Repurposing. The world needs more of it.

[ChazzC]

4 or 5 years ago, I bent my harbor freight POC supposedly 12-ton hydraulic press. cut the frame up and used some of it to make a platform for a small gas forge I use occasionally for annealing or tempering. found a used US made 20-ton press locally for a great price. haven't been able to bend that one.

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Hey: I saw a large SS KitchenAid gas grill on today’s walk that the box was in perfect condition (grates & burners not so much) - now I’m thinking of what could be done with it if I had a sheet metal shop, welder and space.

 

[C-Bag]

“Repurposing. The world needs more of it.”

Very true and something I’ve thought all my life. Always been astounded by the things people throw away and grateful when I can get my mits on one that I see a use for.

We’ve been in a several month repurpose storm in our side/backyard. The previous owners were big on brick in areas where it was just laid down with no mortar. So of course with gophers and being on basically old sand dunes everything has shifted and gone schwangle turned into a rollercoaster mess. So we pulled up probably 5,000 bricks of various brands and makeup and stacked them in the very back corner of the yard with the idea of remaking them into walks and patios. SO finally decided now was the time and since May we’ve been riding herd on this dream 4mo project and are closing in on reusing all those bricks. It all started on the other side of the house with redoing the fence, then the sideyard, then back and backyard. We are down to the last 50 or so bricks with a new 12x10x12 shed and 12x16 pad in front of it with brick walks around the whole back of the house. The guy who’s been doing it said he’d never done a job with so much repurposed material. A junkyard dog’s dream.

 

[SLK001]

...If I can't convince myself I will use it before I turn 100, I begrudgingly toss it...

I did this once. Less than two weeks later, a need for that item arose. Needless to say, I've never done that again.

 

[GeneT45]

I did this once. Less than two weeks later, a need for that item arose. Needless to say, I've never done that again.

That's going to happen occasionally, but what will happen much more often is that you'll sit on something forever, and never use it. I have a three question test to determine whether I should save something:

1. Is there a fair chance that I'll ever actually use it?
2. If that time comes, will I remember that I have it?
3. If 1 & 2, will I be able to find it?

This seems to work relatively well for me. YMMV, of course.

GsT

 

[C-Bag]

That's going to happen occasionally, but what will happen much more often is that you'll sit on something forever, and never use it. I have a three question test to determine whether I should save something:

1. Is there a fair chance that I'll ever actually use it?
2. If that time comes, will I remember that I have it?
3. If 1 & 2, will I be able to find it?

This seems to work relatively well for me. YMMV, of course.

GsT

My SO has retrained me through constantly asking what are you going to do with THAT? So if some project/use doesn’t come to mind I leave it now. The exception (and she gets it) is good metal of all kinds. She was very stern about why I had to bring my prodigious stock of engineering supplies with us when we moved here but I had guessed correctly that the new area was not going to be as plentiful. So after a couple of requests for something she had me make in the past and I had to tell her I didn’t have that material anymore so that cured that problem. Things are such that I get the idea long before things are ready and I start scouting for materials.

Case in point is the looming end to the repurpose storm. I tend to be methodical so I don’t get stopped by getting out of sync having learned the hard way. If you look at our lot from the air we started out front with a major overhaul/expansion of the courtyard. Then working clockwise the fence and west side yard then the narrow walk behind the sunroom then behind the house and finally to the opposite side yard. The main feature of that side yard before the 12x10x12 shed and its pad was the RV drive down the east side fence. It has a huge ancient mess of a falling down double gate. That was actually #1 on the list of gotta go but I didn’t have the plan or materials yet but was vigilant. A couple of years ago the material popped up on CL for $300. But what to skin the frame with that was not heavy(gate needs to be 6’x8”) and got idea from CL. I saw an aluminum sectional rollup garage door and the light went on.

Then began my CL virtual vulture vigil. As often happens logistics, design parameters and cost made the vigil a long complicated one. Logistics of transporting 17’ long sections was daunting and finding the same embossed pattern as my garage door that will be right next to it along with cost. Just as I was about to give up as they were too far away, not the same pattern and cost too much I saw a neighbor was replacing her door that was exactly like mine for FREE! Took my long cart down there and transported it by myself. He shoots, he scores

 

[projectnut]

In the 25+ years I've had my home shop I doubt I've purchased more than a $500.00 worth of new materials. New being defined as stock from retail vendors. 99.9% of the material I purchase is from used equipment dealers. About 50% is NOS while the remaining 50% is material that has been previously used.

I also "recycle" or repurpose machinery and tooling. All except 2 of the 23 machines currently in the shop have been purchased from used equipment dealers, local shops, schools, or online sources. 90+% of the tooling in the shop has also been purchased from used equipment dealers, local shops, schools, or online sources. The only time i purchase new machines or tooling is when I can't find what I need on the used market.