Ive always liked the idea that about anything I could think-up, or see someone else had built, was something,
that I also had, the the option to duplicate if I had the tool's, materials on hand, skills and knowledge to fabricate,
should I choose to duplicate it, or something I could look over and perhaps redesign and improve on!
Its also always tended to piss me off when some guy in a machine-shop
quotes me absurd labor and material charges,
tells me how difficult something is to do, or tells me it will take a couple weeks,
to do something, I know you or I could knock out in a weekend, at most with the proper tools.
especially, if its to do something I know I could build, repair, or most likely improve on,
the design of, often making it better than he could for far less cash outlay.
and when you pay the quoted price and receive shoddy , slap it together ,
barely useful/useable machine work, that even makes me more insane.
I have on several occasions paid for thou$and$ of dollars in tools simply
because I knew I could do vastly superior machine work on a project and got pissed off,
dealing with local morons at local machine shops, not always cost effective,
but certainly much more satisfying knowing its been done correctly.
buying a mill was about a break even deal, buying a 220/110 volt generator/ arc welder combo has sure paid for itself many times
but buying a miller 252 MIG has paid for itself, several times over
https://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tool...ocphy=9012039&hvtargid=pla-593404776954&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Micrometer-S...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
https://www.amazon.com/Fowler-Stainless-Shockproof-52-008-708-0-Graduation/dp/B0047CZ2ZK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=DF9Q5X3A4EVH&dchild=1&keywords=12+inch+dial+calipers+measuring+tool&qid=1635283606&sprefix=12+inch+dial+caliper,aps,127&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTU5HSENUOElYVzJLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzMxOTE1MlA0QUxHODNER0lTTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzk2ODMwMkdTWkhXRlVNR1ZLSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
having a few accurate measuring tools helps