What do you DIY?

[aeviaanah]

Curious as to what others DIY. I'm proud to say I do things myself.

Ferment alcoholic beverages, grow my own hops, roast coffee, make sourdough, beef jerky, hot sauce, grow food including - mushrooms, oranges, grapes, apples, peach, apricot, lemons, grapefruit, peppers, avocado and pickling cucumbers. Make fishing lures, rebuild outboard motors. Just getting into isolating yeast and bacteria..

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Everything, more or less, especially mechanical things.

 

[stevo4361]

+1 to everything, and what I don't know my father in law helps me out with.

 

[RacingRam]

I'll try DIY anything if it doesn't cost too much to start. Most anything around the house as long as I'm unlikely to burn down the house doing it. Some car stuff (oil changes and light maintenance). I'll definitely try to cook anything, and making beer is a given. I really wanna try making cheese.

I've been trying to convince SWMBO to take up sewing since I do all the other DIY, but she has NO interest. There are a limited number of times I can bring it up again before she kicks me in the berries. Any tips to make these last few suggestions effective?

 

[Punity]

+1 to everything, and what I don't know my father in law helps me out with.

The FIL is my greatest assest

 

[Fordmi]

That's quite a list. I'll give almost anything a go at DIY.

With some help I cammed and stroked my truck, and built a custom exhaust. I've knocked down walls, rerouted electric, and done some plumbing in my house. I'm considering running 240v to my garage so I can go electric. I've also been giving thought to doing major engine work on my 2011 challenger (cam, possibly stroke, supercharger) but I'm nervous to tear into that hemi. It cost a lot more than my truck...

 

[Jaybird]

Just about everything. I love DIY and being self sufficient. If I pay someone to do something for me these days its because I don't have time to do it myself.

Cheers
Jay

 

[CooperBrew]

Just about everything. I love DIY and being self sufficient. If I pay someone to do something for me these days its because I don't have time to do it myself.

Cheers
Jay

I'm in the same boat as you. The only major project I've had done for me in the past few years is a new roof only because it would be too much work for myself to do in a timely manner. Finished my basement, new water heater, rebuilt the washer and dryer back to new specs to keep them going another 10 years or so. I also fix (or try to) a lot of things that people just replace if they break down. My father was the same way, I obviously learned from him.

I also make my own laundry detergent, haven't bought detergent in 10+ years.
I bar of Fels Naptha soap (grated to dissolve quicker), 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of borax in a 5 gal pail full of hot water. Mix until dissolved. Cover and let sit over night, it will gel up a bit. The next day get your hands in there and mix it all up. Transfer a bit at a time to an old laundry jug. I used a capful at a time, throwing in a bit more if it's really soiled since it's cheap. Works great

 

[aeviaanah]

I'm in the same boat as you. The only major project I've had done for me in the past few years is a new roof only because it would be too much work for myself to do in a timely manner. Finished my basement, new water heater, rebuilt the washer and dryer back to new specs to keep them going another 10 years or so. I also fix (or try to) a lot of things that people just replace if they break down. My father was the same way, I obviously learned from him.

I also make my own laundry detergent, haven't bought detergent in 10+ years.
I bar of Fels Naptha soap (grated to dissolve quicker), 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of borax in a 5 gal pail full of hot water. Mix until dissolved. Cover and let sit over night, it will gel up a bit. The next day get your hands in there and mix it all up. Transfer a bit at a time to an old laundry jug. I used a capful at a time, throwing in a bit more if it's really soiled since it's cheap. Works great

Interesting ill be sure to try that!

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

On a more serious note...

I do 99% of everything myself. The only exception is when the cost of having someone else perform the task is far less than what my spare time is worth. Since its spare time that would otherwise be used less productively, I set my hourly rate fairly low.

On the regular I have been known to do concrete work, framing, electrical, plumbing, flooring, roofing, excavating, grading you name it from the ground up.

In addition, I was raised under the hood of a car so I do everything automotive - all the way down to engine or transmission replacement.

I'm a wannabee lumberjack, turf manager, exterminator, metal fabricator, welder, arborist, HVAC installer and repair guy, electronics guy and real estate agent.

I'm a gardener, cook, cleaner, and most importantly a 6 month beer brewer.

I have a long list of unrelated computer related stuff that I do for a living but don't want to bore you.

Yes, I am one bad MF'er - self-made, self-sufficient, and self-employed yet I'm not afraid to admit that there is still a lot for me to learn.

 

[littletommy]

I worked construction/remodeling for 22 years, now I do metal fabrication, from using a press brake, water jet, plasma cutter, to welding. I can do most things hands on wise, anyway. I'm even a guitarist/singer, so sometimes I listen to my own CDs while driving around town.

I also hunt, grow vegetables, create my own art via photography, and can do most automotive maintenance.

 

[Tnoodle]

I weld, small engine stuff, plumbing, garden, hunt everything in season right now that's squirrel, I also trap and make jerky. My father in law helps me with electrical and carpentry, I'm not a big fan of either of those so I don't mind. I'm the head of maintenance for a plant nursery so it just comes with the job.

 

[aeviaanah]

I worked construction/remodeling for 22 years, now I do metal fabrication, from using a press brake, water jet, plasma cutter, to welding. I can do most things hands on wise, anyway. I'm even a guitarist/singer, so sometimes I listen to my own CDs while driving around town.

I also hunt, grow vegetables, create my own art via photography, and can do most automotive maintenance.

I run a press brake- accupress (one of the new ones). I used to run our new burn table as well. It's a high def plasma. I bet your water jet is awesome tho. We mig tig and stick weld as well. I play guitar/drums/keyboard and sing when no one is listening. Lol

 

[littletommy]

The water jet is awesome, I've even cut 1" thick glass with it, but it is VERY expensive to run and maintain.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

I make a mean compost pile. You'd think it was a moon launch or something.

 

[Whsoj]

Anything I got time for, mechanical,electrical, electronic, computers, farm, weld, hunt, fish, process meat, can, sew(you laugh but its nice to know how thanks grandma), stitch leather, make leather from deer hides, blacksmith stuff "im terrible but it works" i even made some wooden spoons awhile back.lay brick,block.rock tile and carpentry pour concrete plumbing

payed a mechanic to fix my truck for the first time in my life 3 years ago, blew a spark out the head, the helicoil kit was 600 for me to bye a fix it he charged 180 I think I came out better but i still wanted to cry

 

[Felixio]

My house: paid someone to do the slate roof and hardwood floors, I did myself all of the plaster/sheetrock work, plumbing (water and gas), electrical, painting, carpentry, tile, yard work, garden (tomatoes), cooking, automotive maintenance and repair, built my computer from ordered components, fruit picking, wine making, and brewing.

My dad's house: plaster/sheetrock work, plumbing (water and gas), electrical, painting, carpentry, tile, water proofing the basement (French drain method), and this time we did the hardwood floors ourselves.

I like to get into a little bit of everything, including my recent project of putting together a fermentation chamber. I just have to finish labeling (designed the labels myself, too) and shrink wrapping my last three batches of wine to go into the bottle.