What do you like to tinker with (other than cars)?

[Reks]

Evening chaps (and chapettes),

Bit of an unusual question, but if anyone's going to have suggestions, it's going to be PHers.

Having spent a large portion of this year off sick including 6 weeks in hospital, I'm looking for some sort of project/toy to keep myself busy for a while. Obviously I would love a kit car or a project car to tinker with, but living in a flat means I don't have the space for anything like that. Also my budget isn't going to stretch that far.

So what else is good to tinker which can be done indoors without taking up too much room? I've been looking at a few self-assembly RC cars and Drones but they don't look like the would take much longer than a couple of afternoons. They're also quite expensive for something which I'm likely hardly ever going to use. I would be quite interested in learning about 3d printing or even possibly robotics but don't really know enough about either of them to know what the possibilities are.

So, has anybody got any suggestions? Needs to be something which is <£1000 all in.


Thanks

[wack]

I bought a Gelande 2 12 months ago and it's still in the box so maybe not, I was amazed how realistic you can make them look, certainly more than a few afternoons work and the bonus is they sell easily once assembled if you get bored

It's just that it cost that much I'm scared it'll look rubbish once my sausage fingers get near it

anything you can buy for a real defender you can buy for this one so customising is endless

http://store.rc4wd.com/Gelande-II-Truck-Kit-wDefen...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gelande+2&cl...

[InertialTooth45]

I've got a few friends who have made 3d printers from scratch.

Or plenty of other arduino based projects.

Restore an old road bike? (cycle)

[TR4man]

NeMiSiS said:

I build bespoke ladies watches to customers specifications.

The customer commissions a build with a tick box spec sheet and I build the watch to that exact spec, including personal engraving - enamelling - thus making the watch a one off.

That sounds fascinating - can you post some pictures?

[GetCarter]

Adobe Lightroom will fill you time.

[Robbo 27]

I restore and fix old fountain pens, have done for years. It will never make me a million but I like the idea of putting something back into working order that was made 70+ years ago.

[Floptimus Prime]

Robbo 27 said:

I restore and fix old fountain pens, have done for years. It will never make me a million but I like the idea of putting something back into working order that was made 70+ years ago.

Pictures man! I love fountain pens

[Gretchen]

Younger men.

[Flatplane8]

Boats, lots of boats.

[Long Drax]

NeMiSiS said:

Gretchen said:

Younger men.

Really, what about middle aged men?

She probably doesn't have that much time.

[The Moose]

NeMiSiS said:

TR4man said:

NeMiSiS said:

I build bespoke ladies watches to customers specifications.

The customer commissions a build with a tick box spec sheet and I build the watch to that exact spec, including personal engraving - enamelling - thus making the watch a one off.

That sounds fascinating - can you post some pictures?

The young girl who ordered this piece sent me a false nail decorated in her favourite colours and asked for the watch face to be the same.

She selected -

Large round case 41mm
Stainless steel
Large screw in crown
Domed sapphire crystal
Skeliton face with bespoke enamel
Automatic movement - gold entry level no complications
Observation screw in case rear
STD gold pointers and baton markers
Slinky fine mesh st. st bracelet
Old style pin and hole buckle

Edited by NeMiSiS on Saturday 3rd December 18:54

Slight tangent - can you enamel platinum?!

[colin_p]

If your health allows it, cycling and tinkering with the bike(s).

[Le TVR]

Designing and building HiFi equipment, Amplifiers, preamps, Turntables, Speakers etc.

[Timfy]

Motocycles can come indoors for tinkering.

Old air rifles are good one, cheap to pick up and minimal space/special tools needed, only halfway through my first attempt (my dads old BSA Meteor I've inherited) but it's been quite enjoyable so I may look for other knackered old cheapy air rifles to restore in the future.

Edited by Timfy on Sunday 4th December 10:12

[psgcarey]

This stuff....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-42056-Technic-Porsch...

[Condi]

Quite like buying spares/repairs stuff off ebay and fixing before selling on again. Water pumps, small generators, lawn mowers etc. Not going to earn a fortune but better than seeing it going to waste and the profit covers my time.

There is a thread somewhere in the Home/Gardens section about a bloke who buys genny's and fixes them. Interesting reading if you're that way inclined.

[bristolracer]

Models
Models railways/ slot cars
Raspberry Pi
hacking the pentagon/Camelot/ talk talk ( you may need to be 16 years old to be capable of this) and if you do, it was not my idea,okay?

[Ahbefive]

NeMiSiS said:

TR4man said:

NeMiSiS said:

I build bespoke ladies watches to customers specifications.

The customer commissions a build with a tick box spec sheet and I build the watch to that exact spec, including personal engraving - enamelling - thus making the watch a one off.

That sounds fascinating - can you post some pictures?

The young girl who ordered this piece sent me a false nail decorated in her favourite colours and asked for the watch face to be the same.

She selected -

Large round case 41mm
Stainless steel
Large screw in crown
Domed sapphire crystal
Skeliton face with bespoke enamel
Automatic movement - gold entry level no complications
Observation screw in case rear
STD gold pointers and baton markers
Slinky fine mesh st. st bracelet
Old style pin and hole buckle

Edited by NeMiSiS on Saturday 3rd December 18:54

That is really quite something. How much do you charge for something like that?

[Chris7865677]

Ahbefive said:

NeMiSiS said:

TR4man said:

NeMiSiS said:

I build bespoke ladies watches to customers specifications.

The customer commissions a build with a tick box spec sheet and I build the watch to that exact spec, including personal engraving - enamelling - thus making the watch a one off.

That sounds fascinating - can you post some pictures?

The young girl who ordered this piece sent me a false nail decorated in her favourite colours and asked for the watch face to be the same.

She selected -

Large round case 41mm
Stainless steel
Large screw in crown
Domed sapphire crystal
Skeliton face with bespoke enamel
Automatic movement - gold entry level no complications
Observation screw in case rear
STD gold pointers and baton markers
Slinky fine mesh st. st bracelet
Old style pin and hole buckle

Edited by NeMiSiS on Saturday 3rd December 18:54

That is really quite something. How much do you charge for something like that?

This is brilliant! Never heard of anyone doing this.

[ThunderGuts]

I really want to make a Ball Bearing Clock upon googling for that link I've just found that there are Meccano plans for one too!