Do you strip stuff down for spares?
Discussion
My dad did and I do now, have a big box full of all sorts of useful stuff
Got a troublesome washing machine at the moment, which I can fix, but if i can’t I shall be using the pump to move some water round the garden
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&tit...
Got a troublesome washing machine at the moment, which I can fix, but if i can’t I shall be using the pump to move some water round the garden
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&tit...
No. Have enough useless junk filling the cupboards already. In particular the miles of connectors,wires, plugs for endless amounts of obsolete stereos,TVs computers and phones. Also a lot of old CD players,cameras,video stuff and the like.
As for cars, I am pretty good. Nothing but winter rims and tires stacked up
As for cars, I am pretty good. Nothing but winter rims and tires stacked up
My old man did it for years for everything, and even build himself a massive shed to keep it in, the task of cleaning it out now he’s passed away is a monumental task, and something that really does get on my nerves , why did he keep 3 cavalier cassette players or 4 talbot door cards!
Yes, it drives the Mrs mad.
I do however have a complete almost brand new washing machine in the shed which is exactly the same machine as we have in the Kitchen. A neighbour had bought it but after two weeks put it out for the scrapman as the fabric softener they use was too thick to go down the dispenser tube. Needless to say a new, free, complete washer for spares was too good to miss. Already had the door catch off it.
Of course it was a bit tight getting it into the shed, what with my spare Lexus V8 engine and gearbox in there from the LS400 snotter I broke on the drive a few years ago.
Cheers,
Tony
I do however have a complete almost brand new washing machine in the shed which is exactly the same machine as we have in the Kitchen. A neighbour had bought it but after two weeks put it out for the scrapman as the fabric softener they use was too thick to go down the dispenser tube. Needless to say a new, free, complete washer for spares was too good to miss. Already had the door catch off it.
Of course it was a bit tight getting it into the shed, what with my spare Lexus V8 engine and gearbox in there from the LS400 snotter I broke on the drive a few years ago.
Cheers,
Tony
Gooose said:
My old man did it for years for everything, and even build himself a massive shed to keep it in, the task of cleaning it out now he’s passed away is a monumental task, and something that really does get on my nerves , why did he keep 3 cavalier cassette players or 4 talbot door cards!
Those will go on eBay I’d imagine, stick em in the loft and wait, then have a drink on your old manNope.
I hate mess, clutter, junk, shelves or boxes full of stuff that will likely never get used. Can’t stand it.
These days, most appliances, equipment, tools or devices are not user serviceable in the slightest so it’s almost pointless anyway.
You could strip a broken washing machine or lawn mower for parts and probably find those parts will never fit any other washing machines or lawn mowers.
On the very rare occasion that I need a spare part for something that can actually be repaired, I find ordering things like that off the internet to be pretty painless.
I hate mess, clutter, junk, shelves or boxes full of stuff that will likely never get used. Can’t stand it.
These days, most appliances, equipment, tools or devices are not user serviceable in the slightest so it’s almost pointless anyway.
You could strip a broken washing machine or lawn mower for parts and probably find those parts will never fit any other washing machines or lawn mowers.
On the very rare occasion that I need a spare part for something that can actually be repaired, I find ordering things like that off the internet to be pretty painless.
borcy said:
Not really, loads of consumer stuff is made in such a way you struggle to fit on anything else, usually molded into place. Or the connectors and holes for screws make it non universal.
True. I don't usually strip the outgoing appliance but keep universal bits such as hoses which may (eventually) come in useful in the future. Also vacuum cleaner extension pipes and brushes - our Henry has quite a choice of weapons to tackle any job!Yes, I save everything, as did my father and grandfather before me. The same applies to tools.
I save screws, nuts, bolts, wire, hoses etc. I routinely break down pallets and other bits of lumber (having a stud/metal detector to run over them before they go near a saw or planer). I have what feels like every phone charger my family has ever owned, plus three 84 litre plastic boxes of kettle and figure of eight leads and enough ethernet cables to hook up a small school.
When I had my extension built, I saved all the stone uprights, joists, purlins etc from the car port that had to be demolished, along with all the clay tiles. I'm still pondering how to use them. Ditto, the rather nice quarried stone from a large raised flower bed that I demolished.
Why waste money, especially on stuff nobody sees?
Much of this stuff has come in useful over time. Only last week I found I had misplaced a nut in a funny size without which securing my Alfa hardtop would have been much harder (or which would have necessitated a drive to the nearest hardware shop) - a little fossick in my shed and I was spoiled for choice for replacements
.
I save screws, nuts, bolts, wire, hoses etc. I routinely break down pallets and other bits of lumber (having a stud/metal detector to run over them before they go near a saw or planer). I have what feels like every phone charger my family has ever owned, plus three 84 litre plastic boxes of kettle and figure of eight leads and enough ethernet cables to hook up a small school.
When I had my extension built, I saved all the stone uprights, joists, purlins etc from the car port that had to be demolished, along with all the clay tiles. I'm still pondering how to use them. Ditto, the rather nice quarried stone from a large raised flower bed that I demolished.
Why waste money, especially on stuff nobody sees?
