Show us your DIY

[YosemiteSam]

Do you guys build your own stuff at home? Have an issue and you engineer a way to fix / repair it?

As an engineer, I always enjoy finding and fixing things myself.

I'm a ham radio operator, astronomer, astrophotographer, guitar players, etc. So I have lots of hobbies and therefore end up having lots of issues I end up needing to work though. (that's part of the fun of it all anyhow)

So, show us your DIY work! (fixing, building, etc whatever)

I have several antennas for my ham radio stuff. One of my new antennas causes a lot of common mode current coming back down the antenna feedline. This causes RF noise in my house and messes with my electronis. You can buy an RF choke online for $60-$100, or... You can build one yourself!

This is the one I just built.

Below is a electrical current limiter I'm building for my electronic desk. I build and sometimes repair old electronics. So, you have to be extremely careful when you plug in old 120V AC electronics especially after you've been working on them.

If you plug in a device to 120V AC that has a direct short. You can get 15-20 amps at 120v coming out and exploding in a massive rush of current. That isn't safe. This device you see me assembling here. It uses two 60 watt lightbulbs to limit current to 120 watts at 120v. (ie, 1 amp instead of 15 or 20 amps!)

If the items is shorted, the lightbulbs will light up. If it's not. Only small amounts of current will flow and the lightbulbs won't light up. (or will barely glow)

The light sockets attach to the top where the black rubber grommets are. (the grommets protect the wires from the edges of the metal case)

Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product. Maybe I will add one later when I get a chance to take a picture of it.

This is a bench top 0-30v 0-3 amp DC power supply. I didn't design it, but it was a kit that you buy and have to assemble yourself. (build and solder)

I already have several commercial version, so I did this just for fun. I ended up giving it to a friend who wanted to get into the electronics fix / build hobby and he needed one.

I also build all my PCs from parts ordered on line with the exception of laptops. You just get a way better PC for a lot less if you build them yourselves.

I will post some more in a bit.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I make my own wine. These are two fruit wines, but I do make a lot grape wines too.

These wines are:

• Yellow Wine: A blend of Pineapple, Mango, Lime wine
• Red Wine: A blend of Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, and Blueberry wine.

I started growing tomatoes this year and put up a small cheap greenhouse I bought for them. Well, it doesn't breath well and it can get super hot inside and not to mention lots of condensation. That will cause mold among other things, so I created a screen door for it with left over wood I had an some insect netting I had on hand and some paracord and a bungee cord.

Kind of hackish, but I needed something quick and easy and could be made with things I had on hand.

I found this picture of the current limiter above that is further along in the build process and it includes a picture of my electronics workbench.

We wanted more ambient light on our on our deck so we could hang out at night. I picked up some stringer lights and used flower pot hangers lined around my deck and installed some power outlets to setup this lighting system for our back deck.

Since I have several antennas around my house and many stick up like lightening rods. I have a proper grounding system for those antennas as they enter my house. They come through the concrete foundation in my garage and go into this junction box where they get grounded to the metal plate in the box and then that grounding goes outside to a grounding rod. The small boxes attached to the plate are basically gas fuses. If lightning hits, it will blow that gas fuse and all the voltage gets grounded to the plate and wired outside to the grounding rod.

I have more antennas now, this was taken right after I did the initial install.

That's enough for now. Show us your DIY!

 

[CouchCoach]

By DIY, did you mean Drunk In Yard?

 

[jsb357]

Since 2000 I've hired

a bee removal expert

paid a guy at work to install a new main breaker box

paid 2 different companies to cut down VERY large
trees VERY close to my house

Everything else is DIY.

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

Do you guys build your own stuff at home? Have an issue and you engineer a way to fix / repair it?

As an engineer, I always enjoy finding and fixing things myself.

