DIY, what it's really all about to me
Posted 07-20-2009 at 10:43 PM by wildcat
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildcat
I do allot of Tech Write ups. Mostly on the Bombs I’ve done to my truck.
I do these Tech Write ups to for a few obvious reasons:
1). Encourage the person who may be thinking about the same modification to do it.
2). Share with people what I learned, or the process I used.
3). Contribute to the diesel community. It’s my chance to give back, and I choose to do just that.
4). I enjoy wrenching on my truck.
5). Provide opportunity for feedback. Just because I’m done with that modification, doesn’t necessarily mean I or others are done learning from or about it!
This article isn’t really about my Tech Write ups, though.
That was more or less an introduction to me, and my existence on this board.
My name is Bill, I go by wildcat on this board, and this is Me, attempting to justify the DIY argument.
The biggest, most persuasive reason I could come up with is the reason I DIY:
To try to save money!
Installation labor (Labor period, for that matter) when it comes to Modifying your truck, has always been ex$pen$ive.
What I generally do is pay myself to do the work.
For instance, let's say install labor for a particular modification is $250.00 (It's probably right around that to install a 5" Turbo Back Exhaust.) I'll do the work myself, SAVING myself that cost, and paying myself that money, which I in turn spend on another modification. Let's say that modification happens to cost $250.00. That means I just got the next modification for FREE by doing the labor on the previous project myself! The next modification may cost more, and if it does, then I just got it on one helluva SALE!
Now, the savings to me on just that one instance was $500.00! If I didn't do the install myself, I would have spent $250.00 to have someone else do the work. Then, I would have spent an additional $250.00 on the next modification I wanted.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
It stretches your hard earned money as far as you are capable of stretching it.
It really pays to PAY YOURSELF!
There is an additional benefit to doing it yourself. You learn about your truck. You get to know it inside and out. This information is priceless, especially when something happens to it in the middle of nowhere, and you know what it could be, because YOU do all the work on it yourself!
Here are some more examples of ways you can pay yourself.
Fabricating, or modifying stuff yourself.
Let's start with a modification first. In this example, it'll cost $400.00 for you to BUY the modification, and install it yourself.
Well, If I am capable of installing the modification, I might also be capable of the modification, itself. I might even have an idea or 2 about making the modification better, by using superior components, or twisting the original idea for my application.
There is certainly nothing wrong with me attempting it to save $400.00, is there? Now, IF I'm not too sure of the outcome, I might want to save the $400.00 BEFORE attempting the modification. That way, if I am unsuccessful, I can simply purchase the modification and install it.
In short, it only cost me my time to attempt it, and I probably will learn allot about my truck in the process of that attempt, regardless of the outcome.
If I was successful, I saved myself the cost of the modification, AND the installation + gained some valuable knowledge about my truck!
In the case of failure, I paid myself with knowledge or education, which is an INVESTMENT in me, and can pay me dividends later. Now, I go ahead and buy the modification and install it, saving the installation cost.
Fabrication is at the top of the food chain for saving yourself money, and doing it yourself. It also requires the most commitment on your part. Some of the tools required you may already own.
Fabrication can save you a MINIMUM of 2/3 the cost of any item! That's like paying $33.00 for something someone else wants to charge you $100.00 for! In most cases, the savings will be WAY greater than that!
In most cases, you can Build it better yourself, using better components and ideas, and STILL save the 2/3 or more!!
PAYING IT FORWARD
In every instance I gave, there is a way to help someone else out.
Once you have the knowledge or experience doing something, it will be forever useful to you.
It is also invaluable to the beginner, struggling like you once may have. There are opportunities here for you to learn even more. Every situation presents an opportunity for new problems, new solutions, new knowledge. Take advantage of this.
The easiest way to share your gift, is the “Wrenching Party”.
A wrenching party is nothing more than an excuse for a few people to get together over a common interest, and HELP someone. Help set them up in your Geographical area. Attend them when they happen. Even if you think your particular area of expertise isn’t useful.
Everyone who attends has SOMETHING to contribute, either to the current situation, or to future ones. You might learn something about your next modification. You might meet some people in your area. You might have allot of FUN!
SHARE your gift. Give it for FREE. Take only the Thanks, Appreciation, and knowledge you helped someone else. Instruct them to do the same.
My Dad would tell me this: “It’s on the Wheel, It’ll come back to you, and sometimes it grows on its way around”.
