What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[BigBlueHen53]

Could you put actual tire tread on the outside of those wooden wheels? I traveled by covered wagon across several states in my youth, and the wheels were wooden with metal rims, just like original wagon wheels. Not sure how a wooden wheel would hold up.

 

[Smokerbill]

Could you put actual tire tread on the outside of those wooden wheels? I traveled by covered wagon across several states in my youth, and the wheels were wooden with metal rims, just like original wagon wheels. Not sure how a wooden wheel would hold up.

Yeah, an old bicycle tire would work for that but I don't think I have any laying around. I have a jug of copper sulfate wood preservative I could use on the wood. With a couple layers of paint over that they might last a few years, good enough for me.

 

[gtaus]

When DIY Costs More, Is It Worth It?

Here is something I always think about when I consider the cost of a repair, for example, should I do it myself or have someone else do it?

Case in point, I have a flat front tire on one of my riding mowers. It will cost me $15.00 and half a week downtime for the shop to repair the tire. But it should be good again for a few years, maybe longer.

But I have a number of mowers and flat tires that need to be repaired is an annual event. If I learn how to repair the tires myself, buy the necessary tools and supplies, will I be better off even if it costs me more right now?

I went on YouTube to see how to fix a flat lawn mower tire. Of course, on the videos, it does not look so difficult. I could do that myself!

So, I took off the flat tire, filled it with air, and did a leak test. It was leaking around the bead on the rim. That's what I expected. The tire was almost new, so good to go there. Just needed to buy a can of bead sealer for $15.00.

Well, that, and I also purchased a tire iron in case I need to remove the tire from the wheel. That was on sale at Harbor Freight for $5.00.

I was able to break the bead on the tire, painted the tire edge with bead sealer, and tried to get it back on the wheel. Unfortunately, it would not seat properly with my tools. Looks like I need to buy a high air flow chuck to blast air into the tire forcing it to seat on the rim properly.

I actually had a high flow chuck with a clamp that should have worked. Unfortunately, something is wrong with it and the air flow is blocked. So, it needs to be replaced. Another $10.00 for that. Menards has one on sale this week, so I plan on picking it up later today.

OK. I'm already $30.00 into a DIY project that would have cost me $15.00 to have someone else do it. Does that make any sense to anyone?

In my defense, the tools should be a one-time expense and learning how to fix a flat tire myself should last a lifetime. I'll break even on my second flat tire repair and save $15.00 per repair after that. I normally have 2 or 3 flat tires per summer to fix, so I expect I will get my money back by the end of the season. But for me, I also value knowing how to do things myself and sometimes it's worth it to me to learn a new skill even if it does not save me money immediately.

To answer my own question, for me, it is almost always worth it to pay more upfront for a DIY project or repair in most cases. Especially if I can use those skills and tools in the future.

Of course, sometimes I get in over my head and end up paying someone else to do the job anyway, losing all the money I may have invested in tools and supplies for my DIY attempt. That's the downside. But usually, I come out ahead by learning to do things myself.

I'd love to hear how other people approach their decision to go DIY or pay for service from someone else.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Simple answer: we almost always hire things done. DH is simply not handy. His talents are in the intellectual realm, not physical. I used to be more hands on, but am now limited by age and health constraints. So we support our local economy instead.

 

[gtaus]

DH is simply not handy. His talents are in the intellectual realm, not physical. ... So we support our local economy instead.

Dear Wife says I'm handy - so handy, she calls me a total tool! I have a feeling that's NOT a compliment.

Well, I definitely am supporting our local community. I spent $15 at O'Reilly's for the can of tire bead sealer, $5.00 at Harbor Freight for a tire iron, and I just got back from town where I spent another $10.00 on a new tire inflator kit at Menards. I'm already $30 into my DIY flat tire repair job that would have cost me $15 at the shop. I just hope the new high air flow inflator will pop the tire back into place on the rim.

 

[Sally PB]

Additionally, flat spots can develop if a heavy load sits on them for an extended period, especially in cold temperatures or if the tires are made from a softer rubber compound.

We sometimes store the carts upside down in the winter, which means there's no weight on the tires while they sit on cold concrete.

 

[Sally PB]

I think spending more up front and getting the tools and know-how to do fixes myself is USUALLY the better way to go. Some things are automatically "hire it done."

I'm including hubby with me, as he's more likely to do the repair.

 

[gtaus]

We sometimes store the carts upside down in the winter, which means there's no weight on the tires while they sit on cold concrete.

I'm glad you caught that. I did not know that before I bought some solid filled tires and looked into how to use/maintain them. You certainly don't want to get flat spots on those solid tires.

Come to think of it, we always turned our old one-wheeled wheelbarrows upside down for the winter. I always thought it was so the rain and snow would not fill up the tub over the winter. I guess another benefit was that the wheel was up and off the ground, probably better for an air-filled tire as well. It was just one of those things I was taught to do and never really told why it was important.

 

[gtaus]

I think spending more up front and getting the tools and know-how to do fixes myself is USUALLY the better way to go.

Well, I am happy to report that the new high air flow inflator popped the tire on to the bead with no problem. I put the wheel in a water bath and checked to make sure there were no leaks. Everything looked good, so I put the wheel back on the riding mower and was driving around this evening doing some spring cleanup.

And yes, now I have the tools and supplies I need to repair most of my flat utility tires on the lawn mowers and my garden carts. I spent $15 on those one-time tool purchase items and should have enough of that $15 can of bead sealer to do another ~10 tires.

Not only will I break even on the cost when I fix my second tire, but I also learned how to do the repair myself. That was worth it for me. Instead of spending money to drive into town and bring the flat tire into the shop, wait half a week for the job to get done, and then go back to pick it up, I can now fix it at home in a few minutes and get back to work.

Some things are automatically "hire it done."

I won't do most plumbing work. I don't have the specialty tools, or knowledge, not to make things worse. If you have a water leak in the house, you could be looking at a lot of $$$$ damage in no time.

 

[saysfaa]

We hire most such things done. It isn't because of the cost of the tools and equipment as much as it is the time and energy such projects take. Dh is handy and can build or fix about anything but he is a perfectionist about such things. Whatever he does is absolutely beautiful when he is done, even the out of sight parts, but it takes fooorrrreeeevvveeerrr and takes a lot of mental energy. He figured out very early in his career that we would be much further ahead in the long run if he invested his time and energy in his main job than if he took a second job too. Repairing things is in the same category as a second job.

I am not handy at all, as far as such repairs go. I attempt sometimes. Usually, that has ended with a bigger mess or a bigger repair project than when I started. Or both because they are not necessarily the same thing. I'm much better than I was. Both at doing a good job with such things and with stopping sooner when they start going sideways.

Storing tools we wouldn't use very often is also an issue.