I'm a ham radio operator, astronomer, astrophotographer, guitar players, etc. So I have lots of hobbies and therefore end up having lots of issues I end up needing to work though. (that's part of the fun of it all anyhow)

So, show us your DIY work! (fixing, building, etc whatever)

I have several antennas for my ham radio stuff. One of my new antennas causes a lot of common mode current coming back down the antenna feedline. This causes RF noise in my house and messes with my electronis. You can buy an RF choke online for $60-$100, or... You can build one yourself!

This is the one I just built.

Below is a electrical current limiter I'm building for my electronic desk. I build and sometimes repair old electronics. So, you have to be extremely careful when you plug in old 120V AC electronics especially after you've been working on them.

If you plug in a device to 120V AC that has a direct short. You can get 15-20 amps at 120v coming out and exploding in a massive rush of current. That isn't safe. This device you see me assembling here. It uses two 60 watt lightbulbs to limit current to 120 watts at 120v. (ie, 1 amp instead of 15 or 20 amps!)

If the items is shorted, the lightbulbs will light up. If it's not. Only small amounts of current will flow and the lightbulbs won't light up. (or will barely glow)

The light sockets attach to the top where the black rubber grommets are. (the grommets protect the wires from the edges of the metal case)

Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product. Maybe I will add one later when I get a chance to take a picture of it.

This is a bench top 0-30v 0-3 amp DC power supply. I didn't design it, but it was a kit that you buy and have to assemble yourself. (build and solder)

I already have several commercial version, so I did this just for fun. I ended up giving it to a friend who wanted to get into the electronics fix / build hobby and he needed one.

I also build all my PCs from parts ordered on line with the exception of laptops. You just get a way better PC for a lot less if you build them yourselves.

I will post some more in a bit.

I'm envious of you guys who can do this stuff. My skillset is pretty much limited to what I do - games. It's strange because I have two brothers who can build or fix anything with their hands. I had two Grandfathers and Uncles that were the same. My Dad was like me. He was the state budget planner for Texas so he did pretty well for himself. I got his work ethic more than anything. I did install a bidet somewhat recently in our master bathroom. I only had to take it apart and redo it two times! LOL! I used to build PCs too but kind of got lost with all the changes over the last 20+ years. I'm sure I could still do it on a mediocre level.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I'm envious of you guys who can do this stuff. My skillset is pretty much limited to what I do - games. It's strange because I have two brothers who can build or fix anything with their hands. I had two Grandfathers and Uncles that were the same. My Dad was like me. He was the state budget planner for Texas so he did pretty well for himself. I got his work ethic more than anything. I did install a bidet somewhat recently in our master bathroom. I only had to take it apart and redo it two times! LOL! I used to build PCs too but kind of got lost with all the changes over the last 20+ years. I'm sure I could still do it on a mediocre level.

You can't do DIY, but you installed a bidet? hah. Or you replaced an existing one? hah Because the former would require plumbing!

As for PCs, if you did it 20 years ago, you can do it today also. The only thing that has really changed is liquid coolers and that is only if you install one. They come with instructions. The hardest part of it is ensuring your case / PC have the location and venting for the liquid cooler's radiator. Me, I just buy the matching case for the liquid cooler.

 

[YosemiteSam]

By DIY, did you mean Drunk In Yard?

You sir, are clearly a better engineer than I! Do you do contract work?

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

You can't do DIY, but you installed a bidet? hah. Or you replaced an existing one? hah Because the former would require plumbing!

As for PCs, if you did it 20 years ago, you can do it today also. The only thing that has really changed is liquid coolers and that is only if you install one. They come with instructions. The hardest part of it is ensuring your case / PC have the root and venting for the liquid cooler's radiator. Me, I just buy the matching case for the liquid cooler.

It was one of those ones that replaces your toilet seat. <Looks away in shame>. I couldn't dream of a real bidet. I do think I could still work on PCs. The power supply on mine at work just went out and I assumed I just could replace it easily. Was kind of shocked when I opened the case and saw all the connections. I called in a 22 year kid who did it in short time. I'm 48 so my shame knows know limits.

