dstraito
TB Fanatic
I put this under prep because recycling will be necessary once new goods can not be procured.
I am not the greatest eco or environ nut but if it can save money, I will repurpose just about anything.
I recently traded some services for a propane burner stand, a lawnmower body, and a automotive wheel hub. I welded a pipe to the bottom of the wheel hub, I welded the wheel hub to the lawnmower body. I cut a hole in the piple below the wheel hub and I put in another pipe at a 45 degree upward angle.
I then traded some welding for a blower and now I have a working forge that I have zero dollars into. I can put some 2x4 wood or wood from a pallet into the wheel hub, turn the blower on after I get the fire going and have a fire strong enough to heat up a railroad spike to orange color meaning it is hot enough to be mallable and to be able to shape into another functional design.
I can see a need in the future that such skillsets might be necessary. Say there was an EMP or just a loss of the electrical grid for whatever reason. I would have to replace the blower with a bellows, but I could manufacture necessary metal parts in trade for other goods or services. Besides that, it is fun to take a basic shape of a metal piece like a railroad spike and turn it into something cool like a knife or grill equipment.
I take found metal from people's trash and I make art creations with them. Not only does that save them from going to the dump or more likely, being picked up by one of many roving metal salvagers, I am turning something useless into a thing desired, a thing of art. It gives me great satisfaction to take something destined for the dump and make it into something that people desire.
Besides that, being unemployed it also provides an extra source of income as well as the feeling like I am accomplishing something useful.
I have learned to use a mig welder, basic black smithing skills, metal fabrication, polishing, grinding, and shaping. In my past I have learned wood working skills, plumbing, and electrical skills. that is probably a good thing since my 33 plus years in the computer industry would probably not mean anything if an EMP rendered computers useless.
Working with my hands is more satisfying anyway.
I liken my skills to being a metal whisperer. I look at an inert pile of metal and my imagination and creativity takes hold and I figure out, what does that metal want to be.
So far, I have gone through 15 100 foot spools of welding wire for about 1500 feet. I read on the internet somewhere that it takes about a mile of welding to get really proficient so I am continuing on so I can get better and better.
I'm going to try stainless steel and aluminum soon and learn more about that type of welding.
I want to buy a plasma cutter because the oxygen/acceltylene torch makes pretty rough cuts.
I have been unemployeed for four months. I haven't had a single interview. I am not sure why as my resume is stellar having worked for several major companies. Not one to wallow in unemployeed pity, I took my retirement and invested it in a franchise. I'm not going to let those corporate weanies dictate my life. It is sink or swim. I'll either be successful or not but if not, I'll go out swinging.
Granted, if not successful, I will probably be homeless but it will be on my terms and I am alright with that. If I chose not to invest, it would only extend by a couple of years the period of time before I was homeless anyway.
I love being creative and life is too short to not feel fulfilled and do what you want to do, or at least try to.
I am not the greatest eco or environ nut but if it can save money, I will repurpose just about anything.
I recently traded some services for a propane burner stand, a lawnmower body, and a automotive wheel hub. I welded a pipe to the bottom of the wheel hub, I welded the wheel hub to the lawnmower body. I cut a hole in the piple below the wheel hub and I put in another pipe at a 45 degree upward angle.
I then traded some welding for a blower and now I have a working forge that I have zero dollars into. I can put some 2x4 wood or wood from a pallet into the wheel hub, turn the blower on after I get the fire going and have a fire strong enough to heat up a railroad spike to orange color meaning it is hot enough to be mallable and to be able to shape into another functional design.
I can see a need in the future that such skillsets might be necessary. Say there was an EMP or just a loss of the electrical grid for whatever reason. I would have to replace the blower with a bellows, but I could manufacture necessary metal parts in trade for other goods or services. Besides that, it is fun to take a basic shape of a metal piece like a railroad spike and turn it into something cool like a knife or grill equipment.
I take found metal from people's trash and I make art creations with them. Not only does that save them from going to the dump or more likely, being picked up by one of many roving metal salvagers, I am turning something useless into a thing desired, a thing of art. It gives me great satisfaction to take something destined for the dump and make it into something that people desire.
Besides that, being unemployed it also provides an extra source of income as well as the feeling like I am accomplishing something useful.
I have learned to use a mig welder, basic black smithing skills, metal fabrication, polishing, grinding, and shaping. In my past I have learned wood working skills, plumbing, and electrical skills. that is probably a good thing since my 33 plus years in the computer industry would probably not mean anything if an EMP rendered computers useless.
Working with my hands is more satisfying anyway.
I liken my skills to being a metal whisperer. I look at an inert pile of metal and my imagination and creativity takes hold and I figure out, what does that metal want to be.
So far, I have gone through 15 100 foot spools of welding wire for about 1500 feet. I read on the internet somewhere that it takes about a mile of welding to get really proficient so I am continuing on so I can get better and better.
I'm going to try stainless steel and aluminum soon and learn more about that type of welding.
I want to buy a plasma cutter because the oxygen/acceltylene torch makes pretty rough cuts.
I have been unemployeed for four months. I haven't had a single interview. I am not sure why as my resume is stellar having worked for several major companies. Not one to wallow in unemployeed pity, I took my retirement and invested it in a franchise. I'm not going to let those corporate weanies dictate my life. It is sink or swim. I'll either be successful or not but if not, I'll go out swinging.
Granted, if not successful, I will probably be homeless but it will be on my terms and I am alright with that. If I chose not to invest, it would only extend by a couple of years the period of time before I was homeless anyway.
I love being creative and life is too short to not feel fulfilled and do what you want to do, or at least try to.