Much of this stuff has come in useful over time. Only last week I found I had misplaced a nut in a funny size without which securing my Alfa hardtop would have been much harder (or which would have necessitated a drive to the nearest hardware shop) - a little fossick in my shed and I was spoiled for choice for replacements
.psi310398 said:
Yes, I save everything, as did my father and grandfather before me. The same applies to tools.
I save screws, nuts, bolts, wire, hoses etc. I routinely break down pallets and other bits of lumber (having a stud/metal detector to run over them before they go near a saw or planer). I have what feels like every phone charger my family has ever owned, plus three 84 litre plastic boxes of kettle and figure of eight leads and enough ethernet cables to hook up a small school.
When I had my extension built, I saved all the stone uprights, joists, purlins etc from the car port that had to be demolished, along with all the clay tiles. I'm still pondering how to use them. Ditto, the rather nice quarried stone from a large raised flower bed that I demolished.
Why waste money, especially on stuff nobody sees?
Much of this stuff has come in useful over time. Only last week I found I had misplaced a nut in a funny size without which securing my Alfa hardtop would have been much harder (or which would have necessitated a drive to the nearest hardware shop) - a little fossick in my shed and I was spoiled for choice for replacements.
You must have a big shed I save screws, nuts, bolts, wire, hoses etc. I routinely break down pallets and other bits of lumber (having a stud/metal detector to run over them before they go near a saw or planer). I have what feels like every phone charger my family has ever owned, plus three 84 litre plastic boxes of kettle and figure of eight leads and enough ethernet cables to hook up a small school.
When I had my extension built, I saved all the stone uprights, joists, purlins etc from the car port that had to be demolished, along with all the clay tiles. I'm still pondering how to use them. Ditto, the rather nice quarried stone from a large raised flower bed that I demolished.
Why waste money, especially on stuff nobody sees?
Much of this stuff has come in useful over time. Only last week I found I had misplaced a nut in a funny size without which securing my Alfa hardtop would have been much harder (or which would have necessitated a drive to the nearest hardware shop) - a little fossick in my shed and I was spoiled for choice for replacements
.
Spare tyre said:
My dad did and I do now, have a big box full of all sorts of useful stuff
Got a troublesome washing machine at the moment, which I can fix, but if i can’t I shall be using the pump to move some water round the garden
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&tit...
Alternatively, you can convert the washing machine into a cyclotron.Got a troublesome washing machine at the moment, which I can fix, but if i can’t I shall be using the pump to move some water round the garden
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&tit...
Somewhere in between. I haven't been bothered to break down the big items when they go phut. But when a useful part/washer/nuts/pump seem to go begging, I stick them on the top shelf in the garage.
Today I replaced a dripping cold water tank ball valve, with one salvaged from the old hot water overflow that was just sitting around. Both are ~30+ years old, the replacement only needed a new washer. Which I carved from the sole of a worn pair of DMs, left on my garden wall, and waiting to be taken to the dump!
I'll save you the amount of swearing at whoever fitted an 80 gallon tank with the valve and feed juuuust fitting between the rafters, positioned next to the access hatch. My back was twisted to fit into a hobbit sized space and it would have taken only a second of inattention to step back and fall 10 feet.
Today I replaced a dripping cold water tank ball valve, with one salvaged from the old hot water overflow that was just sitting around. Both are ~30+ years old, the replacement only needed a new washer. Which I carved from the sole of a worn pair of DMs, left on my garden wall, and waiting to be taken to the dump!
I'll save you the amount of swearing at whoever fitted an 80 gallon tank with the valve and feed juuuust fitting between the rafters, positioned next to the access hatch. My back was twisted to fit into a hobbit sized space and it would have taken only a second of inattention to step back and fall 10 feet.
Not appliances.
I do keep spare timber etc - recently built a 6' x 8' x 3' log store and the only thing I bought was the roof timber.
I also keep car parts, hoses, bolts etc
I suspect that if I looked at the time spent removing, storing and (mostly) finding the parts, whether it is worth it.
However the feeling having fixed your car late at night, from free parts is a good one - my V8 IS200 steering hose split just as I was leaving to go to a car meet, and I fixed it with a cut down hose from a Jag.
I do keep spare timber etc - recently built a 6' x 8' x 3' log store and the only thing I bought was the roof timber.
I also keep car parts, hoses, bolts etc
I suspect that if I looked at the time spent removing, storing and (mostly) finding the parts, whether it is worth it.
However the feeling having fixed your car late at night, from free parts is a good one - my V8 IS200 steering hose split just as I was leaving to go to a car meet, and I fixed it with a cut down hose from a Jag.
I'm a serial offender here. Car stuff, I have a shed with the remains of 4 cars in it. These are slowly becoming cannibalised to keep the ones that me, family and mates drive (generally all drive VW stuff), and lots of stuff can be repurposed. Needed a washer pump for mum's 75 recently. One from our old MK4 Golf, with the wiring connector, swapped in. Free part, and no waiting for a part or having to drive 50 miles to the nearest factors to get one at an inflated price because you need one right now. I keep every nut and bolt and screw from things, all in boxes in my workshop shed. Rarely ever have to buy any. Have bought several donor cars now (test failures etc, 100 quid jobs), break them for every single useful part and send the remains to the yard. We had a MK1 Focus for a few years, 50 quid spares car ended up keeping it going with nothing else needed apart from servicing. That's cheap motoring and the money saved can be spent on more fun machines and holidays.
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