Do not depend on them.
It is time for the United States to become more inventive. We need to stop depending on other countries for our needs. We also need to stop being bullies about patents and software copyrights. It is killing the U.S. in that it is not allowing the U.S. to compete against the world in the marketplace.
In my own situation, there was a tool I needed. I looked everywhere in the stores locally for a brace as I believe it is called. I just call it a hand drill/screwdriver. What I needed was to be able to work late at night building things without making a lot of noise. I also needed a hand tool I could use if the power was out. You still have to be able to work on computer equipment even when the power is down. Ironically, you can get most any other hand tool from a local store. You can get the brace from the web, but most likely it will have been made overseas. Not good enough.
Do not know who said it, but I think it makes real sense. If you can dream it, you can draw it. If you can draw it, you can build it. So it was time to do a bit of brain storming. What does an brace look like I thought to myself. Sort of a upside down U with long extensions. And need some parts that can swivel easily. Let me go to the hardware store and see if anything fits the bill. Looked at piping, but it was way to expensive. I really did not need anything that sturdy for what I was doing. Maybe I need to make a drawing, having something in mind now.
Good, let us use good old Tux paint. Then I realized, I need a drill chuck. Looked around and there was one for a very reasonable price at a local tool store that specialized in such things. Now back to the hardware store for the other parts. Low and behold hit me like a ton of bricks. Why not use pvc pipe, It is cheap and easy to cut. Here was the list.
Parts;
1 - 2 foot section of 1/2 inch pvc pipe. (B, D, F, H, i) (1 - 1 inch and 4 - 4 inch)
4 - 1/2 inch elbows pvc (C, E, G, P) (ignore the cursor in C, I forgot to move the mouse)
1 - 1/2 inch cap pvc (J)
1 - 1 inch tee pvc with the center part threaded. (M)
1 - 1 inch extension pvc (K)
1 - 1 inch cap for extension pvc (L)
1 - 1 inch screw in cap for tee pvc (N)
1 - Drill chuck replacement and 2 inch mounting bolt. (I used a 1/2 inch chuck) (A, O)
Glue
Came home and proceeded to get out the hack saw and ruler and started working on the project. Before long this is what I came up with:
Yes, the ultimate geek drill and screwdriver still works. For a little ingenuity and a few bucks, I did not have to depend on some other country to get me what I needed. It really is true that: If you can dream it, you can draw it. If you can draw it, you can build it. What can you do for yourself?
In my own situation, there was a tool I needed. I looked everywhere in the stores locally for a brace as I believe it is called. I just call it a hand drill/screwdriver. What I needed was to be able to work late at night building things without making a lot of noise. I also needed a hand tool I could use if the power was out. You still have to be able to work on computer equipment even when the power is down. Ironically, you can get most any other hand tool from a local store. You can get the brace from the web, but most likely it will have been made overseas. Not good enough.
Do not know who said it, but I think it makes real sense. If you can dream it, you can draw it. If you can draw it, you can build it. So it was time to do a bit of brain storming. What does an brace look like I thought to myself. Sort of a upside down U with long extensions. And need some parts that can swivel easily. Let me go to the hardware store and see if anything fits the bill. Looked at piping, but it was way to expensive. I really did not need anything that sturdy for what I was doing. Maybe I need to make a drawing, having something in mind now.
Good, let us use good old Tux paint. Then I realized, I need a drill chuck. Looked around and there was one for a very reasonable price at a local tool store that specialized in such things. Now back to the hardware store for the other parts. Low and behold hit me like a ton of bricks. Why not use pvc pipe, It is cheap and easy to cut. Here was the list.
Parts;
1 - 2 foot section of 1/2 inch pvc pipe. (B, D, F, H, i) (1 - 1 inch and 4 - 4 inch)
4 - 1/2 inch elbows pvc (C, E, G, P) (ignore the cursor in C, I forgot to move the mouse)
1 - 1/2 inch cap pvc (J)
1 - 1 inch tee pvc with the center part threaded. (M)
1 - 1 inch extension pvc (K)
1 - 1 inch cap for extension pvc (L)
1 - 1 inch screw in cap for tee pvc (N)
1 - Drill chuck replacement and 2 inch mounting bolt. (I used a 1/2 inch chuck) (A, O)
Glue
Came home and proceeded to get out the hack saw and ruler and started working on the project. Before long this is what I came up with:
Yes, the ultimate geek drill and screwdriver still works. For a little ingenuity and a few bucks, I did not have to depend on some other country to get me what I needed. It really is true that: If you can dream it, you can draw it. If you can draw it, you can build it. What can you do for yourself?
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