 

[Runwildboys]

I make my own wine. These are two fruit wines, but I do make a lot grape wines too.

These wines are:

• Yellow Wine: A blend of Pineapple, Mango, Lime wine
• Red Wine: A blend of Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, and Blueberry wine.

I started growing tomatoes this year and put up a small cheap greenhouse I bought for them. Well, it doesn't breath well and it can get super hot inside and not to mention lots of condensation. That will cause mold among other things, so I created a screen door for it with left over wood I had an some insect netting I had on hand and some paracord and a bungee cord.

Kind of hackish, but I needed something quick and easy and could be made with things I had on hand.

I found this picture of the current limiter above that is further along in the build process and it includes a picture of my electronics workbench.

We wanted more ambient light on our on our deck so we could hang out at night. I picked up some stringer lights and used flower pot hangers lined around my deck and installed some power outlets to setup this lighting system for our back deck.

Since I have several antennas around my house and many stick up like lightening rods. I have a proper grounding system for those antennas as they enter my house. They come through the concrete foundation in my garage and go into this junction box where they get grounded to the metal plate in the box and then that grounding goes outside to a grounding rod. The small boxes attached to the plate are basically gas fuses. If lightning hits, it will blow that gas fuse and all the voltage gets grounded to the plate and wired outside to the grounding rod.

I have more antennas now, this was taken right after I did the initial install.

That's enough for now. Show us your DIY!

Why didn't you just cut out a rectangle (so the roll up door would act as a frame for the netting) or even cut out holes in the roll up door and glue or otherwise attach the netting?

 

[Runwildboys]

If I post a picture of my DIY, I'll get banned, and possibly arrested. Besides, I don't do it myself because I prefer to.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Why didn't you just cut out a rectangle (so the roll up door would act as a frame for the netting) or even cut out holes in the roll up door and glue or otherwise attach the netting?

I close it at night due to the temperature drop. If you haven't noticed, it's been abnormally cool this summer! Just a week or two ago, it got down to 38F at night!

It still cools off in there, but not as bad as if it were open and a cold breeze passing through it.

 

[YosemiteSam]

If I post a picture of my DIY, I'll get banned, and possibly arrested. Besides, I don't do it myself because I prefer to.

What a Field of Dreams? lol

 

[Runwildboys]

What a Field of Dreams? lol

Yeah, if I build it I will.............oops!

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

If I post a picture of my DIY, I'll get banned, and possibly arrested. Besides, I don't do it myself because I prefer to.

You guys give the little appreciation I have anymore with the world. Too funny!

 

[cowboyec]

•jacks frozen pizza
•coke with crushed ice
•my special tarter sauce....mayo mixed with relish.
•and if you stand up a pallet...it can hold all your rakes,shovels,brooms etc...make sure you secure it to the wall...it will tip over.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I often build my own salads when we go out to eat.

 

[YosemiteSam]

While I can appreciate DIY food hah. I was looking for more non-standard / everyday DIY doings. Even building / growing gardens in the back / front yard?

For instance, here is what my wife has been up to in our backyard.

Doesn't nobody fix / build things themselves anymore?

 

[Runwildboys]

While I can appreciate DIY food hah. I was looking for more non-standard / everyday DIY doings. Even building / growing gardens in the back / front yard?

For instance, here is what my wife has been up to in our backyard.

Doesn't nobody fix / build things themselves anymore?

My yard gets nature's treatment. I mow and weed whack, but I let the weed whacker decide what's weeds and what isn't. Apparently everything it touches is a weed, who knew? Other than that, stuff grows where it wants and gets watered when it rains... possibly to the dismay of my neighbors, but the only complaints I've had are that the weeds were getting too high and they couldn't see over them to see if any cars were coming down with hill. Hence the weed whacker....Well actually, I got a hedge trimmer for that area.

Your yard looks great, by the way!

 

[YosemiteSam]

I will let my wife know you approve! She is very happy with it also.