Sometimes I don’t feel like making things

[projectnut]

I may be the odd man out once again, but at the risk of being shunned even more I compare the time and cost of the majority of "projects" with the cost of purchasing a retail item to accomplish the same purpose. Often times I purchase a part rather than spend the same amount of money on tooling and hours in the shop making an identical part.

On the other hand I hate throwing away a $300.00 item just because a $2.00 part is either no longer available, or was never intended to be replaced in the first place. The vast majority of time in the shop is spent either making parts to repair existing equipment, or making items that are either not cost effective or available to purchase. Occasionally I do spend time to try to "build a better mouse trap". Unfortunately most days I have more to do outside the shop than I have time to do it.

 

[jpackard56]

I may be the odd man out once again, but at the risk of being shunned even more I compare the time and cost of the majority of "projects" with the cost of purchasing a retail item to accomplish the same purpose. Often times I purchase a part rather than spend the same amount of money on tooling and hours in the shop making an identical part.

On the other hand I hate throwing away a $300.00 item just because a $2.00 part is either no longer available, or was never intended to be replaced in the first place. The vast majority of time in the shop is spent either making parts to repair existing equipment, or making items that are either not cost effective or available to purchase. Occasionally I do spend time to try to "build a better mouse trap". Unfortunately most days I have more to do outside the shop than I have time to do it.

I agree completely ! Flange nuts is my most recent, needed for a baler repair, they were an odd-ball metric, yep I bought them !
I bought them straight from the CNH dealer for $3.20 each

 

[MrWhoopee]

I may be the odd man out once again, but at the risk of being shunned even more I compare the time and cost of the majority of "projects" with the cost of purchasing a retail item to accomplish the same purpose. Often times I purchase a part rather than spend the same amount of money on tooling and hours in the shop making an identical part.

On the other hand I hate throwing away a $300.00 item just because a $2.00 part is either no longer available, or was never intended to be replaced in the first place. The vast majority of time in the shop is spent either making parts to repair existing equipment, or making items that are either not cost effective or available to purchase. Occasionally I do spend time to try to "build a better mouse trap". Unfortunately most days I have more to do outside the shop than I have time to do it.

I recently spent 3 hours making a threaded adapter for a $5 faucet aerator. I could have bought the correct aerator for the same price. I consider time spent in the shop as therapy. How much do therapists charge these days?