Other uses for stuff and functional fixation

[Jim Becker]

You'll all laugh at me. But sometimes I like to walk around Home Depot just looking to see what hardware, ventilation, plumbing, flooring supplies, etc are for sale - just asking myself "I wonder what else I could use this for?"

I need to "get a life". I know.

I resemble that remark. The first one. To the second...'not sure I could handle any more of what I already got!

[Jerry Bruette]

Pffft... I have made a hammer out of a screw driver several times.

I thought that's what lineman's pliers were for.

[Bill Dufour]

I just finished wire brushing and repainting a big flowerpot in front of the house. I see similar ones selling for $500. I paid about $10 ten years ago for a cast iron big rig brake drum that was worn too large and could no longer be turned. Yes it has a big hole on the bottom so it sits on a stepping stone that costs $1.64.
I believe it is 16 inch inside diameter. I see them piled up ten feet tall at the scrap yard. Some, like this, have cast cooling ribs/fins for a more decorative look.
Bill D.

[Lee DeRaud]

You'll all laugh at me. But sometimes I like to walk around Home Depot just looking to see what hardware, ventilation, plumbing, flooring supplies, etc are for sale - just asking myself "I wonder what else I could use this for?"

I used to do that, should probably start doing it again: it's better exercise than browsing the McMaster-Carr website.

[George Yetka]

I lack vision, I cannot see uses for things that others do not. My woodworking is more copying what works from others(not for profit) shapes, angles, colors etc. I know what looks good, at least to me, after something is already done. I did once make a foyer table out of pallets but I dont think that counts.

[Brian Deakin]

You'll all laugh at me. But sometimes I like to walk around Home Depot just looking to see what hardware, ventilation, plumbing, flooring supplies, etc are for sale - just asking myself "I wonder what else I could use this for?"

When I visit the USA on holiday travelling from the Uk I walk round Home Depot and other similar stores mirroring Fredricks behavior I now have imperial fitting to complement the metric fittings sold in the Uk which I use in my workshop

[John K Jordan]

You'll all laugh at me. But sometimes I like to walk around Home Depot just looking to see what hardware, ventilation, plumbing, flooring supplies, etc are for sale - just asking myself "I wonder what else I could use this for?"

I need to "get a life". I know.

Sounds like you HAVE a life!

Only those with imagination deficiencies DON’T do that. All of the creative, inventive “tinkerers” and inventors I know do such walkabouts. You can’t know what may be just the right thing for a project until you see it. My friend the genius also carries note cards to write down things he sees and ideas for use. Besides HD, don’t forget to cruise the hardware stores, Dollar General, electrical/plumbing supply, yard sales/flea markets, thrift stores, and various industrial supply companies (plastics, plumbing, welding, fasteners, valves).

A small local fabrication shop is also good for this - I wander around the scrap bins and make a pile of interesting pieces and the guy eyeballs it and says $10 or whatever. They will even make a cut on long stock or shear sheet steel to the size i want for no cost. I’ve bought a huge amount of steel this way.

My favorite place to wander around is a local metals recycling place that sorts out materials and lets anyone wander around. I’ve picked up stainless steel sheet, thin wall titanium tubing, wire, a huge variety of aluminum, steel, and brass. (They let you crawl in and did through the bins) They also have a trailer full of sorted fasteners from small brass screws to all-thread to massive bolts, all at close to scrap prices. Once I bought a box of medical instruments (hemostats, eye surgery scissors, bone hammers, torque wrenches, and far more) all for scrap prices. I gave some to several veterinarian friends and have used a lot of these around the farm. Most of this comes from local industrial and commercial companies. One of the most useful finds was big sheets of 1” think white HDPE - some company had cut out some curved shapes leaving most of each sheet untouched. Excellent for machining for jigs and such. At this place you pile up what you want and they weigh it and calculate the price.

JKJ

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks John. Those are good ideas!

[Bill Dufour]

My wife gave me the shirt. It says " I enjoy long romantic walks through the hardware store"
Bill D

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Some one tried to tell me that the Red Green Show was comedy. I straightened them out right away, It is reality TV.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I made a prybar from a screwdriver once.

I think I saw that screwdriver in local Habitat Restore today.

[Stan Calow]

This is small time stuff compared to what's come up, but I like to cut up plastic milk containers, using the tops as funnels for everything from oil changes, to bird feed fillers. Bottoms for containing oil from changes, to scoops for dry goods. Yeah I think its a sign of great minds to look for alternative uses for stuff that you're going to throw away.

[Bill Dufour]

When they built the 180 inch Cyclotron during WW2 the build was going to be stoppedas nonesential. They realized it could be used to concentrate Uranium so it got priority back to get materials. They needed some big DC generators so they went to the museum and took some antiques that had been used for old street cars.
Similar to using 120 thousand tons of silver to make magnet wire since copper was in short supply.
Bill D.
Yes they had armed guards at the wire factories and transformer shops.

[Rick Potter]

Like Bill, I love those big truck brake drums. I have a couple taken off fire engines that I use for the base to grinder stands. Plenty heavy. Mine are 'Au Natural' though.


EDIT: Got another one. The other day I threw away an old office chair. I kept the bottom part with the five wheels, and will be mounting a garage sale $5 floor fan on it, to roll around the shop. Gonna be handy.

[Bill Dufour]

Careful there Rick. About a month ago I saw a neighborhood boy around four years old having fun. He was sitting in plastic kiddie car with an electric leaf blower. He could move at a fast walking pace. I assume his parents ,or uncle, came up with the idea not him.One never knows, do one.
Bill D