton-up]

I was brought up a tight-****! My Dad was a bit of a genius when making stuff (he was a machine tool fitter/factory maintenance) but didn't get much money, so everything was made/repaired. Some of the stuff he made was amazing.
It helped when the place he worked had everything imaginable including chroming plant!!

I got the same genes, so for me and our house , stuff is made/repaired, stuff for others is wrote off and new bought. (then I repair the old stuff!!!!)

 

[steve t]

i was brought up like ton up, make do and mend so usualy end up making as much as I can, just don't seem to have time for everything on the list though.

 

[the snooper]

I always used to make things as I enjoyed the challenge but I find as I get older I've been there done that and the challenge isn't quite as attractive as it was, I'll still make some things but no where near as many, but I will repair stuff whenever I can