What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[Molpet]

I was thinking about making my own wheels for a couple of chicken tractors but I'm not sure what I'd use for the tread. I have some 1.5 inch flexible black poly water main line that I scrounged for free. Maybe I could split it in half and screw it on and have a more rounded tread profile. I could use 1/2" or 3/4" pex as bushings. I have both.

drive around garbage day and pick up old push mowers for the wheels

 

[Smokerbill]

drive around garbage day and pick up old push mowers for the wheels

I considered finding a mower for wheels, but then I'd have the rest of the thing to get rid of. And that would cost me about 3 gallons of gas for a trip to the trash transfer station, plus a minimum $17 fee.

 

[C Siena]

I considered finding a mower for wheels, but then I'd have the rest of the thing to get rid of. And that would cost me about 3 gallons of gas for a trip to the trash transfer station, plus a minimum $17 fee.

Anyway you could take off the wheels at a place you find one, early in the morning?

 

[Smokerbill]

Anyway you could take off the wheels at a place you find one, early in the morning?

Tell the truth, I've never seen a lawnmower sitting out by the trash around here, but I'll keep an eye out. Might get lucky!

 

[C Siena]

Tell the truth, I've never seen a lawnmower sitting out by the trash around here, but I'll keep an eye out. Might get lucky!

Another thought, would a junkyard have anything other than autos/trucks? Worth a call. Should be inexpensive.
I should have thought of this when we set up our solar panels. We have them set so we can adjust to the sun and needed a wheel with tread.

 

[gtaus]

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.

That's a good point. Dear Wife wanted me to build a deck off our kitchen/dining room. I have built decks before, but not by myself. It would have taken me a long time to build the deck by myself. Probably the better part of the summer. So, I gave the job to a local contractor who came out with a team and got the project done in a couple of days. We got to enjoy the deck for the entire summer. I think that was the better choice for us at that time.

My father and I used to build lots of things. After he passed, big jobs that require more than one person have become difficult for me to do. Sometimes, I just run up to my one-man operation limits even with additional tools or supports. Well, all that, plus I'm not a young man anymore...

 

[C Siena]

That's a good point. Dear Wife wanted me to build a deck off our kitchen/dining room. I have built decks before, but not by myself. It would have taken me a long time to build the deck by myself. Probably the better part of the summer. So, I gave the job to a local contractor who came out with a team and got the project done in a couple of days. We got to enjoy the deck for the entire summer. I think that was the better choice for us at that time.

My father and I used to build lots of things. After he passed, big jobs that require more than one person have become difficult for me to do. Sometimes, I just run up to my one-man operation limits even with additional tools or supports. Well, all that, plus I'm not a young man anymore...

We're learning more about body parts as more of them hurt every year... okay, sometimes monthly.

 

[gtaus]

Another thought, would a junkyard have anything other than autos/trucks? Worth a call. Should be inexpensive.

Not where I live. I was working on a tumbling compost bin setup that needed a couple of old bicycle wheel rims. I went to a local junk yard and found a number of broken bikes. I asked a yard worker how much they wanted for a pair of rims off a broken bike, and he said it would not be much, but we had to ask the boss. We walked down to the shop and the boss tells me his price - more than buying a new rim! And he was not willing to come down in price. On the way out, the worker rolled his eyes and apologized for his boss. He told me, we are losing lots of business because of him. I agreed and told him that they could sell that metal for pennys on the pound because I would not be back. He agreed and understood.

That was like 5 years ago. I have not been back there since then. It's just not worth my time to drive out there. Maybe that guy is long gone, but that whole interaction left a bad taste in my mouth.

On the other hand, I have talked to other people in other towns, and they tell me that their local landfill encourages people to salvage whatever they can from the yards. So, it all depends on who runs the yard, I guess.

 

[Molpet]

the boss tells me his price - more than buying a new rim! And he was not willing to come down in price.

He probably had a buddy that wanted and priced them high so they don't sell.
I have people who want to buy toms and I tell them I don't want to sell because I invite them to dinner. When they press for a price I tell them $100. I sold 4 last year at that price.... Well I traded 2 for $200 of grassfed beef.
..

 

[fuzzi]

Continuing the cart theme...

Two of the tires on our 4-wheeled cart weren't just flat, the tread had finally shredded. We replaced all of the tires with solid tires. Yes, they were $30 each, but they are never going to need air, and should last a long, long time. If/when the cart needs to be replaced -- it's 20+ years old -- we are saving the tires.

And continuing...

I bought a Gorilla cart a couple years ago, love it! I was hauling some coop debris to the garden and noticed that the tire wasn't straight.

It had lost its lynch pin somewhere in the backyard. Oh well, poof.

I ordered four lynch pins through Gorilla's website. I know they will fit, and I ordered extras since the shipping was the same for one or four.