I hope this helps explain some things.
Any comments?
I do these Tech Write ups to for a few obvious reasons:
1). Encourage the person who may be thinking about the same modification to do it.
2). Share with people what I learned, or the process I used.
3). Contribute to the diesel community. It’s my chance to give back, and I choose to do just that.
4). I enjoy wrenching on my truck.
5). Provide opportunity for feedback. Just because I’m done with that modification, doesn’t necessarily mean I or others are done learning from or about it!
This article isn’t really about my Tech Write ups, though.
That was more or less an introduction to me, and my existence on this board.
My name is Bill, I go by wildcat on this board, and this is Me, attempting to justify the DIY argument.
The biggest, most persuasive reason I could come up with is the reason I DIY:
To try to save money!
Installation labor (Labor period, for that matter) when it comes to Modifying your truck, has always been ex$pen$ive.
What I generally do is pay myself to do the work.
For instance, let's say install labor for a particular modification is $250.00 (It's probably right around that to install a 5" Turbo Back Exhaust.) I'll do the work myself, SAVING myself that cost, and paying myself that money, which I in turn spend on another modification. Let's say that modification happens to cost $250.00. That means I just got the next modification for FREE by doing the labor on the previous project myself! The next modification may cost more, and if it does, then I just got it on one helluva SALE!
Now, the savings to me on just that one instance was $500.00! If I didn't do the install myself, I would have spent $250.00 to have someone else do the work. Then, I would have spent an additional $250.00 on the next modification I wanted.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
It stretches your hard earned money as far as you are capable of stretching it.
It really pays to PAY YOURSELF!
There is an additional benefit to doing it yourself. You learn about your truck. You get to know it inside and out. This information is priceless, especially when something happens to it in the middle of nowhere, and you know what it could be, because YOU do all the work on it yourself!
Here are some more examples of ways you can pay yourself.
Fabricating, or modifying stuff yourself.
Let's start with a modification first. In this example, it'll cost $400.00 for you to BUY the modification, and install it yourself.
Well, If I am capable of installing the modification, I might also be capable of the modification, itself. I might even have an idea or 2 about making the modification better, by using superior components, or twisting the original idea for my application.
There is certainly nothing wrong with me attempting it to save $400.00, is there? Now, IF I'm not too sure of the outcome, I might want to save the $400.00 BEFORE attempting the modification. That way, if I am unsuccessful, I can simply purchase the modification and install it.
In short, it only cost me my time to attempt it, and I probably will learn allot about my truck in the process of that attempt, regardless of the outcome.
If I was successful, I saved myself the cost of the modification, AND the installation + gained some valuable knowledge about my truck!
In the case of failure, I paid myself with knowledge or education, which is an INVESTMENT in me, and can pay me dividends later. Now, I go ahead and buy the modification and install it, saving the installation cost.
Fabrication is at the top of the food chain for saving yourself money, and doing it yourself. It also requires the most commitment on your part. Some of the tools required you may already own.
Fabrication can save you a MINIMUM of 2/3 the cost of any item! That's like paying $33.00 for something someone else wants to charge you $100.00 for! In most cases, the savings will be WAY greater than that!
In most cases, you can Build it better yourself, using better components and ideas, and STILL save the 2/3 or more!!
PAYING IT FORWARD
In every instance I gave, there is a way to help someone else out.
Once you have the knowledge or experience doing something, it will be forever useful to you.
It is also invaluable to the beginner, struggling like you once may have. There are opportunities here for you to learn even more. Every situation presents an opportunity for new problems, new solutions, new knowledge. Take advantage of this.
The easiest way to share your gift, is the “Wrenching Party”.
A wrenching party is nothing more than an excuse for a few people to get together over a common interest, and HELP someone. Help set them up in your Geographical area. Attend them when they happen. Even if you think your particular area of expertise isn’t useful.
Everyone who attends has SOMETHING to contribute, either to the current situation, or to future ones. You might learn something about your next modification. You might meet some people in your area. You might have allot of FUN!
SHARE your gift. Give it for FREE. Take only the Thanks, Appreciation, and knowledge you helped someone else. Instruct them to do the same.
My Dad would tell me this: “It’s on the Wheel, It’ll come back to you, and sometimes it grows on its way around”.
I hope this helps explain some things.
Any comments?
.gif "Bomb21")
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