Upcycled/repurposed projects (MANY)

[Big_White]

hey joel, sorry i havent posted in awhile. Here are some pics of my recent project, a small chicken run. Used old hardwood and tin we had layin around. Had to buy the wire, we didnt have any on hand. Well here are the pics .

 

[Joel_BC]

Wow! A very interesting shop repurposing idea. Seems really useful.

A while ago, gd~ said he had a stainless-steel wok that he didn't like for cooking. Not that the wok used for this application would have to be stainless steel. Could be aluminum or some more ordinary steel.

This is used for the positioning of parts to be welded. The author of the idea tack welds the parts in this wok filled with shot (like bb's). (Later he arc welds the pieces for strength.) He's using "peening shot" - which is a variety of shot used for metal surface treatment, sort of like sand blasting. I guess it's because this shot is the right size, and he was able to get 50 lbs of it cheap.

Here's the very brief story:
http://www.stagesmith.com/gallery/shop_projects/wok/index.html
If you click on the link, the story comes up, and then you can click on the picture and get a larger version than shown in my post here.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a few recycles and repurposed things I've done lately:

Here is my scare crow...er...hawk made from PVC pipe, plastic bags, packing bubbles and duct tape...her name is Scary Suzy:

Here is my drill plucker setup. I used Dad's old miter board for a drill pocket, cut an old cart tire for a mess guard to protect my drill, used an ALL detergent bottle as a plucker guard and feather funnel. I haven't worked out the bugs on keeping the funnel guard more aligned but it doesn't hit the plucker fingers when it's in action, so that's okay...I just would like it to look more aligned to the plucker. Still working on that idea but nothing is gelling right now.

And when the drill is running...you can see when the jug guard kind of leans to one side. It may be the weight of the shop vac hose or just the torque of the plucker/drill but I will figure it all out or even leave it if it functions properly the way it is now.

 

[Joel_BC]

Thanks for remembering this thread, Bee. Very good to see your pics, and get the explanation of the plucker-in-development. Keep us posted.

Is Suzy pretty effective?

 

[Beekissed]

So far! They fly over but they don't stop to chat....I think the eyes are the deterrent more than her shape or movement. She is on top of a metal push in stake and she will swivel on windy days but merely sways in place on days with just a breeze.

 

[Joel_BC]

These things are about bringing our ingenuity back home... not just relying on industrially made gadgets and the newest (often expensive) thing we can buy in a store. Not to say that the components and parts we repurpose haven't come from the industrial output of the world's factories. But more to say that the materials, pieces, and components can have a useful life beyond the point in time when someone junked them.

 

[Beekissed]

Tried the plucker today...it will be going back in the box in which it came to the place from whence it was spawned. Incredibly and totally worthless.

Ya really can't beat good ol' hands for cheap plucking solutions, can you? Take a look at this antique manual chicken plucker I've had all these many years....

And she has been repurposed so many times I can no longer list the things we have used her for...a real gem of a tool on the SS homestead!

 

[Farmfresh]

My personal chicken coop the City Biddy Hen House (just like the building plans I sell on my website) is made from about 80% recycled materials. Basically I cleaned out the garage when I built my coop!

It looks a little rough using only the used lumber, but it was CHEEP! (get it cheep. ) Only the roofing materials, siding and wheels were purchased the rest was just laying around cluttering up my garage.

Also my City Biddy Double WIDE pasture coop contains recycled 2x4 framing and the roof is made of recycled car licenses plates that were saved from the trash can.

Nothing so fancy as an aluminum shingled roof!

 

[Beekissed]

I LOVE the license plate idea!!! Farm, I was just showing pics of this coop on BYC for someone who is designing their own coop and wanted to know about feed and water. Showed them the pic of your outside water tank and such....told them you sell the plans for it also.

I love these kind of recycles where you can actually see the old item(the license plates)in the build and it isn't camouflaged with paint....adds some whimsy to the whole thing.

 

[Farmfresh]

Well my main reason to upcycle/repurpose and recycle is easy ... I am CHEAP!

Where else could I get a metal roof that would last as long as that one will for the price of a few nails??



As for the other coop, I think I was as excited to use up all of the old lumber bits and bobs laying around as I was to get a new chicken coop. We also more recently build my D1 a City Biddy and in the process I got rid of a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood leaning in my basement that had been the Geek's electric train set up when he was little. Again that situation made me happier to use the 'in the way' plywood that it did saving the money for new lumber.