Salvage and Re-Purposing

Steve Noel

In Memorium
Location
Casey County, KY
This thread is to document projects, that include, reusing the castoffs, of our throwaway culture. I just finished such a project, documented in the August One A Day challenge. (https://www.photographerslounge.org...-compact-photo-challenge-august-2013-a-20605/).

I am beginning the next one shortly, and will endeavor to give the details in photo story form, here. Anyone with such a project is encouraged to join the fun, of reusing our valuable "resources".

This is midway into the last project.
Chair_Back.jpg
 
I used to love "tinkering" with old materials that had been deemed fit for the scrap heap, but I don't have a garage in my current apartment :(
I live in an RV. Not much room. I do have the use of one corner of a barn, for the time being. But there are other ways to do these things on a very small scale. My friend (80+) makes very small wood toys. Salvage and re-purposing, can take many different roads. My mama, used to say,"where there is a will, there is a way." I have been known, to actually bring a car engine into the kitchen, to repair it, when the weather was bad, and had no garage. :)
 
OK, First 4, of a new deck/porch chair project

First, I needed some wood. Neighbor gave me some pallets. Some here, waiting destruction and a few scraps. Yes, the scraps are for using, later for something. (Old saying: "Waste not, want not") Pallets were free, from behind carpet shop, with owner's OK. :)

Pallets
Pallets_and_Parts.jpg


And some long boards from a 7' pallet.
Long_Pallet_Lumber.jpg


Some 2x4 stock, planed on 2 sides, and rough out tenon and half lap joint.
Tenon_and_Halflap.jpg


Fitting recycled seat of old office chair. Lot of hammer and wood chisel work. :whew:
Seat_Fitting.jpg


Just getting started. It's gonna take a while.
 
Another Project

Posted the mono version on the Sept. PAD, day 25.

My old desk chair was very tired and uncomfortable. So, this leather Buick seat is mounted on the old pivotal base. And now my old bones feel much better, and when I want to take a "break", the reclining feature is ready to "cradle my weary soul" for a nap! :D Please note the vintage CRT monitor (pulled out of retirement:)), due to be replaced shortly.

Office_Chair.jpg
 
Husband has made a few chairs out of the front bucket seats of taurus sho's. He gave one to his car club for an auction, another guy asked for one and bought it and he has another for his own desk chair much as you do here. In addition, he used the back seat of same make car along with the back bumper and fender section to make a sofa or as he calls it a sho-fa. Both of these are in the family room downstairs. He even made the tail lights on the sho-fa work via flick of a switch. We re-purpose a lot, create a lot, have a bit more than we need stored in house, garage and shed but we always seem to dig up what we need when we need or want it. An old tv set cabinet became a curio cabinet here. My daughter has used several wood pieces from discarded furniture and picture frames to create custom cabinetry and sculptures and also works with watch parts, old circuit boards and metal to make jewelry. She was doing it before 'steampunk' was in. At any rate kudos to you for seeing value in the discarded and making something wonderful out of it.
 
New Life from the Old.

We grew up farmers, and by most folks standard, poor. We learned very early, to treat "resources" with respect. Being able to "re-purpose" things, just makes sense. And it's satisfying. :) I have several projects is various levels of becoming something "new".
 
This is a great thread. My wife and I have a really tiny 1-bedroom apartment in Kiev (about 450 sq. feet) which we recently renovated and I used leftovers of hardwood flooring to make a bathroom cabinet and a shelf. Thankfully, we have a generously-sized storage room which I use as a cross between my home office and workshop.

I don't do much repurposing here in the US because it's a temporary home for us, but I used some salvaged wood to create raised beds for flowers and herbs in our backyard.
 
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