Words by Ren Alcantara
T
o go along with the theme this month, we decided that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take all the projects we’ve come up with for this issue, and complement it with a general piece on the DIY mindset. It’s not a particularly difficult or mysterious thing, but it’s something that can carry over across different projects or tasks.
The main reason I got started with DIY in general was that there were some things, either outright devices, or certain features, that I needed or wanted which weren’t available in off-the-shelf offerings. This leads us to the first part of this mindset: Anything that exists can be made better. Whether it’s a wall that needs an extra shelf, a phone that could use a better holder, or a computer that needs more RAM, everything can be made better. If you have a device that you wish could do something more than was built into it, think about what might be needed to add the functionality you’re looking for. Whether or not you can actually apply those changes is for later in the process. This step is all about looking at your things differently from most people. Let’s say you have something in mind. For example, I used to use one of those pop-out
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socket things for my phone. It was extremely convenient and technically could be repositioned on the back of the device, but the “temporary” adhesive on the socket was extremely inconvenient to deal with. After some thinking, I realized I could modify the accessory with strong magnets and stick a metal plate on my phone so I could keep the convenience of the holder, and be able to move it to a more effective position depending on my needs. After a quick trip to an online retailer for magnets, some epoxy, and a little trial and error, I had exactly what I was looking for, and it served me for years until I finally replaced my phone. It of course might not be the best idea to modify a tourbillon timepiece (though that might be a heck of a thing to attempt), but if the result you’re after is worth the risk, and it’s your property anyway, I say go for it.
Next up, if you can’t find what you need, make it. This is a big one. Every device that is sold everywhere is made of parts put together in a certain way. What parts those are and how they go together dictates what the device does. If none of the devices you can buy does what you need, it might be time to consider getting the parts, and building the thing yourself. This will of course be subject to a lot of fumbling, broken components, and frustration, but that comes with the territory, and I can more or less guarantee that the next iterations are going to get better and better. You will need to make an honest assessment of your own skills, and if you find them lacking, you’ll have to decide if you’re willing to mess up enough to learn, and attempt it anyway. The latter is generally the better idea, though be aware that some projects can be more dangerous (read: Potentially fatal) than
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