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Member's Forum When do you buy verses when do you build
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  • Replies 14 replies
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Related

When do you buy verses when do you build

colporteur
colporteur 25 days ago

A student just sent me a solution to a problem I had presented in an Arduino for model railroaders workshop he attended last. It was the second time he had attended. He hadn’t put into practice what he had learned during his first workshop and thought, if I take it again, that will motivate him. It seems it has because he has shared a few arduino animation projects he has been working on that use the skill introduced in the workshop.

After some back-and-forth emails on the problem solution he provided, I did some navel gazing while having a morning coffee. What is the motivation to buy verses doing-it-yourself. For me to do model railroad animation, it costs. Solutions for modelers often cost mostly triple digits in US dollars.

A few weeks back, it may have been months, (E14 is not playing well this morning for searching), someone was looking to build a device to measure temperature in their fridge. A few members offered over-the-counter solutions that looked appealing. The person making the post tried the buy solution and found it less than acceptable.

AUGH, the site is so slow. I wanted to post a link to Clem Seven circle of hell but the G/D site is giving me rotating circles of hell.

Cost, time, understanding, what are your Make-or-Break points for BUY or DIY?

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  • kmikemoo
    kmikemoo 24 days ago +1
    Is the project about the journey or the destination? If a thing exists to do what I need it to do and I'm not excited about how it gets done... I buy. I save my DIY time for things that I want to understand…
  • beacon_dave
    beacon_dave 25 days ago
    colporteur said:
    A few weeks back, it may have been months, (E14 is not playing well this morning for searching), someone was looking to build a device to measure temperature in their fridge.

    /technologies/experts/f/forum/55975/power-outage-alarm

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  • dougw
    dougw 25 days ago

    I like to build my own version of things I am interested in. Things I am not so interested in, I might buy if they are cheap enough or I might build them just for the challenge or if I have the necessary components.

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  • colporteur
    colporteur 24 days ago in reply to beacon_dave

    Yes BD your search powers are awesome. Why I couldn't find it doesn't escape me. I have a problem finding things on the site.

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  • colporteur
    colporteur 24 days ago in reply to dougw

    I like what I build because it matches requirements but it takes time to get those requirements. Buying I compromise in favour of time.

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  • robogary
    robogary 24 days ago

    I make when I am building something unique. 

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  • kmikemoo
    kmikemoo 24 days ago

    Is the project about the journey or the destination?  If a thing exists to do what I need it to do and I'm not excited about how it gets done... I buy.  I save my DIY time for things that I want to understand better, make with my own hands or see if I can create that custom widget.

    The equation isn't fully developed but it covers the main decision points.

    image     N = need or want
         ? = curiosity level, high or low?
         C = cost, high or low?
         T =  time to create solution/complete the project

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  • beacon_dave
    beacon_dave 24 days ago in reply to colporteur
    colporteur said:
    I wanted to post a link to Clem Seven circle of hell but the G/D site is giving me rotating circles of hell.

    /challenges-projects/element14-presents/project-videos/w/documents/71954/i-tried-building-16-attiny-robots-with-vibration-motors-it-was-a-disaster----episode-676

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  • robogary
    robogary 24 days ago

    Can I be so bold to ask about what is meant by "naval gazing"  ?   At first I thought  "navel gazing" .......then quickly dispelled that vision, :-)  then  thought maybe referred to looking at sailing ships, but couldnt relate that to model railroads.  

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  • kmikemoo
    kmikemoo 24 days ago in reply to robogary

    Joy  The mental image of that phrase made me laugh out loud.  That's me in front of the computer at night when I don't want to go to bed but my body has different ideas.  I haven't fallen out of the chair yet, but the potential is definitely there. Laughing

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  • beacon_dave
    beacon_dave 24 days ago in reply to robogary

    You were 'right on the button' the first time... Slight smile

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