Why do you DIY?

[MAD777]

....... BTW, no one is an ex-engineer or retired engineer. Once an engineer always an engineer. I suspect even born an engineer. At least that is how I am wired. We just have the title for others to reference.

Ha-ha! So true!

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[Shug]

When I first got into hammocking, doing DIY helped me get serious about it.
Sleeping in and under gear I made gave me some pride.
Taught me about structure.
Helped me in all my research as I am not one to ask for a lot of help but like to jump in and make mistakes and learn.
My first BlackCat tarp I made was a fail. I used what I though was a waterproof fabric. It was ripstop and leaked like a sieve. But....I looked at it as a test project. Then I went on to make 4 more tarps. Gave two away and one is now my Winter tarp and one is my Blackcrow tarp i use all the time. I love it.
Also made Frankenquilt underquilt, a down blanket for daughter and an insulated shirt. That shirt was difficult!
Shug

[jgreenewv]

Partly cost savings. For the things I CAN make, cost of materials is generally quite a bit less than buying the finished item. Granted, the stitching may not be as pretty but it's still functional. This has been especially helpful as I've had to outfit five of us. Unintentionally I've found that I enjoy DIYing gear. I didn't expect to enjoy sewing, but as Jellyfish said it can be almost like meditation. Also I'm an engineer (albeit electrical) and enjoy the challenge of coming up with solutions to issues I run into. And finally I enjoy spending the night out in and under gear that I made myself. It's a very satisfying experience.

[Dynamystic]

I DIY because I can.

I DIY because I like to be unique, just like everyone else.

I DIY because I'm slightly masochistic and perhaps more than a tad obsessive.

Some days, I ask myself the same question as I look around my basement full of sewing machines, work tables, rolls of fabric, bins full of bits and bops, and a boneyard filled with failed or outdated prototypes. Wait, why DO I DIY? By the looks of it, it certainly isn't to save money or to simplify my life. ;-)

Oh, I remember... I DIY because I feel an inner compulsion in the depths of my soul to participate in the process of creation itself. What will we think of next? ...



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[WaywardAngler]

I enjoy tinkering and learning to sew this year has given me a chance to really customize gear. I'm still going to have some custom gear made for me that's beyond my skillset, but if I can do it myself, I probably will. I have a list of specialized gear items I've been designing in my head for years and now that I have some basic sewing skills, I'm going to finally start working on them.

[wbJohn]

I DIY when it makes either financial sense or if it's something I really want to make myself.

I bought my hammocks. The first was an impulse buy from the clearance bin in the Walmart camping section and started this passion reigniting the primitive camping bug and getting me back outdoors and in touch with Nature. The second is a Dutchware Chameleon Wide. I bought the Chameleon because I didn't think I could do better than getting into the system the Chameleon is at the center of by building my own hammock.

I bought my first UQ, a OneTigres synthetic 3-season UQ and it worked well with the small, Walmart hammock but wasn't as comfortable under the Chameleon so I bought a couple of Costco down throws and made a UQ and TQ out of them. I knew I could have them done quicker and cheaper than ordering anything from a cottage vendor. I spent about $50 for a complete set of insulation for most of the time I'm going to be camping. I can also stack the synthetic and down UQs with one of my sleeping bags for a TQ for colder weather.

I also built my own kayak, a 17 foot boat that is an ocean island and river camping machine. I named her "Sandy" as it seemed like all I did for about a year was sand her. That was something I wanted to do myself and ended up costing more that I could have bought a boat that would have served the same purpose but would not have been as beautiful.

So, I DIY for several reasons. The quick projects are because I'm cheap The major ones are because I just want to do them.

[jabraso]

I like knowing what things are made of and how they work, that coupled with my love of the outdoors and gear means I have a rather long wish list. Funds for my competing hobbies are always tight and I don't have the patience to save my pennies to buy some things when I can make something similar myself. The process of making something also adds to the enjoyment of the end product. Instead of only enjoying the hammocks and quilts at night in the woods I also get to interact with them as they come together in my mind and under the sewing machine. Putting something together from scratch also makes a sort of 3D model in my head that I can tweak, reconfigure, and interact with whenever my mind would otherwise wander aimlessly.

[ripstopbytheroll]

I think there will be many different reasons given here and it will be an interesting thread.
For me, it's mostly for the fun of it. As a retired engineer, the design is my favorite part. But then, there is the satisfaction creating the things that will keep me safe & comfortable in the wilderness.
DIY has not saved me money as I have sought out premium, ultralight materials long before there were "vendors" making that type of top quality gear.
I see a parallel in another hobby of mine, fly fishing. I enjoy making flies as much as fishing. There's a special satisfaction in fooling a fish into biting a fly you made; just as your DIY quilts give a warm satisfaction, while you sleep confidently above the rocks & roots in your DIY hammock.

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Well said

[ripstopbytheroll]

I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and building things. My wife crochets when we’re relaxing, and I can’t do hard work when it’s dark. I just started a few simple DIY projects and so far I love taking out and using Gear I’ve made myself. Most importantly, if something is off I have a basic idea of where to make changes.

I haven’t tried sewing yet, but that’s my next endeavor.

Relaxation is one I never thought of, but something several people have said. I guess now that I think about it, it is kinda relaxing in a way.

[ripstopbytheroll]

I decided to try my hand at a DIY hammock after watching a video from RSBTR. I wanted a longer 11' hammock so I decided to give it a try with the 1.7 ROBIC XL. Since then I made 2 more for other leaders in my Scout Troop, then decided that I would make a hammock for each Scout that achieved Eagle. So far, since then I have made 2, one for the newest Eagle in our Troop and one for a Scout who is just about to get his Eagle rank. Our Troop did a trip to Colorado so I gave them out early for the trip. I figure making them is not bribery, but more like an incentive.

That's a nice incentive and cool idea with the Eagle Scouts! Seems like basic sewing skills could be a merit badge though. I mean by hand at least. But maybe that's not enough in and of itself to qualify.